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Maryland court costs guide
Filing for divorce in Maryland costs $165 in court filing fees. This guide covers the verified filing fees for divorce, name change, general civil cases, and probate in Maryland — every figure from the official schedule or statute named at the foot of the page.
| Maryland at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court |
| Divorce filing fee | $165 — the statewide Circuit Court 'Civil, New Case' fee on the clerks' Summary of Charges (effective October 1, 2025). If an attorney files for you, the fee is $185. |
| Name change filing fee | $165 ($185 if filed by an attorney) — the same new-case fee. |
| Name-change publication | Required — Required unless the court orders otherwise — Md. Rule 15-901: publish once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least 15 days before the objection deadline. |
| General civil filing fee | $165 self-represented ($80 filing + $55 MLSC surcharge + $30 Records Improvement Fund); $185 with an attorney. |
Divorce filing fees
$165 — the statewide Circuit Court 'Civil, New Case' fee on the clerks' Summary of Charges (effective October 1, 2025). If an attorney files for you, the fee is $185.
See the national picture — including the states where the fee is set county by county — in our divorce filing cost guide.
Name change: fee and publication
$165 ($185 if filed by an attorney) — the same new-case fee.
Publication: Required unless the court orders otherwise — Md. Rule 15-901: publish once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least 15 days before the objection deadline.
Publication is the step readers most often get wrong, because the rule changed recently in several states. The full state-by-state picture is in our name change cost guide.
General civil filing fees
$165 self-represented ($80 filing + $55 MLSC surcharge + $30 Records Improvement Fund); $185 with an attorney.
Probate court costs
No probate filing figure for Maryland appears on the official schedules we read — in many states probate fees are set at county level (a register of wills or probate court fee schedule) rather than statewide. Confirm the current fee with the probate court where the estate will be filed. Our probate cost guide explains the cost layers every estate pays.
How filing works in Maryland
- Prepare the petition or complaint for the Circuit Court — most Maryland courts publish the forms on their self-help pages.
- File with the clerk and pay the filing fee above. Keep the stamped copy; it is your proof of filing.
- Arrange service of process on the other party where the case requires it (divorce and general civil cases do; a name change usually does not).
- Complete any publication the rules require — for a Maryland name change: required.
- Attend the hearing or, in uncontested matters, submit the proposed decree for the judge's signature.
Worked total: what a divorce filing costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $165 |
| Service of process (typical private process server) | $50–$100 |
| Estimated total to file | $215–$265 |
Filing fee plus service for one respondent, before any mediation, parenting-class, or copy charges described in the guides. Run your own combination in the cost calculator.
Sources: Maryland Judiciary — Circuit Court Civil Summary of Charges (eff. 10/1/2025) · Md. Rule 15-901 — Maryland Judiciary. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.
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