Maryland Warrant of Restitution Timeline: From Judgment to Sheriff Eviction in 2026

The judgment for possession is the win, but it isn't the end. In a Maryland Failure to Pay Rent case, you don't actually get the unit back until the sheriff executes a warrant of restitution — DC-CV-081. Between the judgment and that execution sit a 5-business-day wait, a redemption right that runs until the moment of execution, and two separate 60-day clocks that will void the judgment if you miss either one. This is the timeline, statute-cited, with every clock that runs against you and every wait that runs in the tenant's favor.

Two 60-day clocks. One redemption right that runs until execution. One five-day wait before you can even file. Miss any of them and the judgment goes back to zero.

The warrant of restitution is governed by Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401 and Maryland Rule 3-647. The form itself — DC-CV-081, Petition for Warrant of Restitution — was revised in July 2026 to clarify that the 60-day deadlines described below apply specifically to Failure to Pay Rent cases and not to Tenant Holding Over, Breach of Lease, or Wrongful Detainer actions. Use the current form; older copies may have outdated language.

For where DC-CV-081 fits inside the larger filing process, see The Maryland FTPR Process, Step by Step. For the upstream complaint form, see How to Fill Out DC-CV-082.

What a Warrant of Restitution Actually Is

DC-CV-081's official title is Petition for Warrant of Restitution. It is the court order — once signed by a judge — directing a sheriff or constable to physically restore possession of the rental property to the landlord. Three things to keep straight:

• The complaint (DC-CV-082) starts the case and gets you to judgment.
• The warrant (DC-CV-081) is what you file after the judgment to actually get possession back.
• The warrant must be signed by a judge before the sheriff has any authority to act. An unsigned petition is paperwork; a signed warrant is enforceable.

The form is short — one page in most counties — but the timeline around it is precise and unforgiving.

Step 1 — Wait at Least Five Business Days After Trial

Before the warrant can be filed, the landlord must wait until at least the fifth business day after trial. The wait is not just courtesy. It allows the tenant to exercise an appeal right (if any exists) and to attempt redemption before the warrant authorization moves forward.

Filing earlier than the fifth business day is one of the most common procedural errors at this stage — clerks often catch it at the filing window and reject the petition. If a premature filing gets through, opposing counsel or the judge can vacate the warrant.

Step 2 — Understand the Right of Redemption

Under § 8-401(h)(1), a tenant against whom a Failure to Pay Rent judgment has been entered has the right to redeem the leased premises by tendering — in cash, certified check, or money order — all past-due rent, late fees, court costs, and other fees awarded.

The crucial clock detail: the redemption right runs up to the moment of actual execution. It does not expire after the 5-day filing wait, the warrant signing, or the sheriff scheduling. If the tenant pays the full amount the morning of the eviction — before the sheriff actually restores possession — the case ends and the tenancy continues.

This is one of the most misunderstood timing rules in Maryland rent court. There is no "redemption window that closes after X days." There is a continuous redemption right that closes only at execution.

Step 3 — Know When NRR Applies

The right of redemption is not absolute. Two thresholds remove it, and the threshold differs between Baltimore City and the rest of Maryland.

Statewide rule — § 8-401(h)(3)

Under Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(h)(3), the redemption right does not apply to any tenant against whom three judgments of possession for unpaid rent have already been entered in the 12 months before the current case was filed. So in Maryland counties outside Baltimore City, the fourth FTPR filing within a 12-month window can be filed with no-right-of-redemption (NRR) requested on the complaint.

Baltimore City rule — Public Local Laws §§ 9-1 to 9-8

Baltimore City applies a stricter local threshold. Under the Baltimore City Public Local Laws governing summary ejectment, NRR requires four prior judgments within 12 months — meaning NRR can be requested on the fifth FTPR filing. The local rule is tenant-friendlier than the state default; landlords filing in Baltimore City rent court must use the higher threshold.

NRR is requested at filing, not after judgment

NRR must be requested on the original DC-CV-082 when the case is filed. It cannot be added after judgment. If the prior-judgment math supports NRR and the landlord forgot to check the box on DC-CV-082, the tenant retains redemption right for that case — even if the warrant of restitution would otherwise be straightforward.

Step 4 — File DC-CV-081 (and Watch the First 60-Day Clock)

Once the 5-business-day wait is satisfied and the tenant has not redeemed, the landlord files DC-CV-081 in the same District Court that entered the judgment.

• Filing fee: $40-$50 depending on county. Maryland's full fee schedule is at mdcourts.gov/courts/feeschedules.
• Required information: original case number, judgment date, property address, tenant name(s), amount of money judgment.
• Where to file: the same District Court that entered the judgment — typically the rent court division for Baltimore City; the District Court serving the property's municipality elsewhere.

The first 60-day clock — § 8-401(f)(1)(ii)

Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(f)(1)(ii) provides that if the landlord does not order a warrant of restitution within 60 days of the later of (a) the date of the judgment or (b) the expiration of any stay of execution, the judgment for possession is stricken. The case is over — and not in a good way. To pursue eviction after that, the landlord must typically file a new DC-CV-082 from scratch, including a new 10-day notice and another filing fee.

