Maryland E-filing Guide

How to e-file case documents in any Maryland trial court

Table of Contents

Introduction
Getting Started
Prepare Your Documents for E-filing with Rapid Legal
E-filing for Self-Represented Litigants Using Rapid Legal
How to E-file in Maryland Using the Rapid Legal Portal
Court Information and Tips
FAQs

Introduction

In Maryland, e-filing isn’t just convenient—it’s the law. For attorneys and other legal professionals, this guide gives you everything you need to successfully e-file documents in Maryland’s courts. In it, you’ll find step-by-step instructions and helpful tips about the court’s technology, registration process, and compliance rules.

Self-represented litigants can choose to e-file as an option (but not a requirement). For more details, please see the section below titled “E-filing for Self-Represented Litigants Using Rapid Legal.”

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Getting Started

E-filing is mandatory for attorneys filing into Maryland trial courts. Attorneys must be registered with Maryland Electronic Court’s (MDEC) case management system as approved users. If you’re not an attorney, you may still e-file on an attorney’s behalf by registering as a User with an Existing Firm.

How to register with MDEC

Confirm an AIS number
Every Maryland attorney has a unique Attorney Information System (AIS) number. This number is required for registration.
Designate a firm administrator
Choose one person who will register the firm, manage users, update payment methods, and maintain account settings.
Register the firm in MDEC
The firm administrator will need to create the firm’s account through the Maryland Judiciary’s registration portal. This step links the firm’s details such as name, address, and payment information to the system. Once the firm is registered and the account created, any legal professional in the firm can place an e-filing order.
Register each attorney
To join the firm’s account, each attorney must be registered using their AIS number. Only the firm administrator can add attorneys to the account. Learn How to Register for a Firm Account here.
Use Rapid Legal to e-file your documents
Once the firm and attorneys are registered, you’re ready to start using Rapid Legal to e-file your court documents.

Prepare Your Documents for E-filing with Rapid Legal

To ensure smooth processing, your documents must meet these requirements:

All documents should be saved as PDFs. Each exhibit must be prepared as an individual PDF file, that can be submitted within the same filing envelope or transaction.
Keep each document to 25 MB or smaller. Larger files must be divided into multiple files. For tips, read How to Properly Compress a PDF the Courts Will Accept.
The entire filing envelope may not exceed 35 MB.

Signature block for MDEC electronic filing

Every e-filing must include a typographical signature (figure 1 below) or a scanned “facsimile” signature.

For documents not under oath, use this format:

Figure 1

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Maryland courts require filers to protect sensitive PII. Failure to redact or secure data may result in rejection or sanctions.

If your court documents contain sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and birth dates, complete and file the Restricted Information Form with your e-filing. If you’re not sure whether this form is required for your filing, ask a court clerk.
Use black redaction bars (not highlights) to obscure private information permanently.
Verify redactions by reopening the document to ensure removed content cannot be recovered.
Learn more about restricted information and see common examples here.

You’re ready to e-file with Rapid Legal!

If you’re an attorney or legal professional, once your documents are ready you can place your order. To begin e-filing, log into your Rapid Legal account. If you don’t already have an account, create one here.

E-filing for Self-Represented Litigants Using Rapid Legal

Self-represented litigants can also use Rapid Legal to e-file in Maryland trial courts.

Simply create a Rapid Legal account and submit your e-filing following the steps below.

Please note: Self-represented litigants may also qualify for an income-based court fee waiver. Details about how to request a fee waiver may be found here. Please note that while court fees may be waived, a fee for Rapid Legal’s services will still be charged.

How to E-file in Maryland Using the Rapid Legal Portal

This section walks you through each step of the e-filing process using the Rapid Legal portal. As you begin, please note that civil, criminal, family, and traffic case types must be filed electronically.

There are some notable e-filing exceptions. For example, you may be excused from e-filing during a system outage, an unforeseen event, or for good cause. Certain documents are also exempt, such as:

A single document over 300 pages
Oversized materials (like blueprints or maps)
Exhibits offered as evidence in open court
Items that can’t reasonably be filed electronically

You can find details about these exceptions in Rule 20-106, sections (b)(1)–(c)(2).

