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    Maryland Eviction Notice Law

    Maryland's notice period for unpaid rent is 10 days (Notice of intent to file a claim for failure to pay rent (Maryland Judiciary form)). For a lease violation it is 30 days, with no statutory chance to cure.

    Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed

    Not legal advice. A defective notice can restart an eviction case; ask a Maryland attorney or court self-help center before serving one. See our disclaimer.

    Maryland eviction notice rules at a glance

    Notice for unpaid rent10 days (Notice of intent to file a claim for failure to pay rent (Maryland Judiciary form))Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401(c)
    Notice for a lease violation30 days (no statutory cure period)Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402.1
    Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no-fault)Landlord 60 days · tenant 30 daysMd. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)

    What Maryland law says

    What notice must a Maryland landlord give before filing an eviction for unpaid rent?

    Before filing a failure-to-pay-rent case, give the tenant written notice on the Maryland Judiciary's form of intent to file unless the tenant pays within 10 days, by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, posting on the door, or (if the tenant elected) electronic delivery (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401(c)).

    How much notice is required for a lease violation in Maryland?

    To end a lease early for a breach, the lease must allow repossession for breach and the landlord must give 30 days' written notice of the violation and intent to repossess (14 days when the conduct shows a clear and imminent danger of serious harm), and the court must find the breach substantial (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402.1(a)-(b)).

    How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Maryland?

    A Maryland landlord must give 60 days' written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, while a tenant's notice of at least 30 days is enough (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(i), (c)(3)).

    How Maryland compares

    30 of 49 verified jurisdictions use a shorter unpaid-rent notice.

    None of Maryland's 5 neighbors follows the same rule.

    Unpaid rent · lease violationStates
    10 days · 30 daysMaryland
    7 days · 7 days, with cureDelaware
    10 days · 15 daysPennsylvania
    14 days · 21 days, with cureVirginia
    No statewide rule · no statewide ruleWest Virginia
    10 days · 30 days, with cureDistrict of Columbia

    Local rules in Maryland

    Montgomery County bars late fees until rent is more than 10 days late (County Code § 29-27, per Montgomery County DHCA guidance). Other counties and Baltimore City may add local tenant protections; Real Prop. § 8-208(f) preserves stronger local laws.

    Other Maryland rules

    Security deposit limit1 month's rent (with exceptions)Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203(b), 2024 Md. Laws ch. 124 (HB 693), Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024
    Deposit return deadline45 days after the lease endsMd. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203(e)(1)
    Late-fee cap5% of the unpaid rent due for the rental period; weekly leases: $3 per week, max $12 per monthMd. Code, Real Prop. § 8-208(d)(3)
    Entry notice24 hours' noticeMd. Code, Real Prop. § 8-221, 2025 Md. Laws ch. 564 (HB 1076), enacted as § 8-220 and codified as § 8-221
    Rent-increase notice90 days (Written notice by first-class mail with certificate of mailing (or electronic delivery if the tenant elected it): 90 days for tenancies with a term over 1 month (e.g., a 1-year lease); 60 days for terms over 1 week up to 1 month (month-to-month); 7 days for weekly tenancies with a written lease, 21 days without one)Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-209, 2023 Md. Laws ch. 146 (HB 151)

    Read the Maryland law

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