--- title: "St. Mary's County Property Management and Rental Facts" description: "St. Mary's County rental license rules, HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent, STS bus routes, SMECO power, parks, and our Lexington Park office. Free assessment." url: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/st-marys-county publisher: Real Property Management Gold phone: +1-301-392-2172 assessment: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us#assessment --- # St. Mary's County Property Management St. Mary's County has no county rental license, and Leonardtown has none either, per the People's Law Library as of October 2026. HUD's FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,787 for the whole county. SMECO supplies power and STS runs bus routes. Our Lexington Park office manages rentals here. Areas we serveUpdated October 29, 20264 min read - **No county license.** St. Mary's County and the town of Leonardtown list no rental license requirement. - **One county benchmark.** HUD uses one FY2027 Fair Market Rent for the whole county: $1,787 for a two-bedroom. - **STS bus routes.** The St. Mary's Transit System runs routes between Lexington Park, California, Leonardtown and Charlotte Hall. - **Lexington Park office.** Our St. Mary's and Calvert County office is at 22099 Three Notch Road Ste 111, Lexington Park. ![Map of St. Mary's County among the counties served in Southern Maryland, with both offices](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/maps/st-marys-county.svg) Gold houses: our Lexington Park and Waldorf offices. US Census Bureau TIGERweb (counties, areal hydrography, US and state highways), retrieved 2026-10-29; town points from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; office points from the Census Geocoder. ## Rent benchmarks in St. Mary's ZIP code2061020615, Broomes Island20629, Solomons20639, Huntingtown20657, Chesapeake Ranch Estates20676, St. Leonard20678, Prince Frederick20685, St. Leonard20688, Solomons20689, Chesapeake Beach20714, North Beach20732, Chesapeake Beach20736, Owings20754, Dunkirk20601, Waldorf20602, Waldorf20603, Bensville2061120612, Benedict20616, Bryans Road20617, Bryantown20622, Charlotte Hall20625, Cobb Island2063220637, Hughesville20640, Bryans Road2064520646, La Plata2065820661, Cobb Island2066220664, Rock Point20675, Pomfret20677, Port Tobacco Village2069320695, Waldorf20613, Brandywine20745, National Harbor20772, Upper Marlboro20606206092061820619, California20620, Callaway206212062420626206282063020634, California2063620650, Leonardtown20653, Lexington Park2065620659, Mechanicsville20660206672067020674, Piney Point2068020684206862068720690, Tall Timbers20692, Tall Timbers BedroomsStudioStudio11 bedroom22 bedrooms33 bedrooms44 bedrooms HUD benchmark rent $2,242/month County Fair Market Rent, St. Mary's County. HUD FY2027. Silver 8.9% $200 fee $2,042 to you Gold 10.9% $244 fee $1,998 to you Platinum 12.9% $289 fee $1,953 to you One-time tenant placement: **$1,856** (6.9% of a 1-year lease at this rent). [Get a real rent number, free](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us?zip=20606&beds=3#assessment) HUD Fair Market Rents are a federal benchmark for voucher programs, not an appraisal of your home. Fees from [our published pricing](https://www.realpmgold.com/property-management-fees). Data retrieved 2026-10-29. [How this works](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/rent-check) ## Does St. Mary’s County require a rental license? No. The Maryland People’s Law Library lists no long-term or short-term rental license for St. Mary’s County, and none for the town of Leonardtown. Its table was last updated September 22, 2026. The library is the state judiciary’s law library, not a county site, so call the county before you list a home. Our [Southern Maryland rental license guide](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/landlord-center/southern-maryland-rental-license) compares all four counties, and the [rental license](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/rental-license) entry explains the term. ## What does HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent say about St. Mary’s County? HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county rather than one per ZIP. It is a federal benchmark used for voucher programs. It is not a prediction of what a specific home will rent for. Unit size HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent Efficiency $1,328 1 bedroom $1,642 2 bedrooms $1,787 3 bedrooms $2,242 4 bedrooms $2,853 Source: HUD FY2027 FMR documentation for St. Mary’s County, retrieved October 29, 2026. A [housing choice voucher](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/housing-choice-voucher) payment standard starts from this table. Maryland treats vouchers as a lawful source of income, and our [voucher guide for landlords](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/landlord-center/housing-vouchers-maryland-landlords) explains