Debt Validation Letter in Maryland
Ask a debt collector to prove a debt. Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692g), if you dispute in writing within the validation period, the collector must stop collecting until it sends verification. Send it by certified mail and keep a copy.
What Maryland law says
| State debt collection law | Yes. The Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act applies to any 'collector' collecting a consumer debt, including original creditors. It bars threats of violence or criminal prosecution, contacting an employer before final judgment, harassment, claiming rights that do not exist, unlicensed collection, and any conduct that violates sections 804-812 of the federal FDCPA. § 14-201 definitions: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcl§ion=14-201&enactments=false |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on a written contract | 3 years for a civil action on a contract, written or oral. 12 years for a contract under seal (a 'specialty'), but the 12-year period does not apply to hospital debt owed by a consumer. § 5-102: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj§ion=5-102&enactments=false |
| Can a payment restart the clock? | For consumer debt, once the limitations period has run out, a payment, a written or oral acknowledgment, or any other activity on the debt does not revive or extend it, and a creditor or collector may not sue on the time-barred debt. A separate written payment agreement made before the period expired can carry its own limitations period. For sealed instruments (specialties), a payment of principal or interest suspends the 12-year period for 3 years (§ 5-102(b)). |
Fill it in
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.
[today's date]
To: [collection agency name], [collector address]
Re: Account number [account or reference number]
I am writing in response to your [letter or call] dated [date of contact]. I dispute this debt and request validation under 15 U.S.C. § 1692g.
Please send me the name of the original creditor, the amount you claim and how it was calculated, and documents showing that you own or are authorized to collect this debt.
Until you provide this verification, please stop collection activity on this account, and contact me only in writing at the address below.
[your name], [your mailing address]
Debt Validation Letter for other states · Maryland tenant rights
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.