--- title: "Orders Came In: A 30-Day Plan for Your Southern Maryland Rental" description: "Got PCS orders and own a Southern Maryland home? Use this 30-day plan to decide, check county rules, protect your mortgage rights and set up a rental." url: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/military-orders-rental-checklist publisher: Real Property Management Gold phone: +1-301-392-2172 assessment: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us#assessment --- # Orders Came In: A 30-Day Plan for Your Southern Maryland Rental If you own a Southern Maryland home and get PCS orders, use the first 30 days to choose between renting, selling or keeping it, to talk to a military legal office, and to check county license and lead rules. The SCRA lease right in the sources read protects service members who are tenants, not owners who rent out a home. MilitaryPublished October 4, 20264 min read ## What should I do first when PCS orders arrive? Decide what the house will be. You have three paths: rent it, sell it or keep it empty. Renting needs the most prep, so start there if you want that option. Read your orders for your report date. Work back from it. A [PCS](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/pcs) move is a permanent change of station. Orders give you a date and a place. Your rental plan needs both. ## Who does the SCRA lease rule protect? The service member who is the tenant. The Justice Department says the SCRA lease rule covers premises occupied, or intended to be occupied, by a servicemember or dependents. A tenant who gives proper written notice and a copy of orders ends a monthly lease 30 days after the next rent payment is due. See the [Servicemembers Civil Relief Act](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/servicemembers-civil-relief-act) entry. That rule is about leases you sign as a renter. It does not let an owner end a tenant’s lease. The sources I read do not describe such a right for owners. Read your lease and Maryland law, and ask a legal office. ## Does the SCRA help me with my mortgage? Possibly, but only for loans you took on before you entered military service. The Justice Department says the 6 percent interest cap applies to pre-service debts. For a mortgage, the cap runs during service and for one year after. You must give the lender written notice and a copy of orders. Military OneSource says no sale or foreclosure for nonpayment of a “preservice mortgage debt” is valid during, or within nine months after, active duty unless a court orders it. If you bought the home while on active duty, these rules may not apply. A military legal assistance office can tell you. Solomons Island. Photo: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0. ## What does a 30-day plan look like? Days Task 1 to 7 Read the orders. Book a visit with your installation legal office. List your lender, insurer and loan balance. Decide: rent, sell or keep. 8 to 14 Check county license and lead rules (below). Find your lease forms and the last tenant’s records, if any. 15 to 21 Walk the home. Fix safety items. Take dated photos. See the [rent ready](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/rent-ready) entry. 22 to 30 Choose how the home will be managed while you are away. Set a rent with local comparisons. Tell your insurer the home will be a rental. The [rental property insurance guide](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/landlord-center/rental-property-insurance) explains why that last step matters. ## Which county rules should I check? Rules differ by county and by town. Here is what the sources I opened show, as of October 2026. Area Rental license St. Mary’s County No county long-term license listed Calvert County No county license; Chesapeake Beach and North Beach license separately Charles County No countywide license today; La Plata and Indian Head license; a countywide proposal is under review Prince George’s County License required for single-family rentals, 2-year term Prince George’s lists an exemption for an active member of the armed forces who maintains the property as a domicile and permanent residence. The county says documentation must be provided and accepted. If you are moving away, ask the county whether the exemption fits you. See the [Southern Maryland rental license guide](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/landlord-center/southern-maryland-rental-license) for the full comparison and the Charles County proposal. ## What about lead paint and deposits? If the home was built before 1978, Maryland requires you to register with the state, renew each year, and provide valid lead inspection certificates at each tenant turnover unless the home is certified lead-free. See [our lead registration post](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/maryland-lead-registration-deadline). Deposits are capped at one month’s rent. See [our deposit checklist](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/maryland-security-deposit-checklist). ## How do I keep my rental fair? Describe the home and apply the same screening rules to every applicant. Do not write ads for a certain kind of renter. This is true even if you are a service member yourself. Read the [Fair Housing Act](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/fair-housing-act) entry. ## What should I ask a legal assistance office? Bring your orders, mortgage statement and any lease. These questions are a start. 1. Does the SCRA interest cap or foreclosure protection apply to my loan? 2. What notice and proof does my lender need, and by when? 3. Can I rent the home without breaking my mortgage terms? 