Free Maryland 10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit

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The 10-day notice to pay rent or quit is the notice a Maryland landlord must give before filing a failure-to-pay-rent complaint in District Court. Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401(c) gives the tenant 10 days after the notice is provided to pay the amount due or face summary ejectment. Maryland is a pay-and-stay redemption state: the tenant can pay and remain right up until the eviction is executed. Generate a compliant notice below.

10-Day Notice Md. Real Prop. § 8-401 DC-CV-115 Aligned Free PDF

A Maryland 10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit is the written notice a landlord must give a tenant who has failed to pay rent before filing a summary ejectment (eviction) action for nonpayment. Maryland’s own name for it is the Notice of Intent to File a Complaint for Summary Ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent), and it is governed by Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401. Since a statewide amendment took effect in October 2021, § 8-401(c) requires the landlord to give the tenant at least 10 days’ written notice – on a form created by the Maryland Judiciary, DC-CV-115 – before filing. Maryland is a redemption state: even after a possession judgment, the tenant may pay all past-due rent plus court-awarded costs and remain in the home until the eviction is actually carried out. The form below produces a compliant 10-day notice; our Maryland eviction notice laws guide covers the full process, and the Maryland landlord-tenant laws hub maps the rest of the statutory framework.

The 10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit is the written notice a Maryland landlord must give a tenant before filing a failure-to-pay-rent action in the District Court. In Maryland’s own terminology it is the Notice of Intent to File a Complaint for Summary Ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent), and the Judiciary publishes it as form DC-CV-115. It is the procedural prerequisite to the summary ejectment case authorized by Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401. Since the October 2021 amendment, no Maryland District Court will hear a residential nonpayment case unless the landlord first gave this 10-day notice.

The notice does three things in one document. First, it demands the past-due rent. The amount stated should be rent, plus a late fee only if the lease provides one and only up to the 5% statutory cap. Utilities, repair costs, damages, and other charges cannot be collected through the failure-to-pay-rent action, so putting them in the notice risks an overstated demand that a tenant can challenge.

Second, it gives the tenant a 10-day window to pay. The tenant has 10 days after the notice is provided to pay the amount due. If the tenant pays in full within those 10 days, the default is cured and the landlord does not file. The 10-day count is the mandatory waiting period between giving notice and filing – it is not a grace period on the rent itself, which in most of Maryland is late the day after it is due.

Third, it warns the tenant of the consequences and preserves their rights. The notice tells the tenant that if the amount is not paid within 10 days, the landlord may file a complaint in the District Court to recover possession, and it informs the tenant that they may request an itemized accounting (a rent ledger) showing how the amount was calculated. Because Maryland is a redemption state, the notice does not end the tenant’s ability to pay: even after a judgment, the tenant can pay everything owed plus costs and stay in the home until the eviction is executed. The form on this page produces a notice that carries the required contents and the correct rent-only demand.

The 10-day notice sits inside a specific statutory framework. The core statute is Md. Code, Real Property § 8-401, which governs failure to pay rent. Subsection (c), added by the statewide 2021 amendment, requires the landlord to provide the tenant a written notice of intent to file a summary ejectment claim, giving the tenant 10 days to cure, before the landlord may file in the District Court. The notice must be on a form the Maryland Judiciary created – form DC-CV-115.

The contents of the notice flow from § 8-401(c) and the DC-CV-115 form. The notice must identify the landlord (or agent), the tenant(s), and the leased premises; state the amount of rent due and the period(s) it covers; state a late fee separately (only if lease-authorized and within the 5% cap); give the tenant 10 days to pay; and state that a complaint for summary ejectment may be filed if the amount is not paid. The form also carries a note that the tenant may request an itemized rent ledger. Utilities, service charges, fines, damages, and court costs are expressly not to be demanded in this notice – the action is for rent.

Delivery rules are set out in § 8-401. The notice is considered provided when it is sent by first-class mail with a USPS certificate of mailing, affixed (posted) to the door of the leased premises, or – only if the tenant elected in writing – delivered electronically by email, text, or an electronic tenant portal with proof of transmission. Verbal notice, a phone call, or an unmailed note do not satisfy the statute.

