EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1295*
HOUSE BILL 1295
Q6 5lr2432
By: Delegate R. Long
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore County – Transfer Tax – Exemption for First–Time Home Buyers 2
FOR the purpose of exempting instruments of writing that transfer improved residential 3
real property to certain first–time home buyers from the Baltimore County transfer 4
tax; and generally relating to the Baltimore County transfer tax. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Tax – Property 7
Section 13–601 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 6. Baltimore County Transfer 8
Tax” 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Tax – Property 14
SUBTITLE 6. BALTIMORE COUNTY TRANSFER TAX. 15
13–601. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “FIRST–TIME MARYLAND HOME BUYER” MEANS AN 17
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS N EVER OWNED IN THE STATE RESIDENTIAL REA L PROPERTY 18
THAT HAS BEEN THE IN DIVIDUAL’S PRINCIPAL RESIDENC E. 19
(B) IF THERE ARE TWO OR M ORE GRANTEES , THIS SECTION DOES NO T 20
APPLY UNLESS EACH GR ANTEE IS A FIRST –TIME MARYLAND HOME BUYER OR A 21
CO–MAKER OR GUARANTOR O F A PURCHASE MONEY M ORTGAGE OR PURCHASE 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1295
MONEY DEED OF TRUST AS DEFINED IN § 12–108(I) OF THIS ARTICLE FOR THE 1
PROPERTY AND THE CO –MAKER OR GUARANTOR W ILL NOT OCCUPY THE R ESIDENCE 2
AS THE CO–MAKER’S OR GUARANTOR ’S PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE. 3
(C) AN INSTRUMENT OF WRITIN G THAT TRANSFERS IMPROVED 4
RESIDENTIAL REAL PRO PERTY TO A FIRST –TIME MARYLAND HOME BUYER WHO 5
WILL OCCUPY THE PROP ERTY AS A PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE IS NOT SUBJECT TO TH E 6
BALTIMORE COUNTY TRANSFER TAX . 7
(D) TO QUALIFY FO R THE EXEMPTION UNDE R SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS 8
SECTION, EACH GRANTEE OR AN A GENT OF THE GRANTEE SHALL PROVIDE A 9
STATEMENT THAT IS SI GNED UNDER OATH BY T HE GRANTEE OR AGENT OF THE 10
GRANTEE STATING THAT : 11
(1) (I) THE GRANTEE IS AN IN DIVIDUAL WHO HAS NEV ER OWNED IN 12
THE STATE RESIDENTIAL REA L PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN THE INDIVIDUAL ’S 13
PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE ; AND 14
(II) THE RESIDENCE WILL B E OCCUPIED BY THE GR ANTEE AS 15
THE GRANTEE ’S PRINCIPAL RESIDENC E; OR 16
(2) (I) THE GRANTEE IS A CO –MAKER OR GUARANTOR O F A 17
PURCHASE MONEY MORTG AGE OR PURCHASE MONE Y DEED OF TRUST AS D EFINED 18
IN § 12–108(I) OF THIS ARTICLE FOR THE PROPERTY ; AND 19
(II) THE GRANTEE WILL NOT OCCUPY THE RESIDENCE AS THE 20
CO–MAKER’S OR GUARANTOR ’S PRINCIPAL RESIDENC E. 21
(E) A STATEMENT UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION BY A N AGENT 22
OF A GRANTEE SHALL S TATE THAT THE STATEM ENT: 23
(1) IS BASED ON A DILIGE NT INQUIRY MADE BY T HE AGENT WITH 24
RESPECT TO THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STA TEMENT; AND 25
(2) IS TRUE TO THE BEST OF THE KNOWLEDGE , INFORMATION , AND 26
BELIEF OF THE AGENT . 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 28
1, 2025. 29