What down payment assistance is available in Anne Arundel County?
Two layers, and one of them is unusually large
Buyers in Anne Arundel County can generally draw on two separate sources of help:
- The county’s Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) — a deferred loan of up to $50,000, administered by Arundel Community Development Services, for first-time buyers at or below 100% of area median income.
- The statewide Maryland Mortgage Program — a below-market first mortgage with its own down payment assistance options attached.
ACDS states that MAP can be used alongside an FHA loan and alongside the Maryland Mortgage Program, which makes Anne Arundel one of the stronger assistance environments in the state for buyers who qualify.
The catch is not the money. It is the door you have to walk through to reach it: MAP is only available to graduates of the ACDS Homeownership Counseling Program, and that program has a waiting list. Almost everything about timing an Anne Arundel purchase flows from that single fact.
The Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)
MAP is Anne Arundel County’s flagship homebuyer assistance program. It is administered on the county’s behalf by Arundel Community Development Services, a nonprofit that has run the county’s housing programs for decades.
The assistance is a deferred loan, not a grant. That distinction matters and is covered in detail below.
| Feature | Terms |
|---|---|
| Maximum assistance | Up to $50,000 |
| Structure | Deferred loan secured against the property |
| Interest rate | Zero percent |
| Monthly payments | None |
| Repayment trigger | Sale, transfer of the property, the property ceasing to be your primary residence, or 30 years — whichever comes first |
| First-time buyer | Required |
| Income limit | At or below 100% of area median income for the Baltimore metropolitan area |
| Purchase price | Up to $500,000, depending on affordability |
| Your own money | Minimum 1% of the sales price |
| Debt-to-income | Maximum 45.00%, back-end ratio only |
| Credit score | No credit score requirement for the program itself |
| Eligible uses | Closing costs, down payment assistance, and/or mortgage write-downs |
MAP is a loan, not a grant
There is no forgiveness schedule. The full amount you borrow stays owed until the loan is triggered, and then it is repaid in one piece.
That is not a reason to avoid it. Zero percent money with no monthly payment is genuinely valuable, and for many buyers it is the difference between owning and renting. But if you take $40,000 in MAP assistance and sell six years later, $40,000 comes out of your proceeds at that settlement table. Buyers who plan around that do well. Buyers who assume it disappears get an unpleasant surprise.
Income limits
MAP uses 100% of area median income for the Baltimore metropolitan area, adjusted for household size. ACDS publishes the figures below as effective June 1, 2026.
| Household size | Maximum income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $93,500 |
| 2 people | $106,813 |
| 3 people | $120,188 |
| 4 people | $133,500 |
| 5 people | $144,188 |
| 6 people | $154,875 |
Two details are easy to miss. First, these limits move — they are revised annually, so a figure you read last year may no longer be the one applied to your file. Second, there is an asset test as well as an income test: the maximum liquid assets you may hold are roughly three months of principal, interest, taxes and insurance plus the 1% minimum contribution. Buyers who have saved diligently sometimes discover they have saved their way out of eligibility.
The counseling requirement is the real gate
You cannot apply for MAP directly. You must first complete the ACDS Homeownership Counseling Program, and you must complete it before you enter into a contract of sale.
Start here, months before you shop
The counseling program runs as four classes totalling eight hours, and ACDS notes that it typically takes two to four months to complete. ACDS has also reported that, due to high application volume, its first class has been booked out by six to eight weeks in advance.
Add those together and the practical lead time between deciding to buy in Anne Arundel County and being able to write a MAP-eligible offer can be half a year. If you are reading this page and you think you might want MAP, contacting ACDS is the single most time-sensitive thing on your list.
Once you are a graduate, ACDS reports that processing takes roughly 45 to 60 days from the point it receives your contract of sale. A county specialist must also verify that the property meets ACDS minimum property standards for code and safety, including lead-based paint requirements, before funding is approved. Both of those realities need to be reflected in your contract’s settlement date.
