How long does an eviction take in Maryland?
For unpaid rent, expect about 6.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in Maryland, and anywhere from 3.5 to 13 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Maryland eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 10 daysofficial source
10-day notice of intent to file (Md. Code Real Prop. § 8-401) source - File the case and get a judgment about 5-30 days (typical 14)official source
Trial is set for about the 5th day after filing source - Judgment to lockout 10-30 daysofficial source
Warrant of restitution no earlier than 7 business days after judgment; must be requested within 60 days source - If the tenant appeals 4-day windowofficial source
4 business days to appeal a District Court failure-to-pay-rent judgment; a bond is needed to stay the eviction source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
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
Eviction costs in Maryland
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $55-$65 | Statewide: $50 plus $5 per tenant outside Baltimore City; $60 plus fees in Baltimore City official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for Maryland; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for Maryland; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,721/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$14) data file |
Tenant protections
| 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 secondary source source |
| Seasonal or weather limits | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Required mediation / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Local rules | Check | Baltimore has a local right-to-counsel program; some counties and cities have local rent rules. |
Eviction cost calculator for Maryland
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 59/100
Timeline 31.2/50 · right to cure 3/20 · statewide protections 25/30. How the score works.
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 EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
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).
Is Maryland landlord-friendly for evictions?
Maryland scores 59 out of 100 on the EvictionMath 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
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | mgaleg.maryland.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | mgaleg.maryland.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | www.mdcourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.courts.state.md.us | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.mdcourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Right to counsel | secondary source | civilrighttocounsel.org | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for Maryland: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
Massachusetts (60, 8.5 wk) · Oregon (60, 5 wk) · Virginia (60, 7.5 wk) · Vermont (56, 11 wk) · California (49, 8.5 wk)