How to Serve Garnishment Papers in Maryland District Court

Why Service Matters for Garnishments

Filing a Request for Writ of Garnishment with the District Court clerk is only half the job. The writ does nothing until it is properly served on the garnishee — the employer (for wage garnishment) or the bank (for property garnishment). If service is defective, the garnishee has no legal obligation to freeze funds or withhold wages, and the court cannot enforce the writ.

Maryland Rules 3-645 (property other than wages) and 3-646 (wages) both require that the garnishee receive formal service before any withholding or freezing obligation kicks in. Getting this step wrong is one of the most common reasons garnishments stall.

Three Acceptable Service Methods

Maryland allows three methods for serving garnishment writs on third-party garnishees:

1. Certified Mail, Restricted Delivery

This is the most common method for self-represented creditors because it does not require hiring anyone. After the clerk issues the Writ of Garnishment, you mail it to the garnishee (employer's HR/payroll department or the bank's registered agent) via USPS certified mail with restricted delivery.

Restricted delivery means only the named addressee — or an authorized agent of a business entity — can sign for the letter. This is stricter than regular certified mail, where anyone at the address can sign. The distinction matters: if a random employee signs for a regular certified letter, the garnishee can argue it never reached the right person.

Practical steps:

• Take the issued writ to any post office.
• Request certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt (green card).
• Address it to the garnishee's registered agent or, for employers, the payroll/HR department by name and title.
• Keep the return receipt (PS Form 3811) when it comes back signed — this is your proof of service. File it with the court.

Cost: USPS lists certified mail with restricted delivery at $14.35, plus $4.65 for a paper return receipt and postage (rates effective October 4, 2026).

2. County Sheriff

You can request that the county Sheriff serve the writ. This is the most formally reliable method — Sheriff's service is rarely challenged — but it is slower and more expensive.

The creditor pays a $40 service fee per garnishee when filing the writ request. The Sheriff's office sends a deputy to deliver the writ in person to the garnishee's business location. After service, the Sheriff files a return of service with the court.

This method makes sense when serving a local employer or bank branch where the Sheriff can reach the location efficiently. For garnishees in other Maryland counties, you may need to arrange service through that county's Sheriff.

3. Private Process Server

Maryland permits private process servers to serve garnishment writs. The server personally delivers the writ to the garnishee and files an affidavit of service with the court.

Costs vary — reported prices for private process service or asset lookup range from $75–$300 — but private servers are often faster than the Sheriff's office, especially in busy urban jurisdictions like Baltimore City or Prince George's County where Sheriff backlogs can delay service by weeks.

When Service Is Complete

Service is complete when the garnishee actually receives the writ through one of the three methods above. For certified mail, the date on the signed return receipt is the service date. For Sheriff or private process server, it is the date recorded on the return of service or affidavit.

This date matters because it starts two clocks:

• Garnishee answer deadline: The employer or bank has 30 days from service to file an Answer with the court. For wage garnishments, the employer completes the Answer section included on Form DC-CV-065; for bank garnishments, the bank files a Confession of Assets on Form DC-CV-061.
• Withholding obligation: For wage garnishments under Rule 3-646, the employer must begin withholding from the first pay period after service. For bank garnishments under Rule 3-645, the bank must freeze the debtor's accounts immediately upon service.

What Goes Wrong (and How to Fix It)

Returned mail: If the certified letter comes back "unclaimed" or "refused," service failed. You will need to use Sheriff service or a private process server instead. Before re-serving, verify the garnishee's current address — for banks, check the institution's registered agent through the Maryland SDAT (State Department of Assessments and Taxation) business entity search.

Wrong person signed: If regular certified mail (not restricted delivery) was used and someone other than an authorized person signed, the garnishee may challenge service. Always use restricted delivery to avoid this issue.

Garnishee ignores the writ: If the garnishee does not file an Answer within 30 days after proper service, the creditor can file a motion asking the court to enter a default judgment against the garnishee for the full amount owed, or seek a contempt order.

Serving the Debtor

In addition to serving the garnishee, the debtor must also receive notice of the garnishment. The court clerk mails a copy of the Writ and an exemption notice to the debtor's last known address. This notice informs the debtor of their right to claim statutory exemptions — including the automatic $500 bank account protection under CJP § 11-504(i) and the broader $6,000 elective exemption.

The creditor does not need to arrange the debtor's notice separately — the clerk handles it. But if you know the debtor's address has changed, inform the clerk to avoid the notice being returned undeliverable.

Filing the Restricted Information Notice

Any garnishment filing that includes restricted information — such as bank account numbers or Social Security numbers — must be accompanied by Form MDJ-008 (Notice Regarding Restricted Information Pursuant to Rule 20-201.1). If a document open to public inspection must include restricted information, file both an unredacted copy marked "unredacted--to be shielded" and a redacted copy marked "redacted." Follow the court's current instructions for submitting these documents.

Getting Service Right the First Time

The Maryland judgment collection guide includes a service method checklist for each enforcement tool — garnishment, execution, and oral examination orders — with the correct forms, fee amounts, and proof-of-service requirements. Getting service right on the first attempt avoids weeks of delay and the cost of re-filing.

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