The late-fee cap comes from Md. Code, Real Property Section 8-208 (Real Property § 8-208), which limits a late fee to 5% of the monthly rent (or, for weekly tenancies, $3 per week up to $12 per month under Section 8-208), and only when the lease provides for it. The redemption right is in § 8-401(h): a tenant may pay all past-due rent as determined by the court plus court-awarded costs and fees – in cash, certified check, or money order – at any time before the eviction is executed, and thereby stay. The exception is the tenant who has had three or more judgments of possession for nonpayment in the 12 months before the current case; that tenant loses the right of redemption.

Local overlays matter in Maryland more than in many states. Baltimore City, Montgomery County (Chapter 29 of the County Code), Prince George’s County (administered through DPIE), and numerous municipalities require a landlord to hold a current rental license or registration to use the summary ejectment process; filing without a required license can delay or dismiss the case. Baltimore City also bars a late fee until rent is more than 10 days overdue and has its own rent-court and notice procedures. One operational rule ties all of this together: the notice and the demand must match the statute exactly – the right form, the right 10-day count, a rent-only amount, and a statutory delivery method.

Maryland does not leave the notice’s contents to the landlord’s imagination. The Judiciary’s DC-CV-115 form fixes the required elements, and RP § 8-401(c) makes the form mandatory. A compliant Maryland 10-day notice must include the following.

1. The parties and the premises. The landlord (or authorized agent) and the tenant(s) must be named, and the leased premises identified by full address including any unit number. Name every tenant on the lease, consistently with how they will appear in the complaint caption.
2. The amount of rent due and the periods it covers. State the past-due rent and the month(s) or week(s) it represents. If a lease-authorized late fee is being added, state it separately and keep it within the 5% cap. Do not fold in utilities, damages, or other charges.
3. The 10-day statement. The notice must tell the tenant that they have 10 days after the notice is provided to pay the amount due, and that a complaint for summary ejectment may be filed if the amount is not paid within that time.
4. The itemized-ledger note. The form informs the tenant that they may request an itemized accounting (a rent ledger) showing how the landlord calculated the amount claimed. This transparency provision is built into the form.
5. The date and method the notice was provided. The form has a line for the date the notice is given and a checkbox for the delivery method used – first-class mail with certificate of mailing, posting on the premises, or tenant-elected electronic delivery.
6. The landlord’s signature and contact information. The person giving the notice signs, and provides a phone number, email, and mailing address so the tenant knows where and how to pay.

The 10-day period under RP § 8-401(c) runs from the day the notice is provided to the tenant. Unlike some states’ short business-day notices, Maryland’s 10 days are counted straightforwardly, and the landlord may not file the failure-to-pay-rent complaint until the full 10 days have elapsed.

When the clock starts. The count begins when the notice is provided under a statutory delivery method. For posting or personal mailing, that is the date on the certificate of mailing or the date the notice is affixed to the door. For tenant-elected electronic delivery, it is the date of the proven transmission. Because the count depends on when the tenant actually receives constructive notice, most Maryland practitioners date the notice as of the delivery event and count 10 full days forward before filing.

Worked example. A landlord posts the notice on the premises door on the 3rd of the month. Counting 10 days forward, the earliest the landlord may file the failure-to-pay-rent complaint is the 14th – and only if the tenant has not paid in full by then. Filing on the 12th or 13th is premature and is a defect a tenant can raise.

Worked example with mail. A landlord mails the notice by first-class mail with a certificate of mailing dated the 1st. The safest practice is to count 10 days from the mailing date and add a small cushion for delivery before filing, so the landlord is comfortably past the statutory minimum. Giving the tenant a day or two more than the statute requires never hurts the case and protects against any dispute over when the notice was received.

Why the cushion matters. Maryland summary ejectment is fast once it starts, but the whole case can be thrown out for a premature filing or a delivery the tenant disputes. Building in a short cushion – counting the full 10 days from a documented delivery event, keeping the certificate of mailing or a dated photo of the posting, and only then filing – is the single cheapest insurance against a dismissal that restarts the clock. If rent is paid in full during the 10-day window, the default is cured and the landlord does not file.

