1. (1) False, falsely disparaging, or misleading oral or written statement, visual description, or other representation of any kind which has the capacity, tendency, or effect of deceiving or misleading consumers;

2. (2) Representation that:

   1. (i) Consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services have a sponsorship, approval, accessory, characteristic, ingredient, use, benefit, or quantity which they do not have;
   2. (ii) A merchant has a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection which he does not have;
   3. (iii) Deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, or secondhand consumer goods are original or new; or
   4. (iv) Consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services are of a particular standard, quality, grade, style, or model which they are not;
3. (3) Failure to state a material fact if the failure deceives or tends to deceive;
4. (4) Disparagement of the goods, realty, services, or business of another by a false or misleading representation of a material fact;

5. (5) Advertisement or offer of consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services:

   1. (i) Without intent to sell, lease, or rent them as advertised or offered; or
   2. (ii) With intent not to supply reasonably expected public demand, unless the advertisement or offer discloses a limitation of quantity or other qualifying condition;

6. (6) False or misleading representation of fact which concerns:

   1. (i) The reason for or the existence or amount of a price reduction; or
   2. (ii) A price in comparison to a price of a competitor or to one's own price at a past or future time;
7. (7) Knowingly false statement that a service, replacement, or repair is needed;
8. (8) False statement which concerns the reason for offering or supplying consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services at sale or discount prices;

9. (9) Deception, fraud, false pretense, false premise, misrepresentation, or knowing concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact with the intent that a consumer rely on the same in connection with:

   1. (i) The promotion or sale of any consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer service;
   2. (ii) A contract or other agreement for the evaluation, perfection, marketing, brokering or promotion of an invention; or
   3. (iii) The subsequent performance of a merchant with respect to an agreement of sale, lease, or rental;

10. (10) Solicitations of sales or services over the telephone without first clearly, affirmatively, and expressly stating:

    1. (i) The solicitor's name and the trade name of a person represented by the solicitor;
    2. (ii) The purpose of the telephone conversation; and
    3. (iii) The kind of merchandise, real property, intangibles, or service solicited;
11. (11) Use of any plan or scheme in soliciting sales or services over the telephone that misrepresents the solicitor's true status or mission;
12. (12) Use of a contract related to a consumer transaction which contains a confessed judgment clause that waives the consumer's right to assert a legal defense to an action;
13. (13) Use by a seller, who is in the business of selling consumer realty, of a contract related to the sale of single family residential consumer realty, including condominiums and town houses, that contains a clause limiting or precluding the buyer's right to obtain consequential damages as a result of the seller's breach or cancellation of the contract;

14. (14) Violation of a provision of:

    1. (i) This title;
    2. (ii) An order of the Attorney General or agreement of a party relating to unit pricing under Title 14, Subtitle 1 of this article;
    3. (iii) Title 14, Subtitle 2 of this article, the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act;¹
    4. (iv) Title 14, Subtitle 3 of this article, the Maryland Door-to-Door Sales Act;²
    5. (v) Title 14, Subtitle 9 of this article, Kosher Products;
    6. (vi) Title 14, Subtitle 10 of this article, Automotive Repair Facilities;
    7. (vii) Section 14-1302 of this article;
    8. (viii) Title 14, Subtitle 11 of this article, Maryland Layaway Sales Act;³
    9. (ix) Section 22-415 of the Transportation Article;
    10. (x) Title 14, Subtitle 20 of this article;
    11. (xi) Title 14, Subtitle 15 of this article, the Automotive Warranty Enforcement Act;⁴
    12. (xii) Title 14, Subtitle 21 of this article;
    13. (xiii) Section 18-107 of the Transportation Article;
    14. (xiv) Title 14, Subtitle 22 of this article, the Maryland Telephone Solicitations Act;⁵
    15. (xv) Title 14, Subtitle 23 of this article, the Automotive Crash Parts Act;⁶
    16. (xvi) Title 10, Subtitle 6 of the Real Property Article;
    17. (xvii) Title 14, Subtitle 25 of this article, the Hearing Aid Sales Act;⁷
    18. (xviii) Title 14, Subtitle 26 of this article, the Maryland Door-to-Door Solicitations Act;⁸
    19. (xix) Title 14, Subtitle 31 of this article, the Maryland Household Goods Movers Act;⁹
    20. (xx) Title 14, Subtitle 32 of this article, the Maryland Telephone Consumer Protection Act;¹⁰
    21. (xxi) Title 14, Subtitle 34 of this article, the Social Security Number Privacy Act;¹¹
    22. (xxii) Title 14, Subtitle 37 of this article, the Online Child Safety Act;
    23. (xxiii) Section 14-1319, § 14-1320, or § 14-1322 of this article;
    24. (xxiv) Section 7-304 or § 8-801 of the Criminal Law Article;
    25. (xxv) Title 7, Subtitle 3 of the Real Property Article, the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act;
    26. (xxvi) Title 6, Subtitle 13 of the Environment Article;

    27. (xxvii) Section 7-405(e)(2)(ii) of the Health Occupations Article;

        (xxviii) Title 12, Subtitle 10 of the Financial Institutions Article;

    28. (xxix) Title 19, Subtitle 7 of the Business Regulation Article;
    29. (xxx) Section 15-311.3 of the Transportation Article;
    30. (xxxi) Section 14-1324 of this article;

    31. (xxxii) Section 14-1326 of this article;

        (xxxiii) The federal Military Lending Act;

    32. (xxxiv) The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act;
    33. (xxxv) Section 11-210 of the Education Article;

    34. (xxxvi) Title 14, Subtitle 44 of this article;

        (xxxvii) Section 14-905 of the Real Property Article;

        (xxxviii) Section 14-1327 of this article;

    35. (xxxix) Title 14, Subtitle 13 of the Public Safety Article;
    36. (xl) Section 12-6C-09.1 of the Health Occupations Article;
    37. (xli) Title 14, Subtitle 45 of this article;
    38. (xlii) Title 14, Subtitle 46 of this article;
    39. (xliii) Title 14, Subtitle 47 of this article;
    40. (xliv) Title 14, Subtitle 48 of this article;
    41. (xlv) Title 14, Subtitle 49 of this article;
    42. (xlvi) Section 14-2904 of this article;

    43. (xlvii) Title 14, Subtitle 50 of this article;

        (xlviii) Section 13-411.1(c)(2) of the Transportation Article; or

    44. (xlix) Section 14-1329 of this article; or
15. (15) Act or omission that relates to a residential building and that is chargeable as a misdemeanor under or otherwise violates a provision of the Energy Conservation Building Standards Act,¹² Title 7, Subtitle 4 of the Public Utilities Article.

<Section effective June 1, 2026. See, also, section 13-301 effective until June 1, 2026.>

Unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practices include any:

Added by Acts 1975, c. 49, § 3, eff. July 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1975 c. 431, § 1; Acts 1976, c. 507; Acts 1976, c. 907; Acts 1977, c. 362; Acts 1977 c. 376, § 2; Acts 1978, c. 673, § 1; Acts 1979, c. 65; Acts 1979, c. 536; Acts 1981, c. 388; Acts 1981, c. 502; Acts 1985, c. 710; Acts 1986, c. 506; Acts 1987, c. 577; Acts 1987, c. 650; Acts 1988, c. 6, § 1; Acts 1988 c. 268; Acts 1988 c. 269; Acts 1988 c. 588; Acts 1988 c. 589; Acts 1988 c. 775; Acts 1990, c. 223; Acts 1992, c. 342; Acts 1992, c. 537; Acts 1992, c. 642; Acts 1998, c. 653, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1998; Acts 1999, c. 34, § 1, eff. April 13, 1999; Acts 2002, c. 543, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2003, c. 21, § 1, eff. April 8, 2003; Acts 2004, c. 25, § 1, eff. April 13, 2004; Acts 2004, c. 437, § 1, eff. June 1, 2004; Acts 2005, c. 25, § 1, eff. April 12, 2005; Acts 2005, c. 456, § 1, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2005, c. 521, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2006, c. 491, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2008, c. 5, § 1, eff. April 3, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 6, § 1, eff. April 3, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 36, § 1, eff. April 8, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 483, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 532, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 60, § 1, eff. April 14, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 557, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2009; Acts 2010, c. 52, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2010, c. 89, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2010, c. 90, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2011, c. 280, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 281, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2012, c. 214, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Acts 2012, c. 215, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Acts 2015, c. 156, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2015; Acts 2015, c. 157, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2015; Acts 2018, c. 515, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, c. 731, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, c. 732, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Acts 2020, c. 160, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020; Acts 2020, c. 554, § 2, eff. July 1, 2020; Acts 2020, c. 628, § 1, eff. May 8, 2020; Acts 2022, c. 501, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2022; Acts 2023, c. 49, § 6; Acts 2023, c. 310, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 311, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 413, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2024; Acts 2023, c. 414, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2024; Acts 2023, c. 525, § 1, eff. June 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 561, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 630, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 631, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2023; Acts 2024, c. 262, § 1, eff. April 25, 2024; Acts 2024, c. 454, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; Acts 2024, c. 455, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; Acts 2024, c. 460, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2024; Acts 2024, c. 461, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2024; Acts 2024, c. 463, § 1, eff. June 1, 2025; Acts 2024, c. 962, § 1, eff. July 1, 2024; Acts 2025, c. 204, § 1, eff. June 1, 2026; Acts 2025, c. 205, § 1, eff. June 1, 2026; Acts 2025, c. 206, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 546, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 566, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025.

Commercial Law, § 14-201 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-301 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-1101 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-1501 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-2201 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-2301 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-2501 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-2601 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-1301 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-3201 et seq.

Commercial Law, § 14-3401 et seq.

Public Utilities, § 7-401 et seq.