Dealing With Debt Collectors in Maryland (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Maryland · Last updated August 13, 2026
This page covers dealing with debt collectors in Maryland, layered on top of your federal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. 1692). Maryland sets a general three-year statute of limitations on most debt actions under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101, with a twelve-year period reserved for specialties such as instruments under seal. The Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (Md. Code, Commercial Law 14-201 et seq.) bars abusive collection conduct and, unlike the federal FDCPA, reaches original creditors as well as third-party collectors. Maryland also licenses collection agencies through the State Collection Agency Licensing Board in the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, and caps wage garnishment to protect part of your paycheck. The Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division handles collector complaints.
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Maryland?
Maryland applies a general three-year limitations period to most debt actions, including credit card and open-account debt and ordinary written and oral contracts, under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101. A twelve-year period applies to specialties, such as contracts under seal, under 5-102. Confirm which rule fits your debt before you act.
Can my wages be garnished for consumer debt in Maryland?
Yes, after a creditor gets a judgment. Under Md. Code, Commercial Law 15-601.1, garnishment is capped at the lesser of 25 percent of disposable earnings or the amount over $145 per week for most of Maryland. In Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties, the more protective federal 30-times-minimum-wage floor applies.
How do I stop a debt collector from contacting me in Maryland?
Send a written cease-communication letter. Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) the collector must stop contacting you once it receives your letter, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may sue. Maryland's Consumer Debt Collection Act (Com. Law 14-202) also bars harassing contact by collectors and original creditors alike.
What can a debt collector not do in Maryland?
Under the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (Com. Law 14-202), a collector cannot use threats or force, contact your employer improperly, harass you by frequent or abusive communication, or falsely claim you committed a crime. These duties apply to original creditors too, on top of the federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e).
Maryland's collection statute, licensing, and garnishment posture
Maryland gives consumers more protection than the FDCPA alone. The Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (Md. Code, Commercial Law 14-201 et seq.) prohibits collectors from using threats or force, disclosing false credit information, harassing you with abusive or frequent contact, or claiming a legal right they know does not exist, and it applies to original creditors collecting their own debts, not just third-party collectors. Collection agencies operating in Maryland must be licensed through the State Collection Agency Licensing Board within the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation (Md. Code, Business Regulation 7-101 et seq.), which sits in the Maryland Department of Labor; you can check licensing there before dealing with an agency. On garnishment, Md. Code, Commercial Law 15-601.1 caps what a judgment creditor can take from wages, with a more protective floor in Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties. Complaints about collector conduct go to the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
Relevant Laws
Maryland Statute of Limitations, Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101 and 5-102
Section 5-101 sets the general three-year limitations period for civil actions, including most contract and consumer-debt claims. Section 5-102 reserves a twelve-year period for specialties, such as promissory notes and contracts under seal. The applicable period depends on the type of debt and instrument.
Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act, Md. Code, Com. Law 14-201 et seq.
Maryland's own collection statute. It prohibits threats or force, harassing or abusive contact, false credit reporting, and asserting rights a collector knows do not exist. Unlike the federal FDCPA, it applies to original creditors collecting their own consumer debts, not only third-party collectors.
Maryland Wage Garnishment, Md. Code, Com. Law 15-601.1
Caps wage garnishment at the lesser of 25 percent of disposable earnings or the amount over $145 per week for most of Maryland. In Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties, the more protective federal 30-times-minimum-wage standard applies to protect a larger share of wages.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. 1692-1692p
The core federal statute governing third-party debt collectors. It bars harassment (1692d), false or misleading representations (1692e), and unfair practices (1692f), restricts contact (1692c), and creates the 30-day debt validation right (1692g). Maryland law layers additional protections on top of it.
Regional Variances
Maryland statute of limitations by debt type
Written contract (not under seal)
Three years from the breach or default under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101, the general civil limitations period. An ordinary written contract that is not a sealed instrument falls under this three-year default rather than the twelve-year specialty period.
Oral contract
Three years under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101. Maryland does not set a separate, shorter period for oral agreements; they fall under the same general three-year limitation as most other civil actions.
Open account / credit card
Generally three years under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101, treated as an open account or ordinary written contract. The clock typically runs from the date of default or last activity; a new payment or written acknowledgment can restart it.
Promissory note / specialty (under seal)
Twelve years for a specialty, such as an instrument under seal or certain bonds, under Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-102. Whether a note qualifies as a specialty depends on its form; an ordinary unsealed note is subject to the three-year rule instead.: confirm treatment of a specific promissory note form under 5-102 for your facts.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Read the collector's validation notice and diary the 30-day deadline
Within 5 days of first contact days after startingConfirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice (12 CFR 1006.34) identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date you received it and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g.
Confirm the Maryland statute of limitations for your debt
Before making any payment or promise days after startingCheck whether your debt falls under the general three-year period (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101) or the twelve-year specialty period (5-102). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so verify dates before you settle or pay.
Send a written debt validation letter
Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice days after startingIf you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt.
Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop
As soon as you decide to stop contact days after startingUnder 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received. Maryland's Consumer Debt Collection Act (Com. Law 14-202) also bars harassing contact by collectors and original creditors. Keep proof of mailing.
File a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General and CFPB
Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation days after startingSubmit a complaint to the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at marylandattorneygeneral.gov or (410) 576-6300, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly about state and federal damages.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read the collector's validation notice and diary the 30-day deadline | Confirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice (12 CFR 1006.34) identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date you received it and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g. | - | Within 5 days of first contact |
| Confirm the Maryland statute of limitations for your debt | Check whether your debt falls under the general three-year period (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101) or the twelve-year specialty period (5-102). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so verify dates before you settle or pay. | - | Before making any payment or promise |
| Send a written debt validation letter | If you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt. | debt-validation-letter | Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice |
| Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop | Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received. Maryland's Consumer Debt Collection Act (Com. Law 14-202) also bars harassing contact by collectors and original creditors. Keep proof of mailing. | cease-and-desist-letter | As soon as you decide to stop contact |
| File a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General and CFPB | Submit a complaint to the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at marylandattorneygeneral.gov or (410) 576-6300, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly about state and federal damages. | - | Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Credit card debt in Maryland is generally subject to the three-year limitations period in Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-101, treated as an open account or ordinary written contract. After three years from the default, a creditor usually cannot win a suit to collect. Making a payment or acknowledging the debt can restart the clock, so check dates carefully.
Yes. Unlike the federal FDCPA, which mainly covers third-party collectors, the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (Md. Code, Commercial Law 14-201 et seq.) defines a collector broadly and applies to original creditors collecting their own consumer debts. That means your own lender or card issuer, not just an outside agency, can be liable for abusive collection conduct under Maryland law.
Yes. Collection agencies must be licensed through the State Collection Agency Licensing Board in the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, under Md. Code, Business Regulation 7-101 et seq. You can verify a collector's license with the Office of Financial Regulation, part of the Maryland Department of Labor, before you pay or share information with the agency.
For most of Maryland, Md. Code, Commercial Law 15-601.1 limits garnishment to the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed $145. In Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties, the more protective federal standard of 30 times the federal minimum wage applies instead.
Yes. You can sue under the federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692k), generally within one year, for actual damages, statutory damages up to $1,000, and attorney's fees. You may also have a claim under the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act for damages, including emotional distress, for a collector's or creditor's abusive conduct. An attorney can evaluate both paths.
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