Maryland’s Small Claims Track, a division of the District Court of Maryland handling disputes up to $5,000 under Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405, is genuinely the most affordable entry point to any small claims court covered in this entire guide series. The filing fee is just $11 — the lowest in the United States — bringing the total upfront cost, including the typical service surcharge, to around $51.
But Maryland pairs this remarkable accessibility with a real trade-off most filers do not anticipate: to qualify for the Small Claims Track at all, you must certify that you do not plan to request discovery — no written interrogatories, no depositions. And even after winning, Maryland specifically blocks small claims plaintiffs from using the standard post-judgment debtor information tools — the Judgment Debtor Information Sheet and oral examination process available to every other type of civil plaintiff in the state — to compel a losing defendant to disclose their assets. Maryland also preserves a genuinely old common-law concept still relevant today: a contract “under seal” carries a limitations period of 12 years, four times longer than the standard 3-year rule that governs almost every other civil claim in the state. This guide covers the complete Maryland Small Claims Track process — filing, the discovery restriction that determines whether your case even qualifies, the specific collection tools that remain available despite the debtor-information limitation, and the de novo appeal that allows new evidence under specific circumstances.
Maryland Small Claims — Fast Facts (2026)
- Claim Limit
- Up to $5,000 (regular District Court reaches $30,000)
- Court Name
- District Court of Maryland — Small Claims Track
- Filing Fee
- $11 — lowest in the United States
- Discovery
- Not permitted — a qualifying condition for this track
- Post-Judgment Debtor Discovery
- Blocked for small claims plaintiffs specifically
- Statute of Limitations
- 3 years (nearly all claims) / 12 years (sealed contracts)
- Appeal Window
- 30 days — de novo, new evidence may be allowed
- Post-Judgment Interest
- 10% per year — § 11-107
- Wage Garnishment Cap
- 25% of disposable income, min. 30x MD minimum wage protected
- Bank Account Exemption
- $500 automatic + up to $6,000 for any reason
What Makes Maryland Small Claims Different
1. The Lowest Filing Fee in the Country
At just $11, Maryland’s Small Claims Track filing fee is the lowest of any state covered in this guide series — dramatically less than even other low-fee states like New York ($15–$20) or Missouri ($25–$50). Even after adding the typical $40 service-of-process surcharge, your total upfront cost to file in Maryland runs around $51, making this genuinely the most financially accessible small claims forum in the United States.
2. No Discovery — A Genuine Eligibility Requirement, Not Just a Restriction
To qualify for the Small Claims Track at all under § 4-405, you must certify that you are not planning to request discovery — including written interrogatories the other side would otherwise be required to answer under oath before trial. This goes further than states like Indiana, which merely require court approval before discovery is permitted. In Maryland, planning to use discovery disqualifies your case from the Small Claims Track entirely. If your dispute genuinely requires formal discovery to prove — for example, needing to compel production of specific business records the defendant controls — the Small Claims Track may not be the right forum even if your dollar amount qualifies.
3. Small Claims Plaintiffs Cannot Use Standard Post-Judgment Debtor Discovery
This is the single most important collection-strategy fact for any Maryland small claims plaintiff to understand, and it is genuinely unusual compared to every other state covered in this guide series. In a regular Maryland civil case, a judgment creditor can send the debtor a Judgment Debtor Information Sheet (Form CC-DC-CV-114) compelling them to disclose their employment, assets, debts, income, and expenses — and can escalate to written interrogatories or an in-person oral examination if the debtor does not respond. None of this is available to a small claims plaintiff. The Maryland Courts’ own guidance is explicit: “In small claims cases, the plaintiff cannot request this information,” and if a debtor mistakenly receives this form in connection with a small claims judgment, they are advised to contact a lawyer, since it cannot actually be used to enforce that judgment. If you anticipate needing formal post-judgment discovery to locate a defendant’s assets, budget for the possibility that Maryland’s Small Claims Track will leave you without this tool, even after you win.
4. Contracts “Under Seal” Get a 12-Year Statute of Limitations
Maryland preserves a genuinely old common-law concept: under § 5-102, a contract that is legally “under seal” — meaning the document itself recites that it is sealed, or includes an actual seal (often the word “SEAL” or the abbreviation “L.S.”) printed or affixed next to the signature — carries a limitations period of 12 years, four times longer than the standard 3-year period that governs virtually every other Maryland civil claim under § 5-101. Most people signing a contract today have no idea whether it technically qualifies as “under seal.” If you are working with an older or more formally drafted written agreement, examine it carefully for sealing language before assuming the standard 3-year deadline applies — you may have considerably more time than you think.
5. A Uniformly Short 3-Year Period for Almost Everything Else
Outside the sealed-contract exception, Maryland applies a single, uniform 3-year limitations period to written contracts, oral contracts, property damage, and personal injury claims alike — one of the shortest comprehensive limitations regimes among the states covered in this guide series, and notably shorter than states like Missouri (5 years for the same categories) or Illinois (10 years for written contracts specifically). Do not assume you have extra time for a written agreement in Maryland the way you might in a state with a longer contract-specific period.
