The total cost of an eviction in Maryland for all filing, court, and service fees varies heavily depending on the type of eviction. For nonpayment eviction cases filed in District Court, the average cost is $70. For all other types of eviction cases filed in District Court, the average cost is $101.
| Fee | District |
| Initial Court Filing | $15+ |
| Summons Service | $5+ |
| Warrant of Restitution Issuance | ~$10 |
| Warrant of Restitution Service | $40 |
| Notice of Appeal Filing (Optional) | $175+ |
| Document Copies (Optional) | $0.50/ea |
These filing, court, and service fees do not include outside costs such as legal fees or post-eviction fees (i.e., locksmith fees, storage costs for a tenant’s abandoned property, cleaning service fees, repair costs, or advertising costs for a vacant dwelling unit).
1. Initial Court Filing Fee
In Maryland, if the eviction notice expires and the tenant remains on the property without correcting the issue, the landlord may file an eviction lawsuit (“Summary Ejectment”) with the court the following business day.
The filing fee for an initial Summary Ejectment depends on the type of eviction:
- For an eviction for failure to pay rent is $15.
- For an eviction for a breach of lease or a tenant holding over is $46.
It’s important to note that Baltimore City has different filing fees, for example:
- For an eviction for failure to pay rent is $25.
- For an eviction for a breach of lease or a tenant holding over is $56.
2. Summons Service Fee
Once a Complaint is filed in Maryland, the court will issue a Summons. The Summons is the tenant’s official notice of an eviction lawsuit and contains important information (i.e., when and where to appear in court). The landlord must arrange for a process server to deliver the Summons to the tenant.
The Summons and Complaint shall be served to the tenant by a sheriff or constable, and they can charge a service fee for delivering the documents. The Summons service fee varies by the type of eviction. For example:
- For nonpayment of rent, $5 for each tenant (Note, Baltimore City service fee is $5 for each location and an additional fee of $5).
- For a breach of lease or tenants who holdover, the service fee is $40.
3. Warrant of Restitution Issuance Fee
In Maryland, if the court rules in favor of the landlord, the court shall issue a Warrant of Restitution. The warrant is the tenant’s final notice to vacate the premises.
There is no filing fee for a warrant in Maryland except for dwelling units located in Baltimore City. Baltimore City landlords must pay a $10 filing fee.
4. Warrant of Restitution Service Fee
In Maryland, if the court rules in favor of the landlord, the court shall issue a Warrant of Restitution. The warrant is the tenant’s final notice to vacate the premises.
A sheriff or constable must serve the Warrant of Restitution to the tenant and they may charge $40 per case for serving the warrant.
6. Notice of Appeal Filing Fee
If either party chooses to file an Appeal in Maryland. An Appeal can be filed within 4 calendar days after judgment is entered for nonpayment evictions or 10 calendar days for lease violations and holdover tenants.
The filing fee is $10 and shall be made payable to the District Court. Additionally, a fee of $165 is due to Advance Circuit Court.
A transcript of the District Court proceeding is required if the claim exceeds $5,000 and costs $75, plus $3 per page for an original transcript and a copy.
7. Copy Fee
In Maryland, if either party wants to make photocopies of any document, the fee is $0.50 per page. Note, the copy fee is applicable to all counties in Maryland.
