There is no single answer to whether Maryland’s Section 8 waiting list is open, because Maryland does not have one waiting list. Each local housing authority runs its own Housing Choice Voucher waiting list on its own schedule, and most of them are closed at any given time. To find out whether you can apply right now, you need to check the specific housing authority that covers the city or county where you want to live.
Who Runs the Waiting List Where You Live
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) acts as the housing authority for a group of smaller jurisdictions: Caroline, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, Kent, and Dorchester counties, plus the City of Cambridge and the City of Elkton.1Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Every other jurisdiction in the state runs its own program. Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County each have separate housing authorities with independent eligibility rules, application windows, and contact numbers.2Department of Housing and Urban Development. PHA Contact Report by State and City
Because of this, a list can be open in one jurisdiction and closed in every neighboring one. A statewide announcement does not exist. DHCD’s website keeps a directory of every Maryland housing authority with phone numbers, which is the most reliable way to confirm the current status for your area.1Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Call or check the website for each jurisdiction you would consider living in, not just one.
Tenant-Based and Project-Based Lists Are Separate
Many housing authorities keep two different waiting lists. A tenant-based voucher lets you rent any qualifying unit on the private market. A project-based voucher is attached to a specific building; if you move out, the assistance stays with the unit. One list can be open while the other is closed in the same jurisdiction. The Housing Authority of Baltimore City, for example, opened its project-based voucher waiting list from January 14 through January 23, 2026, with online-only applications.3Housing Authority of Baltimore City. 2026 Project-Based Voucher Waiting List If a tenant-based list in your area is closed, ask whether there is a project-based list taking applications.
How Long Lists Stay Closed and How Fast They Reopen
Some Maryland jurisdictions keep their lists closed for years. Prince George’s County went roughly a decade between openings for its tenant-based voucher program. When a list does open, the window is usually short, sometimes only a few days, and it attracts a very large number of applicants.
The best way to catch an opening is to monitor each target housing authority’s website directly and sign up for any email or text alerts they offer. Do this before you need to apply, not after you hear a rumor. If you only check once a month, you will probably miss the window.
Applying Early in the Window Does Not Help
Because the number of applicants vastly outnumbers the available slots, many Maryland agencies use a random lottery rather than taking people in the order they apply. Submitting an application places you in the lottery pool, and a drawing decides which applicants actually land on the waiting list. Applying on day one and applying on the last day give you the same odds. After the drawing, you get a confirmation number and a list position; keep both.
Have These Ready Before a List Opens
Short application windows reward preparation. When you see an opening, you will not have time to track down documents from scratch. Before any list opens, gather the following for every member of your household:
- Social Security numbers for every household member.
- Proof of identity such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport.
- Proof of income, including recent pay stubs, benefit award letters, or tax returns.
- Proof of residency or employment in the jurisdiction if you want to claim a local preference, such as a lease, utility bills, voter registration, or employer verification showing at least 20 hours per week of work there.4Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. HCVP Administrative Plan
- Documentation of any special status, such as veteran, elderly (62+), disabled, or survivor of domestic violence.
The initial application, sometimes called a pre-application, is typically short. The housing authority collects the full documentation later, after your name is drawn or reached on the list and you are called in for an eligibility interview.5Prince George’s County, Maryland, USA. Completion of a Full Application Most Maryland housing authorities now accept applications online. Montgomery County’s Housing Opportunities Commission uses a portal called Housing Path where one application registers you for all of its rental assistance programs.6Housing Opportunities Commission. Housing / Rental Assistance Programs If you do not have internet access, you can use public computers at housing authority offices and public libraries, and some agencies still accept paper applications by mail.
Check Eligibility Before You Apply
If you do not meet the basic requirements, your application will be denied once the housing authority verifies your information, so it is worth checking first.
Your gross household income generally cannot exceed 50 percent of the Area Median Income for the county where you are applying. HUD recalculates these limits every year, and they vary considerably between Maryland counties.7DHCD (maryland.gov). 2025 Maryland Income and Rent Limits By law, housing authorities must direct at least 75 percent of their vouchers to households earning 30 percent of AMI or less, so extremely low-income families get selection priority.8U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Housing Choice Voucher Tenants
There is also an asset limit. Under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, your household’s net assets cannot exceed $105,574 as of 2026.9HUD User. 2026 HUD Inflation-Adjusted Values Retirement accounts (401(k)s, IRAs, 403(b)s), education savings (529s, Coverdell accounts, government-funded baby bonds), tax refunds for 12 months after receipt, and personal property under $50,000 in combined value are all excluded from that calculation. You also cannot own a home suitable for you to live in, though owning property that is unsafe or too small does not disqualify you unless its value pushes you over the asset cap.10HUD Exchange. HOTMA Resident Fact Sheet – Assets and Real Property Limitations If your total assets are under $50,000, the agency may let you self-certify at the initial screening.
Federal law requires every housing authority to deny admission in four situations: eviction from federally assisted housing for drug activity within the past three years (with limited exceptions for completed rehabilitation), current illegal drug use by any household member, any past conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine on federally assisted housing property, and lifetime sex offender registration. These bars are mandatory and the agency cannot waive them.11eCFR. 24 CFR 982.553 – Denial of Admission and Termination of Assistance for Criminals and Alcohol Abusers Individual housing authorities may apply additional screening for other criminal history. The Housing Authority of Baltimore City, for example, uses a three-year lookback window for most offenses.
Local Preferences Can Move You Up
Most Maryland housing authorities use a preference system that places certain applicants ahead of others. Typical preferences include living or working in the jurisdiction, being 62 or older, having a household member with a disability, and participating in a transitional housing program.12Prince George’s County, Maryland, USA. Local Preferences Federal law also gives selection priority to families with children and to families that include an elderly person or a person with a disability over other applicants in the same preference tier.
Claiming a preference on the pre-application is not enough on its own. You will have to prove it with documents later, and if the housing authority cannot verify your claim, you will be moved down rather than removed from the list.
Getting on the List Is Not the Same as Getting a Voucher
A spot on the waiting list is not a voucher, and the wait can be long. Nationally, families who eventually receive a voucher wait an average of about two to three years, and individual agencies can run eight years or longer. Maryland’s larger jurisdictions, including Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County, tend to have the longest waits because demand far exceeds the vouchers HUD funds. No one can tell you exactly how long your wait will be; only the housing authority holding your application can give you a current status.
While you wait, housing authorities periodically send out letters, sometimes called purge letters, asking everyone on the list to confirm they are still interested and eligible. If you miss one of these notices, you can be removed from the list.13Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Update Application You also have to report changes to your phone number, mailing address, email, household size, and income through the agency’s portal or in writing. A single missed update can cost you your place.
If Your Application Is Denied
If the housing authority denies your application at the waiting list stage, during eligibility review, or at voucher issuance, you can challenge the decision. For the DHCD-administered program, you must submit a written request for an informal review within 14 calendar days of the denial notice.4Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. HCVP Administrative Plan Other housing authorities set their own deadlines, so read the denial letter closely for the exact timeframe and instructions. At the hearing you can present evidence, bring witnesses, and explain why the denial was wrong, which matters when the denial rests on outdated income data or a documentation mix-up rather than a true disqualification.