Complete the form below to generate a Maryland 10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit built to the DC-CV-115 structure. The form records the rent-only demand, the 10-day statement, the delivery method, and the itemized-ledger note. Provide it to the tenant by a method authorized under RP § 8-401, keep your proof of delivery, and do not file the failure-to-pay-rent complaint until the full 10 days have run.

RP § 8-401 recognizes three ways to provide the 10-day notice of intent. A verbal warning, a phone call, or an unmailed note left informally do not satisfy the statute, and using a non-statutory method is a defect the tenant can raise.

Proof of delivery

Maryland does not require a formal affidavit of service for the 10-day notice the way some states require a proof of service for a pay-or-quit, but the landlord bears the burden of showing the notice was provided. Retain the certificate of mailing, the dated photograph of the posting, or the electronic transmission record. If the tenant disputes receiving the notice, this documentation is what the District Court will look to.

Documentation retention

Keep the signed original notice, the delivery proof, the lease, and a rent ledger showing exactly how the demanded amount was calculated. If the failure-to-pay-rent complaint is filed, these become the backbone of the landlord’s case. If the tenant pays within the 10 days, the same records document that the default was cured and no case was filed. Maryland’s general limitations period for a written contract is longer than three years, so retain rental records well beyond the current tenancy.

If the tenant has not paid in full after the 10-day notice period, the landlord may file a Complaint for Summary Ejectment (Failure to Pay Rent) in the District Court for the county where the premises sit. The court sets a trial date, typically within a few weeks. A modest filing fee set by the District Court applies, and it is slightly higher in Baltimore City, with a small additional charge for each extra tenant named.

At trial, the landlord must prove there is a valid lease (or tenancy), that a specific amount of rent is unpaid, and that the tenant occupies the premises. The landlord must also, where a rental license is required, show the license is current. If the tenant does not appear, the court may enter a default judgment for possession.

If the landlord prevails, the court enters a judgment for possession. To carry out an eviction, the landlord then requests a Warrant of Restitution, which authorizes the sheriff or constable to schedule the physical eviction. The warrant expires 60 days after a judge signs it. In Baltimore City, the tenant must receive 14 days’ mailed notice and 7 days’ posted notice before the first scheduled eviction date.

Throughout, the tenant’s right of redemption remains. Under RP § 8-401(h), the tenant may pay all past-due rent as determined by the court plus court-awarded costs and fees, in cash, certified check, or money order, at any time before the eviction is actually executed, and thereby stay in the home. The one exception is the tenant with three or more judgments of possession for nonpayment in the 12 months before the current case, who loses the right of redemption. Because of this pay-and-stay rule, Maryland landlords should be prepared to accept a full, timely tender of everything owed even late in the process.

The demand in a Maryland 10-day notice is limited to rent. Getting the amount right is one of the most important things a landlord can do, because an overstated demand invites a challenge that can slow or defeat the case.

Rent. State the actual past-due rent and the period(s) it covers. If the tenant has made a partial payment, the demand should reflect the remaining balance accurately – a rent ledger that ties out to the demand is the best protection.

Late fees. Under Real Property Section 8-208, a late fee may not exceed 5% of the monthly rent, and only if the lease provides for it. For weekly tenancies, Section 8-208 sets the cap at $3 per week, not to exceed $12 per month. In Baltimore City, a late fee cannot be assessed until the rent is more than 10 days overdue. A late fee above the cap is unenforceable and, if demanded, can taint the notice.

What you may not demand. Utilities, service charges, damages, repair costs, attorney’s fees not awarded by the court, and court costs are not part of the failure-to-pay-rent demand. The action is for rent; those other items, if recoverable at all, are pursued through separate channels. Folding them into the 10-day notice creates an overstated demand and a defense for the tenant.

Grace period. Maryland has no statewide rent grace period – rent is legally late the day after it is due unless the lease says otherwise. Baltimore City is the exception for late fees only: a late fee cannot be charged until rent is more than 10 days late. The 10-day notice period is not a grace period on the rent; it is the mandatory waiting period between giving notice and filing.

Maryland’s local rental-licensing requirements are a frequent, avoidable reason failure-to-pay-rent cases get delayed or dismissed. A landlord must generally hold a current license to operate, where the county or municipality requires one, to use the summary ejectment process.

