Maryland Eviction Notice
Create a proper Maryland eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Maryland
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Maryland’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Maryland an eviction lawsuit is a(n) Summary ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent; also Breach of Lease and Tenant Holding Over actions) action. — Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401 / DC-CV-115 (Rev. 10/2024) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court of Maryland. — Maryland Judiciary – Housing (Landlord/Tenant) self-help page ↗
- How to serve the notice. Written 10-day notice of intent to file (failure to pay rent) is provided by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door of the premises, or—if the tenant elected it—by e-mail, text message, or electronic tenant portal. — Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(c) ↗
- Filing fee. $50 statewide for Summary Ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent), except $60 in Baltimore City; Breach of Lease and Tenant Holding Over $56 ($66 Baltimore City); plus service fees. District Court cost schedule DCA-109 effective March 1, 2026. — District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109), effective March 1, 2026 ↗
- Official notice form. Maryland’s courts publish an official notice form — compare it with the one you generate here. — DC-CV-115 Notice of Intent to File a Complaint for Summary Ejectment (Rev. 10/2024) ↗
- No self-help. Md. Code, Real Property § 8-216: landlord may not take possession by locking the tenant out or by willful diminution of services (heat, water, electricity, gas); possession only via warrant of restitution executed by sheriff/constable or after abandonment/surrender. — Md. Code, Real Property § 8-216 ↗
Each point links to the Maryland source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Maryland notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 10 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 30 days
- End month-to-month
- 60 days
Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-401, 8-402, 8-402.1 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
Live preview · updates as you type
Notice to Pay or Quit / Vacate
State of Maryland
Date: __________. To: __________ ("Tenant"), and all occupants of __________ (the "Premises").
You are hereby notified that you are in violation of your tenancy for the following reason: __________ . Amount due, if applicable: $______.
You are required, within ____ days as required by Maryland law, on or before__________, to cure the violation (or pay the amount due) OR to vacate and surrender the Premises. If you fail to do so, the landlord may begin eviction proceedings in court.
This notice is given under the landlord-tenant laws of the State of Maryland. Nothing here waives the landlord’s rights.
Generated with SealFormsReflects Maryland law · verified 2026
Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Maryland notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Maryland law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Maryland eviction rules before serving.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Maryland?
In Maryland, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 10 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-401, 8-402, 8-402.1. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
Is an eviction notice the same as eviction?
No. The notice is the required first step — it gives the tenant a chance to pay, fix the problem, or move out by a deadline. If they don’t, you then file an eviction (unlawful detainer) case in court. You cannot lock out or remove a tenant yourself; only a court and law enforcement can carry out an eviction.
How do I serve the notice in Maryland?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Maryland’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Maryland.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Maryland?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court of Maryland (the case is called a(n) Summary ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent; also Breach of Lease and Tenant Holding Over actions) action). Source: Maryland Judiciary – Housing (Landlord/Tenant) self-help page.
How must an eviction notice be served in Maryland?
Written 10-day notice of intent to file (failure to pay rent) is provided by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door of the premises, or—if the tenant elected it—by e-mail, text message, or electronic tenant portal. Source: Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(c).
What does it cost to file an eviction in Maryland?
$50 statewide for Summary Ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent), except $60 in Baltimore City; Breach of Lease and Tenant Holding Over $56 ($66 Baltimore City); plus service fees. District Court cost schedule DCA-109 effective March 1, 2026. Source: District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109), effective March 1, 2026.
How does Maryland compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Maryland compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Maryland: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-401, 8-402, 8-402.1 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 10 days — about 2× the national median of 5 days across the 47 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Delaware (5 days), District of Columbia (10 days), Pennsylvania (10 days), Virginia (14 days), West Virginia (no statutory rule).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 30 days — about 2× the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Delaware (7 days), District of Columbia (30 days), Pennsylvania (no statutory rule), Virginia (21 days), West Virginia (no statutory rule).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 60 days — about 2× the national median of 30 days across the 51 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #1 of 51 states (tied with 3) — higher means a longer notice period.
3 other states use the same figure.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Delaware (60 days), District of Columbia (30 days), Pennsylvania (15 days), Virginia (30 days), West Virginia (30 days).
Eviction notice in other states
More Maryland legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →