Maryland Notice of Satisfaction: How to File After Judgment Is Paid

What a Notice of Satisfaction Does

Once a judgment debtor pays the full balance — principal, accrued post-judgment interest (generally 10% per annum under CJP § 11-107, unless the underlying contract sets a different lawful rate or a statutory exception applies, including 6% rates specified for certain rent, tax, or medical-debt judgments), and reimbursable court costs — the judgment creditor has a legal obligation to tell the court the debt is settled. That filing is the Notice of Satisfaction, submitted on Form DC-CV-031 in Maryland District Court.

Without it, the judgment stays on the court's docket as an active, unsatisfied debt. That can create real problems for the debtor — and expose a creditor who delays to a motion under Rule 3-626, with possible court costs and attorney's fees.

The 15-Day Filing Deadline

Maryland law requires the judgment creditor to file the Notice of Satisfaction within 15 days of receiving full payment. This is not a suggestion or a best practice. It is a statutory requirement, and the clock starts the moment the last dollar clears.

Here is what the timeline looks like in practice:

1. The debtor makes the final payment (lump sum, final garnishment remittance, or last installment under a payment plan).
2. The creditor confirms the funds have cleared — no bounced checks, no reversed ACH transfers.
3. Within 15 calendar days of confirmed receipt, the creditor files Form DC-CV-031 with the District Court clerk that entered the original judgment.
4. The creditor mails a copy of the filed Notice to the debtor and any active garnishees (employers, banks).

The form itself is straightforward. You fill in the case number, the names of the parties, the date satisfaction was received, and the amount. The clerk stamps and enters it on the docket.

What Counts as Full Satisfaction

Full satisfaction means the debtor has paid every dollar the creditor is legally entitled to collect:

• Principal judgment amount — the figure the judge awarded at trial.
• Post-judgment interest — generally accruing at 10% per year from the date of judgment entry under CJP § 11-107, unless the underlying contract sets a different lawful rate or a statutory exception applies, including 6% rates specified for certain rent, tax, or medical-debt judgments; interest is calculated on the declining principal balance as partial payments are credited.
• Recoverable court costs — filing fees, service fees, and Sheriff's costs the creditor advanced during enforcement (garnishment filing fees of $10 each, service fees of $40 per garnishee, writ of execution fees, and similar charges).

Voluntary concessions do not change the rule. If the creditor agrees to accept a reduced amount in settlement, satisfaction is measured against the agreed settlement figure, not the original judgment. File the Notice within 15 days of receiving the settlement payment.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

A creditor who fails to file within 15 days faces two practical risks.

First, the debtor can file a motion asking the court to enter satisfaction and award court costs and reasonable attorney's fees against the creditor. A judge who sees a creditor sitting on a fully paid judgment for weeks or months will not be sympathetic.

Second, an unsatisfied judgment can create practical problems when the debtor applies for a mortgage, auto loan, or apartment lease. Under Rule 3-626, the court may award costs and attorney's fees if it grants a motion to enter satisfaction.

The fix is simple — file the form on time.

Partial Payments and the Satisfaction Threshold

Partial payments do not trigger the Notice requirement. If a debtor sends $500 toward a $3,200 judgment, the creditor applies it first to reimbursable court costs accrued to date, then to accrued interest, and then to principal. No satisfaction filing is needed until the balance reaches zero.

If you are tracking payments through a wage garnishment under Rule 3-646, you are already sending monthly reports (Form DC-CV-066) to the debtor and employer itemizing credits. When the final remittance brings the balance to zero, send the last monthly report and then file the Notice of Satisfaction within 15 days.

How to File: Step by Step

1. Download Form DC-CV-031 from the Maryland Judiciary website or pick it up at the District Court clerk's office.
2. Complete the form — case number, party names, date of full satisfaction, total amount received.
3. File at the clerk's window or through MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts), which is available to self-represented litigants. There is no filing fee for the Notice of Satisfaction.
4. Mail a copy to the judgment debtor at their last known address and to any active garnishees. Use regular first-class mail — restricted delivery or certified mail is not required for this notice, though keeping a certificate of mailing as proof is prudent.
5. Keep your records. Retain a stamped copy of the filed Notice, your payment ledger showing all credits, and the mailing proof. If the debtor later disputes satisfaction, these records resolve it immediately.

When the Debtor Paid Through Garnishment

Garnishment payments often arrive in irregular amounts across months. The creditor's monthly reporting obligation under Rule 3-646 applies to wage garnishments and tracks the running balance. When a final garnishment remittance satisfies the judgment:

• File the Notice of Satisfaction (DC-CV-031) within 15 days.
• Notify the employer or bank that the garnishment is satisfied and no further withholding is required.
• The clerk updates the docket and releases active wage and bank garnishments when the judgment is marked satisfied; confirm with the garnishee that withholding has stopped.

Do not assume an employer or bank has received the notice; confirm that the garnishee has stopped withholding or freezing funds.

Protecting Yourself as a Judgment Creditor

The complete Maryland judgment collection guide includes a payment tracking ledger that automates interest calculations and flags when the balance reaches zero — so you never miss the 15-day satisfaction window. It also covers every enforcement step from the initial 10-day stay through garnishment, execution, and lien recording, with the exact forms, fees, and deadlines for each.

See more Maryland guides →