How to Evict a Tenant in Maryland: The Complete 2026 Guide

A tenant who stops paying rent forces every Maryland landlord into the same decision: negotiate, write off, or go to court. This guide walks through what actually happens if you choose court — stage by stage, with real numbers and the specific errors that wreck cases at the bench.

The system is busy, well-worn, and surprisingly forgiving of landlords who follow the rules. It's also unforgiving of landlords who don't.

Before You File — Is Eviction Actually Your Best Option?

Filing a rental court case in Maryland costs real time and real money. Before you commit, spend ten minutes on the math:

• Lost rent clock. The 60-75 day average Maryland eviction timeline means $2,800-$4,500 in forgone rent at Baltimore-area market rates. Every week you wait to serve the notice compounds the loss.
• Court fees. $46-$60 to file the FTPR complaint, $40-$50 for the warrant of restitution if you get that far, plus Baltimore City's $5 service surcharge.
• Your time. A self-represented landlord spends 8-15 hours across the case. A landlord who hires a full-service attorney pays $1,500+ in retainer fees and spends 1-2 hours.

But if the tenant has vanished, refuses to communicate, or has a track record of late payments you've accepted too long, court is the right answer. The rest of this guide assumes that's where you're headed.

Step 1 — Serve a Legal 10-Day Notice of Intent

Maryland requires written notice before you can file a Failure to Pay Rent (FTPR) complaint. The rule is codified at Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(c). As of 2024, the required notice period is ten days, not the historic fourteen. Many landlords — and, occasionally, judges — still operate on the old 14-day rule.

Your notice must include, at minimum:

• Tenant's full legal name exactly as it appears on the lease
• Property address including unit number
• Total rent owed, broken down by month
• Deadline to cure — ten calendar days from the date of service
• Consequence of non-payment — that a court complaint will follow
• Landlord or agent contact information

Service methods that satisfy Maryland law: personal hand-delivery to the tenant, posting in a conspicuous place on the property (typically the front door), or certified mail with return receipt requested. Keep proof of whatever method you use — a photo of the posted notice, the signed return receipt, or a witness statement. The judge will want to see it.

Step 2 — File a Failure to Pay Rent (FTPR) Complaint

Once the 10-day notice period expires without payment, you file DC-CV-082 — the Complaint for Summary Ejectment — in the District Court of the county where the property is located. Baltimore City cases are filed at the Rent Court Division at 501 E. Fayette Street, 3rd Floor. Baltimore County cases go to the Towson District Court. Other counties follow the same pattern — the District Court that serves the property's municipality.

The filing fee varies by jurisdiction but typically runs $46-$60. Baltimore City adds a $5 surcharge for the Baltimore-specific service cost. You'll need:

• Signed lease (or, in holdover situations, evidence of tenancy)
• Rent ledger showing the amount owed and payment history
• Proof of notice service (see above)
• Rental property registration number and expiration date — Baltimore City and several other jurisdictions require this at the time of filing. Filing an FTPR without a current registration is an automatic dismissal.
• Lead paint certificate (MDE) if the property is subject to the statewide lead paint registration requirement

Filing is usually same-day. The clerk issues a summons for the tenant, which the sheriff or a private process server will serve within 1-5 days.

Step 3 — The Rent Court Hearing

Hearings are typically scheduled 21-30 days after filing. In Baltimore City, the Rent Court runs a packed daily docket — expect to be in court by 8:30 a.m. and out by 11 a.m., though hearings themselves last 5-15 minutes each.

What to bring

• Signed lease
• Rent ledger (monthly, with dates of any partial payments)
• Proof of notice service
• Rental registration and lead certificate documents in case the judge asks
• Photographs of any property damage, if damages are part of the claim (but remember — FTPR is about rent, not damages)

What actually happens at the bench

The judge asks whether the tenant appears. If the tenant does not appear and service was proper, you can move for default judgment for possession on the spot.

If the tenant does appear, they may raise defenses: rent was paid, lead paint compliance is missing, rental license is expired, the notice was defective. Judges rule on these from the bench. Tenant defenses succeed roughly 10-15% of the time. The most common successful defenses are:

• Expired rental registration at the time of filing
• Missing lead paint certificate on a lead-affected property
• Notice that claimed a different amount than the complaint
• Notice served fewer than 10 days before filing

If you prevail, the judge enters judgment for possession and, separately, for the money owed. The tenant has a short window — typically four calendar days in Maryland — to cure the judgment by paying in full or filing a notice of appeal.

Step 4 — Warrant of Restitution (DC-CV-081) and Sheriff Scheduling

If the tenant doesn't pay or vacate after judgment, file DC-CV-081 — the Warrant of Restitution — within 60 days of the judgment. The warrant fee is typically $40-$50, with a small Baltimore City surcharge. File at the same District Court where the case was heard.

The warrant authorizes the county sheriff to physically restore possession of the property to you. The sheriff's office schedules the eviction date on its own calendar — usually 7-14 business days out in Baltimore City, though backlog can push this longer in busy months. You'll receive the scheduled date by mail or email.

Once the sheriff declares possession restored, you get your property back and the case closes.

How Much Does a Maryland Eviction Actually Cost?

Real 2026 numbers for a Baltimore City FTPR case:

The cheapest real-world outcome is also the most common: tenant cures at or before the hearing, and you spend only the filing fee plus the notice. Total out-of-pocket: under $250. The most expensive outcome is a contested case that goes all the way to sheriff eviction — $300-$400 in court fees plus whichever professional channel you chose.

Common Mistakes That Get Maryland Cases Dismissed

Across thousands of Baltimore City dockets, the same errors recur:

1. 14-day notice instead of 10-day. Maryland changed the rule in 2024; update your template.
2. Amount on notice doesn't match complaint. If the tenant pays a partial balance between notice and filing, you can't claim the pre-payment amount on DC-CV-082.
3. Expired rental registration. Baltimore City requires registration at the time of filing. Check your status before you pay the filing fee.
4. Missing lead paint certificate. If the property is subject to the MDE lead paint registration requirement, your certificate must be current at the time of filing.
5. Wrong court. Baltimore City and Baltimore County have separate dockets. Filing in the wrong District Court is an automatic dismissal, not a transfer.
6. Insufficient proof of service on the notice. "I told them" is not proof. Keep a photo of the posted notice, or the certified mail return receipt, or a witness statement.

When to Use a Licensed Agent

Self-representation works for landlords with 1-5 units who can spend a morning in court. Above that volume, the time math shifts. A licensed Maryland agent handles the filing, appears at the hearing, files the warrant, and coordinates with the sheriff — you sign documents and approve each stage.

Agent-handled filings also see dismissal rates in the low single digits, compared to ~35% for DIY. That's the single biggest cost saver on contested cases.

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Next: Maryland's 10-Day Notice Requirement — What Landlords Need to Know in 2026