Which properties qualify
- Existing or newly constructed residences, including detached homes, semi-detached homes, attached townhomes and condominiums
- Located within Anne Arundel County
- Owner-occupied or vacant at the time the offer is made — unless the buyer is the existing tenant
- Meets ACDS minimum property standards for code and safety
- Occupied by you as your principal residence
That third condition catches people out. A tenant-occupied investment property generally cannot be purchased with MAP assistance, with the sensible exception that a sitting tenant may use MAP to buy the home they are already living in.
Work out your Anne Arundel timeline before you start shopping
Counseling can take months to complete and must finish before you sign a contract. Knowing the sequence early is what makes the county program usable.
This is not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval.
The statewide Maryland Mortgage Program
Anne Arundel buyers also have access to the Maryland Mortgage Program, the state’s homeownership loan program run by the Department of Housing and Community Development. MMP pairs a below-market 30-year fixed first mortgage with its own down payment assistance, and it is available in every Maryland county.
In broad terms, MMP offers a first-time buyer track and a track open to repeat buyers, with assistance choices ranging from a flat $6,000 to a percentage of the first mortgage amount. Most MMP assistance is structured as a zero percent deferred second lien — the same basic shape as MAP.
MMP also operates a Partner Match feature, under which the state adds funds to match money contributed by an approved community partner. The Maryland Mortgage Program lists ACDS and its Mortgage Assistance Program among the local down payment assistance partners in its statewide directory.
How the two layers relate
ACDS states that its assistance can be combined with an FHA mortgage and with the Maryland Mortgage Program. That is a meaningful and unusually clear statement — many jurisdictions are silent on the question.
It is still not a guarantee for your file. Whether a specific MAP award, a specific MMP assistance option and a specific first mortgage can all be layered together depends on the rules of each program and on what your first mortgage will allow. An approved lender who works in the county regularly is the person who confirms the stack actually closes.
How local assistance works with your mortgage
MAP is secondary financing. It sits behind a first mortgage rather than replacing one, so the first mortgage’s rules govern what is possible.
| Loan type | How it interacts with local assistance |
|---|---|
| FHA | ACDS specifically identifies FHA as compatible with MAP. FHA’s lower down payment and flexible credit standards pair naturally with county assistance. |
| VA | VA loans already allow qualified veterans to finance without a down payment, so assistance is typically directed at closing costs rather than down payment. Eligibility for secondary financing is governed by VA rules and the lender. |
| USDA | USDA loans are limited to eligible rural areas. Much of Anne Arundel County is suburban, so USDA eligibility has to be checked address by address before it is assumed. |
| Conventional | Conventional loans permit approved community second liens under defined conditions. The specific product and its mortgage insurance requirements determine what is allowed. |
We have not stated a compatibility here that the program administrator or the loan program itself does not support. Where the answer depends on your file, it genuinely depends on your file. If you want to understand how FHA financing works before layering anything on top of it, our Maryland FHA loans guide covers it in detail.
Compare this with the wider picture of Maryland down payment assistance.
How to apply
- Contact ACDS and enrol in homeownership counseling. This is the gate. Do it first, and do it early — the class alone can take two to four months, with a wait to get in.
- Get pre-approved with a lender. ACDS does not restrict which lender or real estate agent you use, so you are free to choose. You do need a first mortgage approval for the stack to work.
- Graduate from the counseling program. You must be a graduate before you sign a contract of sale.
- Find a home that meets the property standards and negotiate a settlement date that accommodates a 45 to 60 day ACDS processing window plus a property inspection.
- Submit your contract of sale to ACDS and work through the property verification and funding approval.
Common mistakes
- Starting the counseling program after finding a house. By then it is too late — graduation must come before the contract.
- Writing a 30-day settlement. ACDS needs 45 to 60 days from receipt of the contract. A fast close and a MAP award are difficult to reconcile.
- Assuming $50,000 is what you will receive. That is the ceiling. The award reflects affordability, the purchase and your circumstances.
