Maryland Legal Aid
Last updated August 2026
In Maryland, an eviction for unpaid rent is a Failure to Pay Rent case, also called summary ejectment, filed and heard in the District Court of the county where you live. If papers arrive, do not panic; the process has real steps and real defenses, and free help is a phone call away.
It starts with a warning, not a lockout. Before filing, the landlord must give you written notice stating the rent due and giving you 10 days to pay, using form DC-CV-115, the Notice of Intent to File a Complaint for Summary Ejectment. That 10-day window is your first chance to fix it.
Maryland gives tenants a powerful tool: the right of redemption, or pay to stay. You may pay the full amount owed at any time before the sheriff actually carries out the eviction, with some exceptions, and stop it. This is not a court-date-only right; it runs up to the moment of eviction.
The court timeline moves, but it is not instant. The trial may be set as soon as the fifth day after the landlord files, and you should get notice within three days of filing. If the landlord wins, you have 4 days to appeal, and if you do not, the court issues a warrant of restitution. Even then, the landlord must give you at least 6 days' written notice before the eviction date.
You have defenses worth raising. You can show you paid, that you tried to pay and were refused, or that a serious safety defect like no heat, rats, or lead paint lets you pay rent into court escrow instead. A landlord also cannot file on a pre-1978 rental that is not registered for lead paint, or without a required license.
Get help early. Call 2-1-1 for a legal referral, or contact the District Court Help Center for free assistance; the final eviction notice must include this information. And 2-1-1 finds local rent funds that can clear the balance and end the case.
Phone 1-888-465-2468
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Low-income Maryland residents with a civil, noncriminal legal problem; Maryland Legal Aid screens applicants against its income guidelines
- Housing and eviction cases move fast, so call as early as you can, especially if you have a court date
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Read any DC-CV-115 notice; you have 10 days to pay before the landlord can file.
- 2
Call 2-1-1 for a legal referral or contact the District Court Help Center for free help.
- 3
Go to your trial and raise defenses (paid, refused payment, or a serious safety defect for escrow).
- 4
Remember you can pay to stay any time before the sheriff evicts; ask 2-1-1 about rent funds.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much notice do I get before an eviction is filed?
A written 10-day notice stating the rent due, on form DC-CV-115, before the landlord can file a Failure to Pay Rent case.
Can I stop an eviction by paying?
Yes. Maryland's right of redemption, or pay to stay, lets you pay the full amount owed any time before the sheriff carries out the eviction, with some exceptions.
How fast can it move?
The trial may be set as soon as the fifth day after filing. If the landlord wins, you have 4 days to appeal, then at least 6 days' written notice before the eviction date.
What defenses can I raise?
That you paid, that you tried to pay and were refused, or that a serious safety defect (no heat, rats, lead paint) lets you pay rent into court escrow instead.
Where do I get free help?
Call 2-1-1 for a legal referral or contact the District Court Help Center. The final eviction notice must include this information.
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