Maryland Bans Tipping for Earned Wage Access Services

Maryland is prohibiting earned wage access providers from soliciting or accepting tips from individuals, under a bill effective Oct. 1.

If a provider receives a tip, it must return it to the individual within seven days, under SB 94. The bill’s prohibition on tips is intended to stop “dark-pattern pricing,” which is a tactic where hidden fees are disguised as tips, according to an April 28 press release from the Maryland Department of Labor.

SB 94 makes modifications to a 2025 Maryland law that regulated earned wage access services as a type of loan. Under the original 2025 law, tips are allowed, but the default amount must be zero and individuals must be informed that the tip will not influence the terms of the earned wage access loan. Testimony provided by the state’s Office of Financial Regulation in 2025 found that the practice of tipping in the earned wage access industry was anticompetitive, with some providers receiving no tips and others receiving millions in tips annually.

SB 94 also adds provisions to the earned wage access law that prohibits false advertising and discrimination based on race, age, or sex. These provisions ensure that earned wage access providers are subject to the same standard as other lenders, according to the press release.

“Marylanders deserve to safely manage their earnings and build wealth, and we are thrilled to see these consumer protections become law,” said Portia Wu, secretary of the Department of Labor, in the press release. “New technology should not be a back door for old, harmful practices to re-emerge. Workers are now able to access their earned wages without sacrificing transparency, fairness, or legal protections.”

Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed SB 94 into law on April 28, according to the press release.