Maryland Notice to Vacate: Notice Periods and Rules

In Maryland, tenants give at least 30 days written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and landlords give at least 60 days. For unpaid rent, the notice period is 10 days. The details, exceptions and statute citations are below.

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Maryland notice periods at a glance

Tenant ending a month-to-month tenancy30 days
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(3)
Landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy60 days
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(i)
Longer tenancies and special casesYear-to-year tenancies need 90 days' notice before the end of the year (Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(ii)). Small landlords (under 5 units, outside Baltimore City and Montgomery County) facing a foreclosure notice may give 30 days for month-to-month (§ 8-402(c)(4)).
Notice for unpaid rent10 days
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401(c)
End of a fixed-term leaseYes: to recover possession when a written lease for a stated term ends, the landlord must give written notice at least 60 days before the lease expires (Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(i)). The tenant's notice period is usually set by the lease.
How notice can be deliveredThe § 8-402 notice to quit must be written. The 10-day nonpayment notice must use the Maryland Judiciary form and be sent by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door, or sent by email, text or tenant portal if the tenant elected electronic delivery (Real Prop. § 8-401(c)(2)).

Landlords must give 60 days' notice for month-to-month tenancies and written leases with a stated term. Week-to-week tenancies need 7 days with a written lease and 21 days without one. Before filing a failure-to-pay-rent case, the landlord must serve the 10-day Judiciary-form notice of intent to file. In Baltimore City, the tenant's oral 30-day notice provision does not apply (§ 8-402(c)(3)(ii)), and county codes (e.g., Montgomery, Baltimore City) add local rules.

What a Maryland notice to vacate should include

  • The names of every tenant on the lease and the full address, including unit number
  • The date you are giving the notice and the date the tenancy ends
  • A move-out date that gives at least the minimum notice above, counted from the day the notice is delivered
  • For unpaid rent: the exact amount owed and how to pay it
  • Your name, signature and contact details
  • A record of how and when you delivered it (keep a copy)

Many month-to-month notices must also end on the last day of a rental period, so if rent is due on the 1st, the safest move-out date is the end of a month. Giving more notice than the minimum is fine; giving less usually makes the notice invalid.

Maryland notice to vacate FAQ

How much notice does a tenant have to give in Maryland?

For a month-to-month tenancy, at least 30 days in writing (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(3)). If you have a fixed-term lease, check the lease: it may require notice before the end date or renew automatically.

How much notice does a landlord have to give in Maryland?

To end a month-to-month tenancy without a specific reason, at least 60 days (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(i)). Year-to-year tenancies need 90 days' notice before the end of the year (Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(ii)). Small landlords (under 5 units, outside Baltimore City and Montgomery County) facing a foreclosure notice may give 30 days for month-to-month (§ 8-402(c)(4)).

What is the notice period for unpaid rent in Maryland?

The tenant gets 10 days to pay or move out (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401(c)). If the tenant does neither, the landlord can file an eviction case; only a court can order the tenant out.

How do you deliver a notice to vacate in Maryland?

The § 8-402 notice to quit must be written. The 10-day nonpayment notice must use the Maryland Judiciary form and be sent by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door, or sent by email, text or tenant portal if the tenant elected electronic delivery (Real Prop. § 8-401(c)(2)).

Do I need to give notice at the end of a fixed-term lease in Maryland?

Yes: to recover possession when a written lease for a stated term ends, the landlord must give written notice at least 60 days before the lease expires (Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)(i)). The tenant's notice period is usually set by the lease.

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Sources

Checked October 2026. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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