Maryland Unpaid Contractor Judgment Collection — Enforcing a Judgment for Work You Completed

You finished the job, sent the invoice, and never got paid. You filed in Maryland District Court, went to the hearing, and won. The judge entered judgment in your favor. Now the homeowner or general contractor who owed you is ignoring the judgment.

Unpaid contractor disputes are among the most common small claims cases in Maryland. The good news is that the people who hire contractors — homeowners and businesses — usually have attachable assets.

Collecting From a Homeowner

A homeowner who won't pay a contractor judgment usually owns real property in Maryland. That makes a judgment lien your most powerful tool.

Record a judgment lien immediately. File Form DC-CV-035 to transmit the judgment to the Circuit Court Land Records in the county where the homeowner's property sits. Cost: $15 filing fee for the Notice of Lien; the Circuit Court records it. The lien may affect the homeowner's ability to sell or refinance.

For a homeowner who's staying put, a lien creates slow pressure. For a homeowner planning to sell or refinance in the next few years, the lien is a deal-closer — title companies flag judgment liens, and most buyers won't close until they're resolved.

Bank garnishment (Form DC-CV-060) targets the homeowner's bank account. If you don't know their bank, note that Maryland courts cannot compel an individual to answer interrogatories or appear for an examination to enforce a small-claims judgment (CJP § 11-704). Homeowners often have checking accounts with predictable deposits — salary, Social Security, pension. The $500 automatic bank exemption applies, plus the spousal-account protection for a qualifying joint account established before judgment.

Wage garnishment (Form DC-CV-065) works when the homeowner is employed. Maryland allows garnishment of the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount exceeding $450/week (30 times the $15/hour minimum wage).

Collecting From a General Contractor or Business

If your judgment is against a business entity (LLC, corporation, sole proprietorship using a trade name), collection targets shift.

Bank garnishment is often the fastest route against a business. Businesses maintain operating accounts with regular cash flow. If you did business with the contractor, check your records — payment checks, direct deposit details, or wire transfer information can reveal their bank.

Wage garnishment doesn't work against business owners directly — LLC members and corporate officers don't receive "wages" in the legal sense if they take owner's draws. However, if the individual behind the business is also a W-2 employee (common in construction, where a contractor might also work for a larger firm), wage garnishment on that employment income is fair game.

Oral examination (Form DC-CV-032, available 31 days after judgment) can compel a debtor to appear under oath and disclose bank accounts, employers, real estate, and vehicles. Maryland courts cannot compel an individual to appear for an examination to enforce a small-claims judgment (CJP § 11-704); this procedure remains available for business entities and judgments outside the small-claims limit. For businesses that operate through multiple entities, this is often the only way to map the financial picture.

Interest Adds Up on Construction Judgments

Post-judgment interest generally accrues at 10% per annum under CJP § 11-107. On a $4,500 contractor judgment (near the small claims maximum), that's $450 per year — $37.50 per month — added to the balance. The longer the debtor waits, the more they owe.

For payments credited under CL § 15-605(c), partial payments are allocated first to accrued interest, then to principal, then to costs. Make sure you track the correct allocation: a debtor who sends $200 six months after judgment isn't reducing the principal by $200.

Know the Limits

Maryland's small claims jurisdiction caps at $5,000 (exclusive of interest and court costs). If the unpaid amount exceeds $5,000, the case would have been filed on the regular District Court civil docket (up to $30,000) or in Circuit Court, and the enforcement tools are the same.

If the contractor has no attachable assets, no employer, and no real property — a so-called "judgment-proof" debtor — you can still record the judgment as a lien and wait. Circumstances change. Maryland judgments last 12 years and can be renewed for another 12.

Our Maryland judgment collection guide walks through every enforcement option step by step, with the exact forms, fees, and deadlines you need to collect on your contractor judgment.

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