United States · MD

Evicting a bad tenant in Maryland costs ~$6,840.

That's an estimated combined hit from filing fees, 1 months of lost rent, property damage, legal costs, and turnover, per bad tenant. Here's the full breakdown and a calculator for your specific situation.

Filing fee

$40

District Court (Failure to Pay Rent)

Avg timeline

30 days

~4 weeks

Lost rent

$1,800

1 months at $1,800/mo

Property damage

$2,500

Beyond the deposit; planning estimate, same in every state

Legal fees

$1,000

Attorney and court costs; planning estimate, same in every state

Turnover

$1,500

Repairs, cleaning, re-listing; planning estimate, same in every state

Most of that $6,840 is preventable with proper screening.

A 14-day free trial with 5 free screenings.

How Maryland handles evictions

FTPR cases move quickly; other grounds slower.

Calculate your risk
Adjust the inputs to model your specific situation in Maryland.

Default: regional median

Filing → unit re-rented

Beyond security deposit

Court filing fee

$40

Lost rent during process

1 months at $1,800/mo

$1,800

Property damage

$2,500

Legal fees

$1,000

Turnover & re-listing

$1,500

Estimated total loss

$6,840

That's what one bad tenant typically costs a Maryland landlord.

14-day free trial · 5 free screenings

Most of that loss is preventable.

Bad tenants almost always leave a paper trail, the problem is that most landlords don't check carefully. Here's what a proper screening catches before you sign the lease.

Fake pay stubs & inflated income

AI analysis catches font mismatches, math errors, and metadata red flags in uploaded income documents.

Identity that doesn't match

Cross-reference of public records and uploaded documents flags name, employer, or address inconsistencies the applicant didn't explain.

Former landlord reference gaps

Automated verification reaches out directly, applicants can't forward requests to a friend pretending to be their landlord.

Maryland eviction cost FAQ

How much does it cost to evict someone in Maryland?

TenantFort estimates a contested eviction in Maryland at around $6,840 all-in: a $40 filing fee, roughly 1 months of lost rent ($1,800 at a typical $1,800/mo), plus legal fees, property damage beyond the deposit, and turnover costs, using national planning figures for those three. Uncontested cases cost less.

How long does an eviction take in Maryland?

Roughly 30 days (~4 weeks) from notice to lockout, as an estimate; contested cases take longer. FTPR cases move quickly; other grounds slower.

How much is the eviction filing fee in Maryland?

$40, filed with the District Court (Failure to Pay Rent). Service, writ, and execution fees are typically extra and vary by county/court.

What court handles evictions in Maryland?

Evictions in Maryland are handled by the District Court (Failure to Pay Rent).

Sources & methodology

The filing fee is the District Court (Failure to Pay Rent)'s published fee; it has not yet been checked against the official fee schedule for this page, so confirm it with the court before you file. The timeline and typical rent are estimates. Property damage ($2,500), legal fees ($1,000) and turnover ($1,500) are round planning figures, the same for every state, not costs measured in Maryland. Real costs vary by county, whether the tenant contests, and the market.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Consult a local attorney for your specific situation.

Maryland landlord-tenant laws

Deposit caps, late fees, entry notice, and required disclosures for Maryland.

View laws
The fix

$99 of screening vs $6,840 in losses.

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