This is the third most common error at the warrant stage — landlords who win the judgment, plan to give the tenant a chance to cure, and then realize on day 75 that the entire case has timed out.

Step 5 — Watch the Second 60-Day Clock

Once the warrant is signed, a separate 60-day clock starts. Under § 8-401(f)(1)(iii), if the warrant is not executed within 60 days of signing, the warrant expires and the judgment for possession is again stricken.

The two 60-day clocks are independent and both apply only to Failure to Pay Rent cases. The 2026 revision of DC-CV-081 added language clarifying this point because the prior form's wording suggested the rules might apply to all summary ejectment types.

Step 6 — Sheriff Scheduling

After the warrant is signed by the judge, the sheriff's office schedules the physical eviction. Scheduling timelines vary by jurisdiction:

• Baltimore City: 1-2 weeks from warrant signing in typical conditions.
• Baltimore County / outlying counties: 2-3 weeks is typical; rural counties can run longer.
• Sheriff fees: $40-$75 depending on jurisdiction and whether rescheduling is required.

The sheriff's office contacts the landlord directly with the date/time. Confirm the day before — last-minute reschedules happen for weather, sheriff workload, or tenant medical emergencies. Each reschedule consumes days against the 60-day execution clock.

For the broader cost framing on a Baltimore-area case (court fees, sheriff fees, attorney vs platform), see What Does a Baltimore Eviction Actually Cost in 2026?.

Step 7 — Day of Execution

The sheriff meets the landlord at the property at the scheduled time. The landlord is responsible for:

• A locksmith on-site to change locks immediately after the sheriff restores possession.
• Handling the tenant's belongings per local rule. Baltimore City has specific rules on left-behind property; outlying counties vary. Check before execution day.
• Documenting unit condition on entry — photos, video, written notes.

Once possession is restored, the case is closed and the unit is legally the landlord's again. The redemption right is exhausted at this point — even an immediate cash tender after the sheriff leaves does not undo the eviction.

What Goes Wrong at the Warrant Stage

1. Filing the warrant before the 5th business day after trial. Petition rejected at the window or vacated post-signing.
2. Missing the 60-day filing clock under § 8-401(f)(1)(ii). Judgment stricken; full refile required.
3. Missing the 60-day execution clock under § 8-401(f)(1)(iii). Warrant expires; judgment stricken; full refile required.
4. Refusing a redemption tender before execution. Risks sanctions and a vacated warrant. The redemption right is continuous up to execution.
5. Claiming NRR without a qualifying prior-judgment history. Denied at filing; tenant retains redemption right; warrant timeline proceeds with the redemption complication.

How EvictPro Tracks Both 60-Day Clocks Automatically

EvictPro is built around the Maryland FTPR timeline, including the two independent 60-day clocks at the warrant stage. The platform serves a single-property landlord's first warrant the same way it serves a multi-property firm's hundredth.

The Warrant of Restitution stage — $199 inclusive

• DC-CV-081 prep with field validation. Case number, judgment date, money judgment amount, tenant names, property address — all populated from the case file and validated against the underlying judgment before filing.
• 5-business-day wait enforced. The platform won't let you file before the wait expires. No premature petitions, no rejected filings.
• Both 60-day clocks tracked per case. The judgment-to-filing clock and the signing-to-execution clock run on independent timers, with action prompts as each window approaches.
• NRR eligibility check. Prior-judgment history is checked against state and Baltimore City thresholds before NRR is requested on the original DC-CV-082 — not after a denied request at the bench.
• Redemption tender handling. When a tenant attempts to redeem during the warrant stage, the platform records the tender, calculates the required payoff (rent + costs + fees through that date), and surfaces the close-out workflow.

Sheriff Scheduling — $149 inclusive

Coordination with the sheriff's office, calendar tracking against the 60-day execution clock, and reschedule management.

Eviction Day — $225 inclusive

On-site presence at the physical execution, locksmith coordination, documentation of unit condition, and case close-out.

Or bundle with Warrant & Enforcement: $249 (warrant + sheriff scheduling) or Sheriff & Eviction: $249 (sheriff + eviction day) — or take the whole pipeline with Full Eviction Service: $749.

Court and sheriff fees are paid either way — they're inside the stage prices, not on top. The value on top is the timeline discipline: enforcing the 5-business-day wait, tracking both 60-day clocks per case, surfacing redemption tenders correctly, and catching NRR eligibility before filing — at one property or fifty, the same workflow either way.

---

Related reading:

• How to Fill Out DC-CV-082: A Field-by-Field Maryland Filing Guide
• The Maryland FTPR Process, Step by Step
• How to Evict a Tenant in Maryland — The Complete 2026 Guide
• What Does a Baltimore Eviction Actually Cost in 2026?
• Maryland's Tenants' Bill of Rights: Landlord Compliance Guide

Ready to run a clean warrant-stage timeline? Start with the Notice of Intent — every downstream deadline depends on a clean serve: