Maryland notice periods
A Maryland landlord must give 60 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and a tenant must give 30 days. A rent increase needs 90 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 10-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The Maryland rules in detail
Landlord: 60 days' written notice before the end of the rental period for month-to-month (90 days year-to-year; 7 days week-to-week with written lease, 21 without). Tenant: oral notice at least 30 days before expiration suffices, except in Baltimore City. Reduced 30-60 day periods apply in some foreclosure situations.
90 days' written notice for tenancies longer than 1 month; 60 days for tenancies over 1 week up to 1 month; 7 days (written lease) or 21 days (no written lease) for weekly tenancies. § 8-209, enacted by HB 151 effective 2023-10-01 (effective date via secondary source).
10 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c); § 8-209; § 8-401(c).
Related Maryland rules
- Late fees: Late fee may not exceed 5% of the unpaid rent due for the rental period; for weekly tenancies, max $3 per week and $12 per month. No statutory grace period. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: 1 month's rent; returned Within 45 days after the end of the tenancy, with accrued interest, less lawful deductions; itemized list of damages and costs must be sent within the same 45 days.. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: Maryland landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Maryland?
60 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Landlord: 60 days' written notice before the end of the rental period for month-to-month (90 days year-to-year; 7 days week-to-week with written lease, 21 without). Tenant: oral notice at least 30 days before expiration suffices, except in Baltimore City. Reduced 30-60 day periods apply in some foreclosure situations.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Maryland?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Maryland?
90 days. 90 days' written notice for tenancies longer than 1 month; 60 days for tenancies over 1 week up to 1 month; 7 days (written lease) or 21 days (no written lease) for weekly tenancies. § 8-209, enacted by HB 151 effective 2023-10-01 (effective date via secondary source).
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Maryland?
10 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.