Maryland Notice to Vacate Rules
Maryland rules on notice to vacate for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Landlord: written notice at least 60 days before expiration for month-to-month tenancies and leases for a stated term over 1 week; 90 days for year-to-year; 7 days for week-to-week with a written lease (21 days without one). Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)-(3)
The rules in Maryland
| Ending a month-to-month lease | Landlord: written notice at least 60 days before expiration for month-to-month tenancies and leases for a stated term over 1 week; 90 days for year-to-year; 7 days for week-to-week with a written lease (21 days without one). Tenant: at least 30 days' notice (90 days for year-to-year). Statute allows a tenant to give oral notice (provable by testimony); DHCD's Tenants' Bill of Rights advises written notice. The tenant-notice paragraph does not apply in Baltimore City, where per DHCD tenants need give only 30 days' notice to end any tenancy unless the lease requires more (Baltimore City Public Local Law § 9-16). If a small landlord (fewer than 5 units, outside Baltimore City and Montgomery County) has received a notice of intent to foreclose, shorter notice applies: 30 days (month-to-month/week-to-week) or 60 days (year-to-year) (§ 8-402(c)(4)). Farm tenancies differ (180 days). A landlord that has already given notice of termination is exempt from the separate rent-increase notice rule (§ 8-209). |
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Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- How much notice does a landlord have to give to end a lease or not renew?
- What are my rights without a written lease?
- Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
Maryland vs. neighboring states
| State | Ending a month-to-month lease |
|---|---|
| Maryland | Landlord: written notice at least 60 days before expiration for month-to-month tenancies and leases for a stated term over 1 week; 90 days for year-to-year; 7 days for week-to-week with a written lease (21 days without one). Tenant: at least 30 days' notice (90 days for year-to-year). Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)-(3) |
| Delaware | Either landlord or tenant: at least 60 days' written notice; the 60 days start on the first day of the month after notice is actually given. 25 Del. C. § 5106(d) |
| Pennsylvania | 15 days' notice before the end of the term (applies to leases of one year or less or indeterminate term, including month-to-month) for either party per the AG guide; the statute's 15-day notice-to-quit governs landlord termination. Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)); PA AG Consumer Guide |
| Virginia | Landlord or tenant: written notice at least 30 days before the next rent due date, unless the rental agreement provides a different period. Va. Code 55.1-1253(A) |
| West Virginia | Either party: written notice for one full rental period before the end of a period (i.e., one full month for month-to-month). Year-to-year: written notice at least 3 months before the end of the year. W. Va. Code § 37-6-5 |
| District of Columbia | Tenant: 30 days' written notice, expiring on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice. Landlord: cannot end a residential tenancy just because the lease or month ends; may evict only for one of the statutory causes in § 42-3505.01 (e.g., 90 days for owner use or sale, 120 days for renovation, 180 days for demolition or discontinuing housing use). D.C. Code §§ 42-3202(b), 42-3505.01 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Maryland rental law
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- All Maryland landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Maryland
Compare notice to vacate in all 50 states and DC →
Maryland Notice to Vacate Rules FAQ
How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Maryland?
Landlord: written notice at least 60 days before expiration for month-to-month tenancies and leases for a stated term over 1 week; 90 days for year-to-year; 7 days for week-to-week with a written lease (21 days without one). Tenant: at least 30 days' notice (90 days for year-to-year). (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c)(2)-(3))
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.