# How to Evict a Tenant in Maryland: The Complete 2026 Guide A step-by-step, source-cited walkthrough of the Maryland FTPR process — from 10-day notice through sheriff eviction — with real costs, common mistakes, and when to hire help. - Published: 2026-04-17 (updated 2026-05-13) - Author: Jordan Walsh - Canonical: https://www.evictpro.us/blog/how-to-evict-tenant-maryland --- 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. - **~405K**: MD FTPR filings per year (~10× the national rate) - **84**: filings per 100 renter households (Baltimore metro) - **36%**: settle before trial (tenant pays after notice) > The system is busy, well-worn, and surprisingly forgiving of landlords who follow the rules. It's also unforgiving of landlords who don't. **The short version:** Maryland evictions are procedural. Serve a clean 10-day notice, file a clean DC-CV-082, show up to court with your documents, and file the warrant within 60 days if the tenant doesn't cure. Get those four steps right and most cases resolve on time and under $300. ## 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.** $50-$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. **Run your numbers in 60 seconds**: https://www.evictpro.us/tools/eviction-cost-calculator **Notice does most of the work:** In most non-payment situations, a tenant who owes one or two months will cure the balance once a legal notice arrives in hand. The notice step alone resolves roughly 36% of cases before they ever reach a courthouse — it's the cheapest collection tool you have. 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)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=grp§ion=8-401&enactments=false). 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. **The 10-day trap:** Serving a 14-day notice and filing on day 11 doesn't get you sanctioned. But filing on day 9 of a 10-day notice **will get your case dismissed from the bench.** The clock runs on calendar days from the date of service, not the date the tenant received it. 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. **Generate a free Maryland-compliant notice**: https://www.evictpro.us/notice-of-intent ## 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 500 N. Calvert Street (the courthouse relocated from 501 E. Fayette Street effective October 14, 2025). 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 is $50 in the counties and $60 in Baltimore City under the current DCA-109 schedule (Rev. 03/2026). 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 **Match notice amount to complaint:** DC-CV-082 asks for the total amount claimed, which should match the rent amount stated on the notice. If the tenant paid a partial balance between notice and filing, claiming the pre-payment amount is another dismissal risk — you're limited to the rent that was the subject of the notice. 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. **Default judgment is common:** A meaningful share of Baltimore City FTPR cases end in default judgment when the tenant never shows. If that's your case, you're looking at a 10-minute hearing with a clean outcome. 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. **Eviction day is physical:** Maryland requires you (or your agent) to be present, to have a locksmith available to change the locks, and to have a plan for any property the tenant leaves behind. Sheriff evictions are sometimes tense — if you're self-representing and this is your first, hiring a process server or agent to be on-site is worth the $100-$200. 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. Every EvictPro price below **includes the base court filing fee**. Maryland's $5-per-tenant filing service fee (DCA-109) is the one charge shown separately at checkout, billed at cost. | Stage | DIY court fee only | EvictPro (all-in) | Attorney retainer | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------- | ----------------- | | Notice of Intent | $0 | **Free** | Included | | Filing (DC-CV-082) | $50-$60 | **$99** | Included | | Rent Court hearing | $0 | $249 | Included | | Tenant Response review | $0 | $149 (if contested) | Included | | Warrant (DC-CV-081) | $40-$50 | $199 | Included | | Sheriff scheduling | $40-$75 | $75 | Included | | Eviction Day | Varies | $225 | Included | | **DIY total (court fees only)** | **$86-$185** | — | — | | **EvictPro — tenant cures at filing** | — | **$99** | — | | **EvictPro — full eviction, Full Eviction Service package (NRR)** | — | **$749** | — | | **Attorney — uncontested retainer** | — | — | **$1,500-$2,500** | - **$99**: Most common EvictPro spend (tenant cures after filing) - **$749**: Full Eviction Service cap (NRR cases, all stages, court fees in) - **70-90%**: Savings vs. attorney (on most common scenarios) The cheapest real-world outcome is also the most common: the tenant cures at or before the hearing, and you never advance past the filing stage. Total EvictPro spend in that case: **$99** (base court fee included, notice was free), plus Maryland's $5-per-tenant filing service fee at cost. The most expensive realistic outcome is an NRR (repeat-offender) case that goes all the way through physical eviction — the **Full Eviction Service package at $749** bundles every stage into one flat fee with the base court fees included. ## 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. **Each mistake costs a filing fee + 1-3 weeks:** Every one of these errors means the case is dismissed, you pay the filing fee again to refile, and the tenant gets another 1-3 rent-free weeks. In a tight rental market, that's $1,000-$1,500 of avoidable loss per mistake. ## When to Use a Professional Agent Self-representation works for landlords with 1-5 units who can spend a morning in court. Above that volume, the time math shifts. An experienced 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 materially lower dismissal rates than DIY filings. That's the single biggest cost saver on contested cases. **Experienced Maryland agents, paid per stage**: https://www.evictpro.us/for-landlords **Not legal advice**: This article is general educational information about Maryland landlord-tenant law and procedure. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, court fees, and local rules change over time. For advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed Maryland attorney or a qualified housing counselor. **Next:** [Maryland's 10-Day Notice Requirement — What Landlords Need to Know in 2026](/blog/maryland-10-day-notice) ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does an eviction take in Maryland? From notice to physical eviction typically takes 45-75 days in Maryland. The 10-day notice period, 2-4 week court docket wait, and 1-2 week warrant scheduling are the main time components. Uncontested cases move faster; contested or continued hearings add weeks. ### How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Maryland? Maryland court fees run $50-$60 for the FTPR filing plus $40-$50 for the warrant of restitution. Maryland also charges a $5 service fee per tenant of record at filing (cost schedule DCA-109), plus $5 per location in Baltimore City. If you hire an attorney, add $1,500-$2,500 in retainer fees. EvictPro starts free (Notice of Intent is $0), $99 once you file with the court, and caps at $749 for the Full Eviction Service package. The base court filing fee is included in each stage price; the $5-per-tenant service fee is shown at checkout and billed at cost. ### Can I evict a tenant without a lawyer in Maryland? Yes. Maryland allows landlords to self-represent in District Court rent cases. You'll need to file DC-CV-082, serve a legally compliant 10-day notice, and attend the hearing yourself. Self-filed cases see materially higher dismissal rates than represented cases (driven by defective notices, expired prerequisites, and wrong-amount filings), so getting the forms and timelines right matters. ### What is DC-CV-082? DC-CV-082 is the official Maryland District Court form for filing a Failure to Pay Rent (FTPR) complaint. It's required in every Maryland rent court case. The form captures the landlord's claim, the property, the tenant(s), the amount owed, and the filing period. ### What is a Warrant of Restitution? A Warrant of Restitution (Maryland form DC-CV-081) is the court order authorizing the sheriff to physically restore possession of the rental property to the landlord after a judgment for possession. It must be filed within 60 days of the judgment. ### Do I need to register my Baltimore City rental property before filing? Yes. Baltimore City requires landlords to hold a current rental registration and lead paint certification (if applicable) at the time of filing. Filing without either is an automatic dismissal. Check your status at the Department of Housing & Community Development before you file.