Baltimore City requires landlords to register the property and obtain a rental license before renting a non-owner-occupied dwelling, and its rent-court procedures include the 14-day mailed and 7-day posted eviction-notice steps described above. Montgomery County requires all rental property owners to be licensed under Chapter 29 of the County Code; without a valid license, a failure-to-pay-rent case may be delayed or dismissed. Prince George’s County administers rental licensing through DPIE for single-family, multifamily, and short-term rentals, and proof of a current license is required to file a failure-to-pay-rent case where licensing applies. Numerous municipalities layer their own registration requirements on top.

Practical rule. Before you provide the 10-day notice, confirm your rental license or registration is current for the jurisdiction where the premises sit, and be ready to show it in court. In jurisdictions that require licensing, Maryland courts expect the licensing information on the failure-to-pay-rent filing and proof of licensure at trial. This is a checkbox on the form above – set it honestly, and resolve any gap before you file.

• Filing before the 10 days run. The landlord may not file the failure-to-pay-rent complaint until 10 days after the notice is provided. Filing early is a defect that can get the case dismissed.
• Overstating the demand. Including utilities, damages, or an above-cap late fee in the demand invites a challenge. Demand rent only, plus a lease-authorized late fee within the 5% cap.
• Using a generic notice. RP § 8-401(c) requires the Judiciary’s DC-CV-115 form. A generic out-of-state pay-or-quit notice does not satisfy the statute.
• Delivering by a non-statutory method. Verbal notice, a phone call, or an informal note do not count. Use first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, posting on the premises, or tenant-elected electronic delivery.
• Filing without a required rental license. In Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and many municipalities, a current license is a prerequisite. Filing without one risks delay or dismissal.
• Refusing a valid redemption tender. Maryland is a pay-and-stay state. A full, timely tender of everything owed plus court costs before the eviction is executed cures the default (except for a tenant with three prior judgments in 12 months).
• Losing the delivery proof. Without the certificate of mailing, the dated posting photo, or the transmission record, the landlord may be unable to prove the notice was provided if the tenant disputes it.
• Inconsistent party names. Name every tenant on the lease, and identify the landlord or agent consistently with the lease and the complaint caption.

Maryland tenants who receive a 10-day notice of intent have meaningful statutory rights. Understanding them helps a landlord appreciate why precision matters and why the redemption rule shapes the whole process.

Right to cure by paying in full. If the tenant pays the full amount due within the 10-day period, the default is cured and the landlord does not file. Right to an itemized ledger. The DC-CV-115 form informs the tenant that they may request an itemized accounting showing how the demanded amount was calculated – a built-in check on an overstated demand.

Right of redemption (pay and stay). Under RP § 8-401(h), even after a judgment for possession, the tenant may pay all past-due rent as determined by the court plus court-awarded costs and fees, in cash, certified check, or money order, at any time before the eviction is executed, and stay in the home. The exception is a tenant with three or more nonpayment possession judgments in the prior 12 months, who loses the right. Right to challenge an overstated or improper demand. A tenant may defend on the ground that the demand included non-rent charges, an above-cap late fee, or that the landlord lacked a required rental license.

Right to appear and be heard. The tenant may appear at the summary ejectment trial and contest the amount, the tenancy, or the landlord’s compliance with the notice and licensing requirements. Right to appeal. A tenant may appeal a District Court judgment for possession to the Circuit Court within the statutory appeal window, and may seek to stay the eviction pending appeal.

Right to anti-retaliation and fair-housing protection. Maryland law (RP § 8-208.1) prohibits retaliatory action against a tenant for exercising protected rights, such as reporting a housing-code violation, and the federal Fair Housing Act and Maryland’s fair-housing law prohibit eviction decisions based on protected characteristics. A nonpayment action brought in response to a habitability complaint may be challenged as retaliatory. Several Maryland jurisdictions also provide access to tenant legal-aid resources whose attorneys routinely identify notice and licensing defects.

Local jurisdictions (Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and many municipalities) layer rental-licensing and procedural requirements on top of state law. Always verify your local licensing status and rent-court procedures before relying solely on state-level requirements, and see our guide to Maryland eviction notice laws for the full process.

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