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Maryland court records

Who holds it: Unified state Judiciary: Supreme Court of Maryland and Appellate Court of Maryland (Annapolis); Circuit Courts in each of the 23 counties and Baltimore City (8 judicial circuits; jury trials, serious criminal, major civil, divorce/family); District Court of Maryland (34 locations in 12 districts; landlord-tenant, traffic, misdemeanors, exclusive jurisdiction in civil claims of $5,000 or less; concurrent with the circuit courts above $5,000 but less than $30,000).1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. What is public and what is sealed
  2. Related records in Maryland
  3. How Maryland handles it
  4. Court records in Maryland counties with a full guide
  5. Official warnings
  6. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  7. Sources

Fees

Circuit Court: copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court: photocopies $0.50/page; certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee.2

Statewide case search

Maryland Judiciary Case Search (casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch) - District and Circuit Court cases; summary of the case file only, not for background checks3

What is public and what is sealed

What is public
Court records are generally open; view paper files at the clerk's office of the courthouse where the case was heard. Case Search no longer shows criminal charges ending in nolle prosequi, dismissal or acquittal, stets after 3 years, and certain cannabis possession charges (still viewable at the courthouse).4
Sealed and confidential records
Expunged, shielded or sealed records are not public; also closed without court order: guardianship terminating parental rights, CINA cases, certain marriage license information, emergency mental-health evaluations, support financial statements, and others. Failure to Pay Rent cases without a judgment for possession are auto-shielded within 60 days.4
Criminal history checks: state repository
DPSCS Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) – Central Repository, fingerprint-based4
Criminal history checks: fee
State-only check $18 mail-in / $38 in person (in-person includes a $20 CJIS service fee); full state + FBI check (authorized agencies only) $33 mail-in / $53 in person; private fingerprinting providers may charge their own fees. The FBI portion rose from $12 to $15 on October 1, 2026.5
Criminal history checks: who may order
An individual may obtain their own record (fingerprints required); employment/licensing checks must be requested by the employer or licensing agency with a CJIS authorization number6
Probate: who holds it
Register of Wills (elected, 4-year term) in each county and Baltimore City; clerk to the Orphans' Court7

How Maryland handles it

  • Baltimore City is a county-equivalent with its own Circuit Court/Clerk (land records, marriage), Register of Wills, SDAT office and Board of Elections; Baltimore City and Baltimore County are separate jurisdictions8
  • Probate is handled by the elected Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court, separate from the Circuit Court; in Harford and Montgomery counties Circuit Court judges sit as the Orphans' Court1
  • Court records are under Maryland Rules 16-901 to 16-941, not the PIA9

Court records in Maryland counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Anne Arundel County—Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County10
District Court of Maryland, Anne Arundel County11		Clerk land-record copies $.50 per page12
Baltimore City—Circuit Court for Baltimore City13
Orphans' Court for Baltimore City14		Copies 50 cents per page; certification $5 each plus 50 cents per page; exemplification/triple seal $10 (statewide clerk schedule)15
Baltimore County—Circuit Court for Baltimore County16
Orphans' Court for Baltimore County17		Copies 50 cents per page; certification $5 each plus 50 cents per page; exemplification $1018
Calvert County—Circuit Court for Calvert County19
District Court in Calvert County19
Orphans' Court20		Circuit Court: copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court: photocopies $0.50/page; certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee.21
Carroll County—Circuit Court for Carroll County22
District Court of Maryland - Carroll County22		Circuit Court: copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court: photocopies $0.50/page; certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee.23
Cecil County—Circuit Court for Cecil County24Circuit Court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee25
Charles County—Circuit Court for Charles County26
Orphans' Court for Charles County27		Circuit Court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee28
Frederick County—Circuit Court for Frederick County29
District Court of Maryland29
Orphans' Court for Frederick County30		Circuit Court: copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court: photocopies $0.50/page; certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee.31
Harford County—Circuit Court for Harford County32
District Court of Maryland32		Copies $0.50/page; certification $5.00 plus $0.50/page; exemplification $10.00 plus $0.50/page; civil action filing $165 (self-represented) or $185 (with attorney)33
Howard County—Circuit Court for Howard County34
District Court of Maryland34		Circuit court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page (statewide)35
Montgomery County—Circuit Court for Montgomery County36
Orphans' Court37		Copies 50 cents per page; certified copies 50 cents per page plus $5 certification; triple seals $10 plus 50 cents per page; no fee for US Postal Service postage36
Prince George's County—Circuit Court for Prince George's County38
District Court of Maryland, Prince George's County38		Copies $0.50 per page; certified copies $5 plus copy fee; exemplification/triple seal $10 plus copy fee39
St. Mary's County—Circuit Court for St. Mary's County40
District Court of Maryland, St. Mary's County40
Orphans' Court for St. Mary's County41		Fees: copies: Circuit Court clerk: certification $5 each + 50¢ per page42
Washington County—Circuit Court for Washington County43
District Court of Maryland, Washington County43		Circuit Court: copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court: photocopies $0.50/page; certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee.44
Wicomico County—Circuit Court for Wicomico County45Circuit Court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee46

For any other county, see the county list on the Maryland guide.

Official warnings

  • Maryland Judiciary: phone and text messages saying you must report to District Court or owe money are scams47

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Maryland office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: court records in every state. Everything else in Maryland: Maryland public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Directory of CourtsMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  2. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  3. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  4. Access to Court Records (Court Help)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  5. Fingerprinting Services (fees)Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS)archived copychecked November 4, 2026
  6. Background Check ServicesMaryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS)archived copychecked November 4, 2026
  7. Maryland Register of Wills homeMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  9. District Court - Access to Judicial RecordsMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  10. Clerk of the CourtCircuit Court for Anne Arundel Countychecked November 4, 2026
  11. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  12. Criminal DepartmentCircuit Court for Anne Arundel Countychecked November 4, 2026
  13. Circuit Court for Baltimore Citychecked November 4, 2026
  14. Estate Search FAQMaryland Register of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  15. Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit CourtMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  16. Court RecordsMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  17. Estate Search FAQMaryland Register of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  18. Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit CourtMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  19. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  20. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 7, 2026
  21. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  22. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  23. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  24. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  25. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  26. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  27. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 7, 2026
  28. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  29. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  30. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  31. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  32. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  33. Civil FeesClerk of the Circuit Court for Harford County (Maryland Judiciary)archived copychecked November 4, 2026
  34. Court RecordsMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  35. Circuit Court fee summary scheduleMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  36. Viewing Cases and Making Copies - Circuit CourtCircuit Court for Montgomery Countychecked November 4, 2026
  37. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  38. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  39. Civil FeesCircuit Court for Prince George's County (Clerk of the Circuit Court)checked November 4, 2026
  40. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  41. Register of Wills for St. Mary's CountyMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  42. Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit CourtMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  43. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 6, 2026
  44. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 6, 2026
  45. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  46. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026
  47. District Court of MarylandMaryland Judiciarychecked November 4, 2026