- Treating the assistance as forgiven. It is not. It is repaid on sale, transfer, loss of primary residence status, or at 30 years.
- Saving too much. The asset limit is real. Liquid reserves beyond roughly three months of PITI plus your 1% contribution can affect eligibility.
- Assuming any Anne Arundel address works. Property condition standards apply, and tenant-occupied homes are generally excluded unless you are the tenant.
Frequently asked questions
How much down payment assistance can I get in Anne Arundel County?
The county’s Mortgage Assistance Program offers up to $50,000. That is a ceiling rather than a standard award — ACDS determines the amount based on affordability and your circumstances. Statewide Maryland Mortgage Program assistance may be available in addition.
Do I have to pay the money back?
Yes. MAP is a zero percent deferred loan with no monthly payments, but it is repaid in full when you sell, transfer the property, stop using it as your primary residence, or reach 30 years — whichever happens first. There is no forgiveness schedule.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
Yes, MAP requires first-time homebuyer status. If you have owned a home recently, the statewide Maryland Mortgage Program has a track that does not carry a first-time requirement, though other conditions apply.
Is there a credit score requirement?
ACDS states there is no credit score requirement for the program itself. Your first mortgage lender will still have credit requirements, and the program applies a maximum back-end debt-to-income ratio of 45.00%.
How long does the whole process take?
Plan for months, not weeks. Counseling typically takes two to four months to complete and has had a six to eight week wait to start. After that, ACDS reports 45 to 60 days to process from receipt of your contract of sale.
Can I use a lender of my choice?
Yes. ACDS states that clients may choose whichever lender and real estate agent they wish to work with. Note that statewide Maryland Mortgage Program assistance separately requires an approved MMP lender.
Can I combine county assistance with the Maryland Mortgage Program?
ACDS states its assistance can be used with the Maryland Mortgage Program and with FHA financing. Whether a particular combination works on your file still depends on the rules of both programs and on your first mortgage, so confirm the specific stack with your lender.
Can I buy a house that currently has tenants in it?
Generally no. The home must be owner-occupied or vacant when the offer is made. The exception is when the existing tenant is the one buying the property.
Is there a purchase price limit?
ACDS states purchase prices up to $500,000, depending on affordability. Affordability is assessed alongside the price, so the practical ceiling for your household may be lower.
Does Annapolis have its own separate program?
Annapolis is within Anne Arundel County, so buyers there are within the ACDS service area. We have not verified a distinct City of Annapolis down payment assistance program with current published terms, so we are not describing one here. Confirm directly with the city if you are buying inside its limits.
Sources
- Arundel Community Development Services (ACDS) — Mortgage Assistance Program: assistance ceiling, deferred zero percent structure, repayment triggers, first-time requirement, 100% area median income limit, income limits effective June 1, 2026, $500,000 purchase price guidance, 1% minimum contribution, 45.00% back-end debt-to-income maximum, absence of a program credit score requirement, asset limits, eligible property types and condition standards, lender and agent choice, 45 to 60 day processing, and counseling program structure and wait times.
- Arundel Community Development Services — Homeownership Counseling Program: four classes totalling eight hours, two to four month typical completion, and the requirement to graduate before entering a contract of sale.
- Maryland Mortgage Program — down payment assistance offered by location: listing of ACDS and the Anne Arundel County Mortgage Assistance Program among local assistance partners.
- Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development — Maryland Mortgage Program structure, assistance options and approved lender requirement.
Verified September 2, 2026. County program terms, income limits and funding availability change, and awards are subject to available funding. Confirm current figures with ACDS and an approved lender before relying on anything here.
This page explains how down payment assistance in Anne Arundel County generally works. It does not determine individual eligibility, is not a commitment to lend, and is not a Loan Estimate. Program terms are set by Anne Arundel County, Arundel Community Development Services and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and participating lenders may apply additional requirements. Maryland Homebuyer Hub is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Anne Arundel County, ACDS, or any government agency.