the process. For a real number on your home, [request a free rental assessment](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us). The [market rent](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/market-rent) entry explains why the two numbers differ. ## Which utilities serve St. Mary’s County? SMECO provides electric service to all of St. Mary’s County. Tenants usually start service in their own name before move-in. Ask the county or the previous tenant which provider handles water and sewer at the home. ## How does the St. Mary’s Transit System work? STS runs numbered routes, and the county lists three transfer points: the Governmental Center Complex in Leonardtown, the Tulagi Place Park & Ride lot in Lexington Park, and Charlotte Hall Square. The county page also carries a notice that riders should expect delays on the Charlotte Hall service line until further notice. Route Path Days and hours 1 California Leonardtown to Lexington Park via California Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. 2 Charlotte Hall Leonardtown to Charlotte Hall via Loveville Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 3 Great Mills Lexington Park to Leonardtown via Great Mills Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. 4/14 County-Span Lexington Park to Charlotte Hall Monday to Saturday 5 Calvert Lexington Park to Solomons Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. 6 Northern Charlotte Hall to Budds Creek via Mechanicsville Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. 7 Southern Lexington Park to Ridge to St. Mary’s City Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Maryland MTA route 725 runs from California and Charlotte Hall toward Washington, DC. ## What parks and landmarks are in St. Mary’s County? St. Mary’s River State Park sits along Maryland Route 5 between Leonardtown and Great Mills, and its Site 1 area holds a 250-acre lake. Naval Air Station Patuxent River supports more than 52,317 direct, indirect and induced jobs in Lexington Park and the surrounding area, according to a county report. The county seat is Leonardtown, and MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is at 25500 Point Lookout Rd. there. Public schools are run by St. Mary’s County Public Schools. ## What should an owner check first in St. Mary’s County? 1. Confirm the license rule with the county. The state’s table lists none for the county or for Leonardtown. 2. Look up the county benchmark. HUD uses $1,787 for two bedrooms in every ZIP, so it will not tell you which part of the county rents for more. 3. Plan the utilities. SMECO covers the whole county. Ask the county or the previous tenant who bills water and sewer. 4. Note the nearest STS route or MTA stop and state it as a fact about the location. 5. If you are renting out your home on orders, read the [BAH](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/bah) and [PCS](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/pcs) entries and our [military PCS rental page](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/military-pcs-rental-management). 6. Ask for a free assessment, so the rent you set comes from your own home. ## Where do we manage homes in St. Mary’s County? Our office for St. Mary’s and Calvert counties is at 22099 Three Notch Road Ste 111, Lexington Park, MD 20653. Real Property Management Gold handles marketing, tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance, and financial reporting. We also manage homes in Mechanicsville. Town pages with local detail: - [Lexington Park](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/st-marys-county/lexington-park) - [Leonardtown](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/st-marys-county/leonardtown) - [California](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/st-marys-county/california-md) - [Charlotte Hall](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/st-marys-county/charlotte-hall) Our tenant placement fee is 6.9% of the 1-year lease total, charged once after move-in. See [property management fees](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/property-management-fees) for the three management plans. If we don’t rent your property in 29 days or less, you do not pay a management fee for the first month. That promise is included in the Gold and Platinum plans. ## Next step Request a free assessment at [Contact us](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us) or call (301) 392-2172. Compare the other counties on [Areas we serve](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve). This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the linked official source or talk to a Maryland attorney. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does St. Mary's County require a rental license? No. The Maryland People's Law Library lists no long-term or short-term rental license for St. Mary's County, and none for the town of Leonardtown, as of its September 22, 2026 update. Rules can change, so confirm with the county before you list a home. ### What is the HUD Fair Market Rent in St. Mary's County? For FY2027, HUD lists $1,328 for an efficiency, $1,642 for one bedroom, $1,787 for two, $2,242 for three and $2,853 for four. It is a federal benchmark for voucher programs, not a prediction of what a specific home will rent for. ### Who provides electricity in St. Mary's County? Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative says it provides electric service to all of Charles and St. Mary's counties. Tenants usually start service in their own name before move-in. Ask the county or the previous tenant who bills water and sewer, because that depends on the address. ### Does St. Mary's County have public buses? Yes. The St. Mary's Transit System runs numbered routes between Lexington Park, California, Leonardtown, Charlotte Hall and other stops, Monday through Saturday on most routes. Maryland MTA route 725 also runs from California and Charlotte Hall toward Washington, DC. ## Terms on this page - [Housing Choice Voucher](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/housing-choice-voucher) - [Management fee](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/management-fee) - [Rental license](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/rental-license) - [Market rent](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/market-rent) - [BAH](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/bah) - [PCS](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/pcs) ## Sources 1. [Maryland People's Law Library: Rental License Requirements](https://www.peoples-law.org/rental-license-maryland-county-city-municipality-town-search) 2. [Maryland People's Law Library: Rental License Requirements](https://www.peoples-law.org/rental-license-maryland-county-city-municipality-town-search) 3. [HUD User: FY2027 FMR, St. Mary's County HUD Metro FMR Area](https://www.huduser.gov/datasets/fmr/fmr2027/summary?year=2027&reporttype=hmfa&hmfa=METRO30500N24037) 4. [Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative: Service Area](https://www.smeco.coop/about/service-area/) 5. [St. Mary's County Government: STS Transit Map and Route Information](https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/sts) 6. [St. Mary's County Government: STS Transit Map and Route Information (notice)](https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/sts) 7. [Maryland MTA: Commuter Bus Schedules](https://www.mta.maryland.gov/schedule?type=commuter-bus) 8. [Maryland DNR: St. Mary's River State Park](https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/stmarysriver.aspx) 9. [St. Mary's County resilience report: NAS Patuxent River](https://www.yesstmarysmd.com/Docs/SMC-NAS%20PAX-IRR_FinalReport20240930_sm.pdf) 10. [MedStar Health: MedStar St. Mary's Hospital](https://www.medstarhealth.org/locations/medstar-st-marys-hospital) 11. [Maryland Manual On-Line: St. Mary's County](https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/sm/html/sm.html) 12. [St. Mary's County Public Schools](https://www.smcps.org/) Checked against the sources above on October 29, 2026. Laws, fees and programs change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [Property Management Across Southern MarylandReal Property Management Gold manages rental homes in St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles and southern Prince George's counties from two offices, Lexington Park and Waldorf. License rules differ by county, from none in St. Mary's to a required single-family license in Prince George's. Compare each county below and request a free assessment.](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve) - [Calvert County Property ManagementCalvert County has no county rental license, but the towns of Chesapeake Beach and North Beach license rentals separately, per the People's Law Library as of October 2026. SMECO serves all but the northern tip of the county. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for each ZIP. Our Lexington Park office manages Calvert rentals.](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/calvert-county) - [Charles County Property ManagementCharles County has no countywide rental license today, but La Plata and Indian Head require one. A countywide program is proposed to start July 1, 2027, subject to final adoption. SMECO supplies power, VanGO runs 17 bus routes, and our Waldorf office manages rentals here. Request a free assessment for a real rent number.](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/areas-we-serve/charles-county) ## Ask what your home could rent for. Free. A free rental assessment from our offices in Lexington Park and Waldorf. No cost, no contract, no pressure. [Request a free assessment](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us#assessment)[(301) 392-2172](tel:+13013922172)