Maryland background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Maryland pre-employment background screening: lookback caps, ban-the-box scope, salary-history limits, cannabis testing rules, and the statutes the SafestHires compliance team applies on every order routed to MD.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Statewide (15+ employees; Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §5-1301) |
| Salary history | Banned |
| Cannabis testing | Recreational legal (2023); limited employer protections |
Lookback period
Maryland follows FCRA. Shielded and expunged records under MD Crim. Proc. Art. §10-301 must be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
Criminal-history inquiries are prohibited before the first in-person interview. Baltimore, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County have stronger local rules.
Salary history
Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §3-304.2 prohibits salary-history inquiries and requires wage-range disclosure on request.
Cannabis & drug testing
Question 4 (2022) legalized adult use; employers retain drug-free workplace rights pending Maryland Department of Labor guidance.
Governing statutes & references
- Md. Lab. & Empl. §5-1301
- Md. Lab. & Empl. §3-304.2
- MD Crim. Proc. Art. §10-301
SafestHires compliance note
Baltimore (10+), Montgomery County, and Prince George's County overlays apply on top of the state rule.