How long does an eviction take in Maryland?
For unpaid rent, expect about 6.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 3.5 to 13 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in Maryland actually earn?
We'll prefill Maryland's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,721/mo
- Property tax 0.95%
- Insurance $778–$1,149/yr
- Vacancy 4.8%–5.1%
The Maryland eviction timeline
Each step comes from Maryland's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 6.5 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
10 days10-day notice of intent to file (Md. Code Real Prop. § 8-401)
- 2
File and get a judgment
5–30 days · typical 14Trial is set for about the 5th day after filing
- 3
Judgment to lockout
10–30 daysWarrant of restitution no earlier than 7 business days after judgment; must be requested within 60 days
- 4
If the tenant appeals
4-day window4 business days to appeal a District Court failure-to-pay-rent judgment; a bond is needed to stay the eviction
Can the tenant pay and stay? Tenant can redeem by paying everything owed up to the actual eviction (limited after 3 judgments in 12 months). official source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in Maryland
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Statewide$55–$65$50 plus $5 per tenant outside Baltimore City; $60 plus fees in Baltimore City
Serving the tenant
Unverified · national default$30–$77No official amount verified for Maryland yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for Maryland yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,721/moMaryland median gross rent, ±$14. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: Yes
Statewide access to counsel for income-qualified tenants
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Local rules: Baltimore has a local right-to-counsel program; some counties and cities have local rent rules.
Maryland scores 59 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
Maryland eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Maryland?
A nonpayment eviction in Maryland typically takes about 6.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 3.5 to 13 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Maryland?
10-day notice of intent to file (Md. Code Real Prop. § 8-401).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Maryland by paying the rent?
Tenant can redeem by paying everything owed up to the actual eviction (limited after 3 judgments in 12 months).
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Maryland?
The court filing fee is $55-$65 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Maryland?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Maryland costs a landlord roughly $3,200 to $4,400: about 6.5 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,721/month (about $2,600), court and service fees of about $160-$322 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 13 weeks can pass $7,500. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is Maryland landlord-friendly for evictions?
Maryland scores 59 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 31.2/50, right to cure 3/20, statewide tenant protections 25/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Maryland: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourcemgaleg.maryland.gov ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourcemgaleg.maryland.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcemdcourts.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourcecourts.state.md.us ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcemdcourts.gov ↗
- Service feeunverifiednone found
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to cureofficial sourcemgaleg.maryland.gov ↗
- Right to counselsecondary sourcecivilrighttocounsel.org ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
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