Maryland Small Claims Filing Fees (2026)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $11 |
| Service-of-process surcharge (typical) | ~$40 |
| Total typical upfront cost | ~$51 |
| Appeal filing | $10, plus $165 payable separately (per District Court Cost Schedule) |
| Writ of execution/possession | $10 (varies for Baltimore City) |
| Writ of garnishment (non-wage) | $10 |
| Judgment/lien renewal (per defendant) | $10, plus $15 if a lien is filed |
Filing fees are recoverable as costs if you prevail. Confirm current amounts on the official District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule, since fee schedules are periodically updated.
Fee waiver: Indigent filers can complete and file a Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs form.
Step-by-Step: How to File in Maryland
Step 1 — Confirm Your Case Qualifies for the Small Claims Track
Beyond the $5,000 dollar limit, confirm you are not planning to request any discovery — this is a genuine eligibility requirement under § 4-405, not merely a recommendation. If your case will require interrogatories or other formal discovery to prove, it belongs on the regular civil docket instead, even if the dollar amount otherwise qualifies.
Step 2 — File as Soon as Reasonably Possible
Maryland courts explicitly advise filing promptly: waiting too long risks a defendant successfully raising the statute of limitations as a complete defense, even for a case that would otherwise clearly be a winner. Most claims must be filed within 3 years, though sealed contracts get 12 years and some other specific claim types may have shorter or longer periods — confirm the applicable period for your specific claim type before delaying.
Step 3 — Identify the Correct Defendant and County
Getting the defendant’s correct legal name matters enormously. If you are suing a company, the defendant is the company itself — not its manager or even its president. Use the full, formal business name exactly as registered, such as “John Debtor Enterprises, Inc.” Confirm the exact registered name through the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) website before filing. File in the District Court for the county where the defendant lives, works, or conducts business; if there are multiple defendants, you may file where any of them could be sued.
Step 4 — Complete Form DC-CV-001
Obtain the Complaint/Application and Affidavit in Support of Judgment (Form DC-CV-001) from the District Court or the Maryland Courts website. Include the parties’ names and addresses, a brief statement of your claim, the amount claimed, and supporting documentation.
Step 5 — File and Pay the Fee
Maryland does not currently offer online filing for small claims cases — you must file in person or by mail at the appropriate District Court location. Pay the $11 filing fee plus the service surcharge.
Step 6 — Serve the Defendant
Under Md. Rule 3-121, the clerk typically serves the defendant by certified mail with return receipt requested. Track the return receipt, and request sheriff service as a backup if certified mail service fails.
Step 7 — Prepare Your Evidence
Bring three copies of every document, all witnesses, and a clear chronological timeline of events. Organize your documents in order of events, number them, and reference them by number during your testimony — this level of preparation is exactly what Maryland court guidance recommends and demonstrates credibility to the judge.
Step 8 — Attend the Hearing
Trials are public and informal under Maryland Rules Title 3, Chapter 700, with relaxed rules of evidence specific to the Small Claims Track. Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Be concise and factual — stick to the relevant facts and avoid emotional appeals about fairness; the judge applies the law to the evidence presented. Practice your presentation beforehand, speak clearly, and be prepared to explain exactly how you calculated your claimed damages, with supporting documentation for each component.
How to Collect Your Maryland Small Claims Judgment
The court will not collect the money owed to you — you must take further steps yourself once the 30-day appeal window closes without an appeal being filed. Post-judgment interest accrues at 10% per year under § 11-107.
Step 1 — Wage Garnishment
File a wage garnishment order with the defendant’s employer under Md. Code, Com. Law § 15-601 et seq. Maryland caps garnishment at 25% of the debtor’s disposable income, and the debtor must be left with an amount equal to at least 30 times the Maryland minimum hourly wage. For example, a debtor earning $15.00 per hour with $600 in weekly gross earnings and $465.50 in disposable earnings after mandatory deductions could have only about $15.50 garnished per week under this formula — illustrating how genuinely protective this exemption is toward lower-wage debtors. Once a garnishment begins, you as the creditor must send the debtor a statement of payments within 15 days after the end of each month. An employer cannot fire an employee because of wage garnishment for any one debt within a calendar year.
Step 2 — Bank Account or Other Property Garnishment
File Request for Writ of Garnishment Other than Wages (Form DC-CV-060), providing the name and address of the defendant’s financial institution. The bank (the garnishee) must reply within 30 days with a Confession of Assets, listing what it holds belonging to the debtor. There is no dollar limit on how much can be sought from a bank account, but significant exemptions apply: Maryland provides an automatic $500 exemption requiring no action by the debtor, and the debtor can additionally request an exemption of up to $6,000 for any reason — a notably broad, no-justification-required exemption — by filing Motion for Release of Property from Levy/Garnishment (Form DC-CV-036) within 30 days of the writ being served on the bank. If no exemption request is filed or granted, you as the creditor can then request Judgment Garnishment (Form DC-CV-062), directing the bank to release the funds to you up to the judgment amount.
