Maryland Statewide Rule

Maryland Statewide Eviction Notice and Procedure Rules

Heavy RestrictionsApplies statewide across Maryland (2026)

Key Facts

Pay or Quit: 10-day notice
Lease Violation: 30-day notice
Imminent Threat: 14-day notice
Month-to-Month: 60-day notice
Bill of Rights: Required at signing

Last verified: August 21, 2026Source: Maryland General Assembly

Summary

Maryland's Real Property Article sets statewide minimum notice periods, court procedures, and tenant protections that govern every residential eviction, with local jurisdictions limited to adding tenant-favorable rules.

(b) (1) (i) Subject to § 8-406 of this subtitle and where any tenancy is for any definite term or at will, and the landlord shall desire to repossess the property after the expiration of the term for which it was leased and shall give notice as required under subsection (c) of this section to the tenant or to the person actually in possession of the property to remove from the property at the end of the term, and if the tenant or person in actual possession shall refuse to comply, the landlord may make complaint in writing to the District Court of the county where the property is located.

Source: Maryland General AssemblyView official code

Full Breakdown

Real Property Article Sections 8-401 and 8-402 establish uniform statewide procedures for failure to pay rent and tenant holding over actions. A landlord must provide a ten-day written notice to pay rent before filing a failure-to-pay action; lease violations require a thirty-day notice; imminent threats permit a fourteen-day notice; month-to-month tenancies require sixty days. The Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 added a statewide Tenants' Bill of Rights disclosure requirement, a seven-day delay before warrant execution after judgment, and additional protections during extreme weather. Localities may enact stronger tenant safeguards.

Violations & Penalties

Filing or executing an eviction without complying with statutory notice or procedure can result in case dismissal, attorney fee awards to tenants, and statutory damages under Real Property Title 8.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Maryland city require longer eviction notices than state law?

Yes. Real Property Title 8 sets a floor, not a ceiling. Local jurisdictions like Montgomery County and Baltimore City have enacted just-cause and longer-notice rules that exceed state minimums.

Can a landlord skip court and lock out a Maryland tenant?

No. Self-help eviction is prohibited statewide. Landlords must obtain a court judgment, a warrant of restitution, and use a sheriff to execute the eviction.

Sources

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