4. Does my county’s license exemption fit my case? 5. What should I do about my state taxes and my domicile? 6. Who can act for me if I am deployed? Ask about a power of attorney. Legal assistance offices can answer these. A web page cannot. ## What should I leave with whoever manages the home? Whether you hire a manager or ask someone you trust, hand over a complete file. 1. The signed lease and the deposit receipt, plus where the deposit is held. 2. The lead registration tracking number and certificates, if the home was built before 1978. 3. Your county or town license, or proof of an exemption. 4. Your insurance policy and the contact for claims. 5. Keys, garage openers and alarm codes. 6. Vendor contacts and warranties. 7. Your mailing address and two ways to reach you. Calvert Cliffs State Park. Photo: Bohemian Baltimore, CC BY-SA 4.0. ## Next step Getting orders and want a plan for your home? See our [military PCS rental management page](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/military-pcs-rental-management), then request a free assessment at [/contact-us](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us) or call (301) 392-2172. This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the linked official source or talk to a Maryland attorney. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I end my tenant's lease early because I got orders? The SCRA lease-termination right described by the Justice Department and Military OneSource protects the service member who is the tenant. The sources read do not give a similar right to an owner who rents out a home. Read your lease and ask a military legal office or a Maryland attorney. ### Does the SCRA cap my mortgage interest at 6 percent? Only for obligations you took on before you entered military service. The Justice Department says the 6 percent cap applies to pre-service debts, and you must give written notice and a copy of orders. If you bought the home during service, the cap may not apply. Ask a legal assistance office. ### Do I need a rental license in Prince George's County? The county requires a license for single-family rentals, with a 2-year term. It lists an exemption for an active member of the armed forces who maintains the property as a domicile and permanent residence. Documentation must be provided to and accepted by the county. Confirm with the county. ### Do St. Mary's and Calvert counties license rentals? The Maryland People's Law Library table, updated September 22, 2026, lists no county long-term rental license for either. Some towns license separately, and Charles County has a license proposal. Confirm with the county or town before you list. ### Where can I get free military legal advice? Military OneSource tells service members to contact their installation legal services or JAG office with questions about ending a lease early, and encourages them to use the nearest legal assistance office for SCRA questions. Ask yours about your mortgage, your lease and your state rules. ## Terms on this page - [Servicemembers Civil Relief Act](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/servicemembers-civil-relief-act) - [Fair Housing Act](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/fair-housing-act) - [Rental license](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/rental-license) - [Rent-ready](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/rent-ready) - [PCS](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/pcs) ## Sources 1. [U.S. Department of Justice: Financial and Housing Rights (SCRA)](https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers/financial-and-housing-rights-0) 2. [U.S. Department of Justice: Financial and Housing Rights (SCRA), lease end date](https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers/financial-and-housing-rights-0) 3. [U.S. Department of Justice: Financial and Housing Rights (SCRA), interest rate](https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers/financial-and-housing-rights-0) 4. [Military OneSource: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act](https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/legal/servicemembers-civil-relief-act/) 5. [Military OneSource: Terminate Your Lease Due to Deployment or PCS](https://www.militaryonesource.mil/deployment/pre-deployment/break-lease-for-military-deployment-pcs/) 6. [Prince George's County: Single-Family Rental Licensing](https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/departments-offices/homeland-security/code-compliance/single-family-rental-licensing) 7. [Maryland People's Law Library: Rental license requirements by county and municipality](https://www.peoples-law.org/rental-license-maryland-county-city-municipality-town-search) 8. [Maryland Department of the Environment: Lead Registration for Landlords](https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/land/leadpoisoningprevention/pages/rentalowners.aspx) Checked against the sources above on October 4, 2026. Laws, fees and programs change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [NAS Patuxent River Workforce Study: What It Says on HousingA Towson University workforce study, presented October 6, 2026, lists housing affordability among recruitment concerns near NAS Patuxent River. BayNet's report does not give rent figures or vacancy rates. Owners should read it as one local signal, not a price. For a real rent number on your home, use current local comparisons.](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/nas-patuxent-river-workforce-study-housing) ## 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)