Step 3 — Real Property Lien
Record the judgment to create a lien on any real property the defendant owns in the county where that property is located, generally valid for a substantial period and renewable through the court’s judgment renewal process for a modest fee.
Understand the Limitation on Locating Assets
Because small claims plaintiffs cannot use the standard Judgment Debtor Information Sheet, interrogatories, or oral examination process available in the regular civil docket, you are largely on your own to identify the defendant’s employer, bank, and property before initiating garnishment. Use whatever information you already have from the underlying transaction — a check, an employment reference from your original dealings with the defendant, or public property records — since Maryland’s Small Claims Track does not give you a formal court-compelled discovery process to fill in these gaps after judgment.
Satisfaction of Judgment
Once you receive full payment, you are required to file a Notice of Satisfaction. If you fail to do so, the debtor has the right to file their own Motion for Order Declaring Judgment Satisfied (Form DC-CV-051) and must serve you with a copy by certified mail, sheriff, or private process.
Appeals in Maryland Small Claims Court
| Detail | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who can appeal | Either party |
| Deadline | 30 days from judgment |
| Where it goes | Circuit Court |
| Type of review | De novo — completely new trial, formal rules of evidence apply |
| New evidence | May be presented if genuinely unavailable at the original trial |
| Bond | Typically required |
| Governing statute | Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-401 |
Because the appeal is a genuine trial de novo where the Circuit Court re-examines the case as if the small claims decision never happened, and because formal rules of evidence and procedure apply for the first time, this stage is considerably more demanding than the original informal hearing — the discovery restrictions and evidentiary relaxations that made the Small Claims Track accessible no longer apply at this level.
Maryland Statute of Limitations
| Claim Type | Period | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract (standard) | 3 years | Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 |
| Written contract “under seal” | 12 years | Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-102 |
| Oral contract | 3 years | § 5-101 |
| Property damage | 3 years | § 5-101 |
| Personal injury | 3 years | § 5-101 |
Frequently Asked Questions — Maryland Small Claims Court
What is the small claims limit in Maryland in 2026?
$5,000, exclusive of interest and costs, under § 4-405. The regular District Court civil docket reaches up to $30,000, with formal evidentiary rules applying there instead.
How much does it cost to file in Maryland?
Just $11 — the lowest filing fee in the United States. With the typical $40 service surcharge, total upfront cost runs around $51.
Can a small claims plaintiff force a defendant to disclose assets after winning?
No. Maryland specifically blocks small claims plaintiffs from using the standard Judgment Debtor Information Sheet, interrogatories, or oral examination process — these tools are reserved for the regular civil docket only.
Is discovery allowed in Maryland small claims court?
No — to qualify for the Small Claims Track, you must certify you are not planning to use discovery, such as written interrogatories.
What is the statute of limitations for small claims in Maryland?
3 years for nearly all claims under § 5-101, except contracts “under seal,” which get 12 years under § 5-102.
What is a contract under seal?
A contract that recites it is sealed, or includes an actual seal (often “SEAL” or “L.S.”) next to the signature. This technical requirement unlocks a 12-year limitations period instead of the standard 3 years.
Can either party appeal a Maryland small claims judgment?
Yes, within 30 days, to the Circuit Court, under § 12-401. This is a full de novo trial, and new evidence may be presented if it was genuinely unavailable at the original hearing.
How do I collect a judgment in Maryland?
Wage garnishment (capped at 25% of disposable income, protecting at least 30x minimum wage), bank account garnishment (subject to a $500 automatic exemption plus up to $6,000 more for any reason), or a real property lien. Post-judgment interest accrues at 10% per year.
How much money in a bank account is protected from garnishment?
$500 automatically, plus up to $6,000 more for any reason if the debtor requests it within 30 days of the writ being served, using Form DC-CV-036.
Does Maryland small claims court handle evictions?
No — the eviction action itself uses a separate summary ejectment process. Related monetary claims, like unpaid rent or security deposits, can still go through Small Claims.
Next Steps
- How to Write a Demand Letter
- How to Collect Money After Winning
- What Evidence to Bring to Small Claims Court
- How to Fill Out a Small Claims Complaint Form
- Browse All 50 State Guides
Sources
- Maryland Courts — Small Claims: mdcourts.gov
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405 (Small Claims Track jurisdiction — $5,000 limit)
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 (3-year general statute of limitations)
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-102 (12-year sealed contract SOL)
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 11-107 (10% post-judgment interest)
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 11-401 et seq. (Enforcement of judgments)
- Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-401 (Appeal to Circuit Court — 30 days, de novo)
- Md. Code, Com. Law § 15-601 et seq. (Wage garnishment)
- Md. Rule 3-121 (Service of process)
- Md. Rule 3-621 (Enforcement — writs of execution and garnishment)
- Maryland Rules Title 3, Chapter 700 (Small Claims procedure)
- District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109, Rev. 03/2026)
- Maryland Courts — Judgments & Debt Collection guidance: courts.state.md.us
- People’s Law Library of Maryland — Small Claims: peoples-law.org
- Maryland Courts — Wage Garnishment Brochure (DC-CV-065BR)
