Eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City), Maryland

Where eviction cases are filed in Howard County (Ellicott City), what it costs, local rent levels and where to get help — with the official court, county and HUD sources.

Quick facts: eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City)

Eviction court: District Court of Maryland for Howard County (District 10) — District Court of Maryland (state trial court of limited jurisdiction; hears all landlord-tenant cases) Court page
Filing fee: Failure to Pay Rent (summary ejectment): $50 filing + $5 service for each tenant of record. Tenant Holding Over, Breach of Lease, or Wrongful Entry & Detainer: $56 filing. Warrant of Restitution: sheriff fee $40 per case (the schedule shows no filing-fee amount for counties outside Baltimore City). District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule, DCA-109 (Rev. 03/2026), listed on mdcourts.gov/courts/feeschedules as effective March 1, 2026
Notice before filing (state law): Before filing a failure-to-pay-rent case, the landlord must give the tenant written notice of intent to file (Maryland Judiciary form DC-CV-115) giving the tenant 10 days to pay. Notice may be sent by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door, or (if the tenant elected it) by email, text, or tenant portal with proof of transmission. The complaint must state the date notice was given. Maryland rules
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-bedroom (FY2026): $1,857/month HUD
Renter households: 34,532 (28% of households) Census ACS 2020–2024

Last verified against official sources: 2026-10-23

Where eviction cases are filed in Howard County (Ellicott City)

Eviction cases in Howard County (Ellicott City) are heard by the District Court of Maryland for Howard County (District 10) (District Court of Maryland (state trial court of limited jurisdiction; hears all landlord-tenant cases)).

District Court - Ellicott City — 3451 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043-4377 (410-480-7700) · website

Court eviction page · Search court records · Self-help center

Evictions are carried out by the Howard County Sheriff's Office Landlord/Tenant Unit (410-313-4222, Monday-Friday 8 am-4 pm); an eviction is legal only with a deputy present. The court posts a weekly docket.

How much it costs to file an eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City)

Failure to Pay Rent (summary ejectment): $50 filing + $5 service for each tenant of record. Tenant Holding Over, Breach of Lease, or Wrongful Entry & Detainer: $56 filing. Warrant of Restitution: sheriff fee $40 per case (the schedule shows no filing-fee amount for counties outside Baltimore City).

Filing fees include state surcharges (e.g., rental-assistance and records-improvement surcharges). Advance payment of costs is not required when the filer is represented by Maryland Legal Aid, JUDICARE, or a recognized pro bono/legal services program (per the schedule). Ask the clerk about waiver of prepaid costs if you cannot afford them.

Source: District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule, DCA-109 (Rev. 03/2026), listed on mdcourts.gov/courts/feeschedules as effective March 1, 2026

How eviction cases work locally

Eviction stays in extreme weather	District 10 Administrative Order 2025-1 directs the Sheriff to stay scheduled evictions when the temperature or next-day forecast is 32 degrees F or lower, or during a winter storm, blizzard, hurricane, tropical storm or excessive heat warning. Source: Official source
Eviction day and belongings	The landlord must supply movers; belongings are placed at the curb of the nearest public road. Under Howard County Code, property left in a County right-of-way for more than 48 hours is removed by the Department of Public Works and the rental owner is billed. Source: Official source

The Maryland eviction process

Maryland state law sets the notice periods and court steps everywhere in the state, including Howard County (Ellicott City):

Notice: for unpaid rent, written 10-day notice of intent to file (form DC-CV-115) (§ 8-401(c)); for breach of lease, 30 days' written notice (14 days for clear and imminent danger) (§ 8-402.1); for holdover, written notice to quit per § 8-402(c) (60 days for month-to-month).
Landlord files a sworn complaint in District Court (failure to pay rent: form DC-CV-082) stating rent and late fees due (§ 8-401(b)).
Summons issued; sheriff/constable mails notice and serves or posts it. In failure-to-pay-rent cases the trial is set for the fifth day after filing (§ 8-401(b)(4)). A money judgment against a residential tenant requires personal service.
Trial: court may adjourn up to 1 day (longer only by consent). Tenant may pay all rent, late fees, and costs at trial to end the case (§ 8-401(e)).
Judgment for possession: in rent cases, possession must be surrendered within 4 days after trial (extendable by physician's certificate up to 15 days); if not within 7 days, landlord may petition for a warrant of restitution (form DC-CV-081) (§ 8-401(e)-(f)). The Judiciary's housing page describes the wait as 7 business days.
Landlord must order the warrant within 60 days of judgment (or end of any stay) or the judgment is stricken; warrant expires if not acted on within 60 days (§ 8-401(f)).
Landlord must give the tenant written notice at least 6 days before the scheduled eviction (local jurisdictions may set 4 to 14 days) (§ 8-407(b), (e)).

Full Maryland eviction rules with sources →

Rent in Howard County (Ellicott City)

HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA (the rent levels used for Section 8 vouchers):

Studio	$1,362
1 bedroom	$1,511
2 bedrooms	$1,857
3 bedrooms	$2,358
4 bedrooms	$2,611

Source: HUD Fair Market Rent documentation

Median gross rent in Howard County (Ellicott City): $2,099/month (Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

Howard County Landlord-Tenant Relations Act (Howard County Code Title 17, Subtitle 10)

Applies: Countywide (Howard County)

County landlord-tenant law and complaints: Enacted in 2018 to supplement state law (Md. Real Property Article Title 8). The Office of Consumer Protection administers county rules on lease provisions, security deposits and evictions, mediates disputes, and enforces the law. Landlords must offer prospective tenants the Office's Landlord Tenant Assistance publication.
14-day notice of scheduled eviction: After the court issues a warrant of restitution, the landlord must give the tenant written notice of the scheduled eviction date at least 14 days before it (previously 6 days): by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, by posting on the front door (with a date-stamped photo), and by email or text if the landlord has that contact information. The notice must point to the county's eviction-resources web page. Failure to give proper notice is a Class A civil violation. Effective May 6, 2026.

Eviction help in Howard County (Ellicott City)

Free legal help

Maryland Access to Counsel in Evictions (ACE) — Eligible tenants; call 2-1-1 and say you need legal help with an eviction case, or use the online intake.
Maryland Legal Aid — Free civil legal services for eligible low-income Marylanders; intake 888-465-2468.
Howard County Office of Consumer Protection — Not a legal aid provider: investigates and mediates tenant-landlord complaints under county law (410-313-6420).

Right to counsel: Maryland Access to Counsel in Evictions (ACE), a statewide program: tenants living in Maryland with household income at or below 50% of Maryland's median income may get a free lawyer in failure-to-pay-rent, breach-of-lease and tenant-holding-over cases (and voucher/subsidy terminations). Call 211 or apply via the ACE website. Source

Rental assistance

Community Action Council of Howard County — Eviction, first month's rent and one month's rent assistance (per the county Housing page)

Other Maryland counties

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file an eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City)?

Eviction cases in Howard County (Ellicott City) are filed with the District Court of Maryland for Howard County (District 10).

How much does it cost to file an eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City)?

Where can I get help with an eviction in Howard County (Ellicott City)?

Maryland Access to Counsel in Evictions (ACE); Maryland Legal Aid; Howard County Office of Consumer Protection; Community Action Council of Howard County.

What is the fair market rent in Howard County (Ellicott City)?

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is $1,857 per month (1-bedroom: $1,511).

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.