Maryland · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Maryland eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Maryland must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give you a written notice of intent to file, on the form made by the Maryland Judiciary, giving you 10 days to pay.

Notice for unpaid rent: 10 days
Time to respond in court: In a failure-to-pay-rent case, the summons sets trial for the fifth day after the complaint is filed (§8-401(b)(4)); you do not have to file a written answer, but you must appear at trial.
Lockouts: Banned

If you get an eviction notice

Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Maryland

Notice for unpaid rent: Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give you a written notice of intent to file, on the form made by the Maryland Judiciary, giving you 10 days to pay. It may be sent by first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, posted on your door, or sent electronically if you agreed (Real Prop. §8-401(c)). After a judgment, you generally can still keep your home by paying everything owed before the eviction is carried out (right of redemption), unless the court entered 3 judgments against you for unpaid rent in the 12 months before this case (Real Prop. §8-401(h)).
Notice for a lease violation: 30 days' written notice for a lease violation; 14 days if the behavior shows a clear and imminent danger of serious harm. The court must find the breach substantial and warranting eviction (§8-402.1).
Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Landlord: written notice 60 days before the end of a month-to-month tenancy or a lease longer than a week; 90 days for year-to-year. Tenant: at least 30 days (§8-402(c)). Week-to-week: 7 days with a written lease, 21 days without.
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit: In a failure-to-pay-rent case, the summons sets trial for the fifth day after the complaint is filed (§8-401(b)(4)); you do not have to file a written answer, but you must appear at trial. Either side can appeal a holdover or breach judgment within 10 days.
Lockouts and utility shutoffs: Yes. A landlord may take possession only with a warrant of restitution executed by a sheriff or constable, or if you abandoned or surrendered the unit. Lockouts, threats to lock out, and willfully cutting heat, water, hot water, electricity or gas to force you out are illegal; you can recover actual damages plus attorney's fees and costs (§8-216).
Court self-help: The court's eviction self-help page
Law: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§8-216, 8-401, 8-402, 8-402.1

Eviction notice timeline for Maryland

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Where to get free help in Maryland

Retaliation in Maryland

The landlord may not file or threaten eviction, arbitrarily raise rent, cut services, or end a periodic tenancy because you made a good-faith complaint to the landlord or a public agency, sued or testified against the landlord, joined a tenants' organization, or called police or emergency services. Protection covers actions within 6 months of your protected act, and you must be current on rent (unless lawfully in rent escrow). Remedy: up to 3 months' rent, attorney's fees and costs (§8-208.1).

Rent increases and rent control in Maryland

Notice of a rent increase: Written notice before any rent increase, by first-class mail with certificate of mailing (or electronically if you chose that): at least 90 days for leases longer than a month, 60 days for month-to-month (longer than a week up to a month), 7 days (written lease) or 21 days (no written lease) for week-to-week (Real Prop. §8-209). Local laws can require more.
Rent control: No statewide rent control. Montgomery County and the City of Takoma Park have local rent stabilization, and other counties (for example Prince George's) have adopted or debated local limits; check your county's housing office.

Questions about eviction in Maryland

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Maryland?

Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give you a written notice of intent to file, on the form made by the Maryland Judiciary, giving you 10 days to pay. It may be sent by first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, posted on your door, or sent electronically if you agreed (Real Prop. §8-401(c)). After a judgment, you generally can still keep your home by paying everything owed before the eviction is carried out (right of redemption), unless the court entered 3 judgments against you for unpaid rent in the 12 months before this case (Real Prop. §8-401(h)).

How much notice for a lease violation in Maryland?

30 days' written notice for a lease violation; 14 days if the behavior shows a clear and imminent danger of serious harm. The court must find the breach substantial and warranting eviction (§8-402.1).

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Maryland?

Landlord: written notice 60 days before the end of a month-to-month tenancy or a lease longer than a week; 90 days for year-to-year. Tenant: at least 30 days (§8-402(c)). Week-to-week: 7 days with a written lease, 21 days without.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Maryland?

In a failure-to-pay-rent case, the summons sets trial for the fifth day after the complaint is filed (§8-401(b)(4)); you do not have to file a written answer, but you must appear at trial. Either side can appeal a holdover or breach judgment within 10 days.

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Maryland?

Yes. A landlord may take possession only with a warrant of restitution executed by a sheriff or constable, or if you abandoned or surrendered the unit. Lockouts, threats to lock out, and willfully cutting heat, water, hot water, electricity or gas to force you out are illegal; you can recover actual damages plus attorney's fees and costs (§8-216).

More for Maryland renters

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.