Maryland Practice Test → Fair Housing (alternative)

Maryland Fair Housing (alternative)
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)

Fair housing is tested on every real estate exam in the country, but Maryland candidates must know both federal and state-level protections. While Maryland enforces the seven federal protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability), the Maryland Real Estate Commission also tests how these protections apply in Maryland-specific rental, sales, and advertising scenarios. Steering, blockbusting, redlining, and discriminatory advertising are all tested — and candidates who think they know fair housing cold often miss the state-specific extensions or the nuanced application scenarios. Review every question here carefully.

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Updated May 2026 · Maryland Real Estate Commission exam outline

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Maryland Fair Housing (alternative) — Practice Questions & Answers

41 questions on Fair Housing (alternative) from the Maryland real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 41.

Q1. A Maryland real estate company that conducts regular 'testing' (using testers of different backgrounds to apply for properties) is engaged in:

A.Illegal entrapment
B.A legitimate fair housing compliance and enforcement tool used by advocacy groups and agencies
C.MREC-required training
D.An optional quality control measure

Explanation

Fair housing testing uses testers of different protected class backgrounds to check for discriminatory treatment. It is a legally recognized enforcement and education tool used by HUD, state agencies, and fair housing organizations.

Q2. In Maryland, 'discriminatory advertising' under the Fair Housing Act includes:

A.Listing the school district a property is in
B.Using words, phrases, or symbols that indicate a preference or limitation based on a protected class
C.Advertising only online
D.Using professional photography that shows a specific style of home

Explanation

Discriminatory advertising includes any language, symbols, or imagery that signals a preference for — or limitation against — persons of a protected class.

Q3. Under Maryland's Fair Housing Act, who has standing to file a fair housing complaint?

A.Only the direct victim of discrimination
B.Any person who believes they were injured by discriminatory housing practice, including fair housing organizations
C.Only licensed real estate agents
D.Only government agencies

Explanation

Standing to file fair housing complaints in Maryland is broad — the direct victim, witnesses, and even fair housing organizations that have suffered injury as a result of discriminatory practices may file complaints.

Q4. A Maryland apartment landlord's 'no overnight guest' policy, if applied only to single women with guests, would likely constitute discrimination based on:

A.National origin
B.Sex
C.Familial status
D.Disability

Explanation

Applying a guest policy only to women (or differently based on sex) constitutes sex discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

Q5. Under the Fair Housing Act, a real estate professional who has a 'steering' pattern may be identified by:

A.A single incident
B.A pattern or practice of systematically directing buyers or renters to different areas based on protected characteristics
C.An isolated complaint from one consumer
D.Advertising in only one newspaper

Explanation

Steering violations often involve patterns — consistently directing people of different backgrounds to different areas over time. A single incident may support a complaint but patterns are key evidence.

Q6. A Maryland property manager who denies occupancy to a prospective tenant's service dog, claiming it violates the building's 'no pets' policy, is:

A.Correctly enforcing the lease terms
B.Violating the Fair Housing Act — service and assistance animals are not pets
C.Acting within their rights as building manager
D.Required to provide an alternative pet-friendly unit

Explanation

The Fair Housing Act requires reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including allowing service and assistance animals even in 'no pets' buildings. Assistance animals are not pets under the FHA.

Q7. In Maryland, a developer who builds accessible housing units beyond what is required by law may qualify for:

A.Higher property taxes due to increased value
B.State tax credits or incentives for universal design and accessibility
C.MREC recognition as a certified developer
D.Automatic fair housing compliance certification

Explanation

Maryland and federal programs offer incentives for building accessible and universally designed housing beyond minimum requirements, including potential tax credits for accessibility improvements.

Q8. A Maryland real estate agent who refuses to show properties to qualified buyers because of their religion is subject to:

A.Only a REALTOR® ethics complaint
B.Federal Fair Housing Act liability, potential MREC discipline, and civil rights law violations
C.A warning from the local housing authority
D.No consequences since the agent has discretion in selecting clients

Explanation

Refusing to serve buyers because of their religion violates the Fair Housing Act. This can lead to federal and state civil rights liability, MREC disciplinary action, and civil lawsuits.

Q9. The 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' (AFFH) rule requires Maryland jurisdictions receiving HUD funds to:

A.Simply avoid discriminatory acts
B.Take proactive steps to overcome the effects of past segregation and discrimination
C.Audit all real estate transactions in their jurisdiction
D.Set aside 20% of housing for protected classes

Explanation

AFFH requires recipients of HUD funds to not just avoid discrimination but to proactively work to overcome historical patterns of segregation and to promote fair housing choice.

Q10. Maryland's Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on all of the following EXCEPT:

A.Marital status
B.Sexual orientation
C.Political affiliation
D.Gender identity

Explanation

Maryland's Fair Housing Act covers marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other protected classes, but political affiliation is not a protected class under Maryland fair housing law.

Q11. A Maryland landlord who refuses to rent to a family because they have children may be liable under:

A.State housing code only
B.Federal Fair Housing Act (familial status) and Maryland Fair Housing Act
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