How Long Is a Judgment Good for in Maryland?

A Maryland money judgment — including small claims judgments from the District Court — is enforceable for 12 years from the date it was entered on the docket. That's under CJP § 5-102 and Maryland Rule 3-625.

The 12-year clock starts on the date of entry, not the date of the hearing or the date you received notice. If you're unsure of the exact entry date, check Maryland Judiciary Case Search or request the docket record from the clerk.

Renewing Before Expiration

You can extend the judgment for another 12 years by filing Form DC-CV-023 (Request to Renew Judgment) before the original 12-year period expires. The fee is $10 per defendant. If the judgment is also recorded as a real property lien in the Circuit Court, renewal costs an additional $15 for the Circuit Court.

Once you file, the clerk sends notice to the debtor and the judgment's enforceability extends for a fresh 12-year period.

The key word is "before." If the 12 years expire without a renewal filing, the judgment is permanently dead. Maryland does not allow you to revive or reinstate an expired judgment. There's no motion, no court order and no exception that brings it back.

What Renewal Means for Active Garnishments

If you have an active wage or bank garnishment running when the judgment approaches its 12-year mark, the garnishment doesn't automatically extend. You need to renew the judgment itself — the garnishment writs derive their authority from the underlying judgment. Once the judgment expires, the garnishment terminates.

Filing renewal early — months before expiration — avoids any gap in enforcement. There's no penalty for renewing well ahead of the deadline.

Interest During the 12-Year Window

Post-judgment interest at 10% per year under CJP § 11-107 accrues throughout the entire 12-year period, including during any time you aren't actively enforcing. On a $5,000 judgment, 12 years of simple interest adds $6,000 — the interest alone exceeds the original judgment amount.

When you renew, interest continues to accrue on the remaining balance. The renewal doesn't reset or forgive accrued interest.

When 12 Years Works in Your Favor

Many small claims debtors are judgment-proof when the judgment is entered — they have no garnishable wages, minimal bank balances and no real property. The 12-year window (or 24 years with renewal) gives you time to wait for their situation to change:

• The debtor gets a steady job with garnishable wages
• The debtor accumulates bank deposits above the $500 automatic exemption
• The debtor buys real property you can lien
• The debtor starts a business with assets you can execute against

During the 12-year period, public records searches can help you track real property, business records, or other cases. They do not reveal the debtor's bank accounts or employment.

Outside Baltimore City, recording a judgment lien against the debtor's real property (Form DC-CV-035, $10 plus $15 recording fee) is often worth doing early, even if you aren't planning an immediate forced sale. Baltimore City records the lien without a separate request. A lien may affect a later sale or loan.

For the full renewal procedure, interest calculations and long-term collection strategy, see our Maryland Small Claims Judgment Collection Guide.

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