Now, let’s begin the step-by-step workflow.

1. Select Place an Order.

Need extra help? Check out our detailed user guide.

2. Select eFiling in the What would you like us to do? drop-down menu.

3. Select Maryland under the Select State drop-down menu and choose your county in the Select County drop-down menu. Then, choose Subsequent Filing or Case Initiation in the Select Filing Type row. Choose the applicable jurisdiction from the Select Jurisdiction drop-down menu. Then, select Next.

4. On the Case Info tab, enter the Case Title. Use the drop-down menus to select the Case Category and Case Type for your case. Then, select Next.

5a. On the Case Participants tab, add parties to your e-filing by selecting Add Party and Add Attorney. If you’re representing yourself in the case, check the box beside Is Self-Represented and enter your information. Then, select Save.

5b. If you’re an attorney, follow step #5a to add your client as a party first. Then, select Add Attorney to enter your name and bar ID. Then, select Search to validate your information in the state’s database.

You’ll receive a prompt to enter the rest of your contact information if you’re not already in the state’s database. Then, select Save.

6. All cases must have a Lead Client. Check the box next to the Lead Client. Then, enter the applicable Billing Code in the pop-up module and select Save. Then, select Next.

7. Attach your supporting documents to the e-filing. You may search by Document Type or select Pick from list to view available documents. Choose the appropriate Document Type and Title from the drop-down menus. Then, choose Select.

8. Mark the document as a Public, Confidential, or for Judges/Courthouse Personnel Only using the Select Security Level drop-down menu. Then, select Upload from Computer to add your document.

9. After your document has been successfully uploaded, use the drop-down menus to select the parties to whom the document applies (i.e., Filed on Behalf Of, Filed by Representation, Refers To). Check the Lead Document box to mark your first uploaded file as the Lead Document. If you have additional documents to upload, repeat steps 8 and 9. Once you’ve uploaded all your case documents, select Next.

10. A summary will be generated to provide you with the Total Estimated Court Fees based on the type of documents you selected. Select the Yes bubble to authorize the EFSP to pay the court fees or select Submit as Fee Waiver if applicable. Then, select Next.

11. If you want to keep parties updated about this case via eService, you can do so in the Serve Info tab. Select Add Service Contact, and enter their name, firm (if applicable), and email address. Then, select Search. 

Note #1: This step is optional. This tab’s data will auto-populate for subsequent eFilings.

Note #2: The Serve Info tab is not the same as Service of Process. The Serve Info tab is to provide parties with electronic updates related to the case.

11a. If the Contact does not appear in the Firm List or Public List searches, you can manually add them as a Service Contact. To manually add a Service Contact, click the downward pointing arrow that’s next to your account initials in the top right corner on the screen. Then, select My Profile.

11b. Select the eFile tab. Then, choose Maryland from the eFile Tyler State drop-down menu. Select Add Service Contact to add the party’s information.

11c. Enter the party’s contact information in the Add New eService Contact pop-up module. Check the box by Is Public if you want the contact’s details added to Maryland’s Public List. Then, select Save.

11d. Return to your eFiling order’s Serve Info tab and select Add Service Contact. Your newly added contact should appear in your Firm List or Public List. Use the Service Contacts drop-down menu to choose the correct contact. Choose the applicable party from the Associated Party drop-down menu. Then, select Add.

11e. Once you have added all contacts to send eService notices related to the case’s updates, select Next.

12. Review your order details. You may provide special instructions to the court clerk in the Message to Court Clerk box. Select the person you want to notify about this order in Notifications. Then, select Submit to complete your order.

13. Once the Thank you for your order(s) screen appears, you have successfully submitted your Maryland court e-filing order.

Court Information and Tips

System Access and Filing Deadlines

Both Rapid Legal and MDEC allow you to e-file 24/7, but filings are only reviewed by the Maryland court clerks during normal business hours. Maryland Circuit Courts and District Courts are open 8:30 AM to 4:30 AM Monday through Friday (except for legal holidays).

Filings submitted to the MDEC system before 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) will be considered filed that day.

Deficiencies and Rejections

Typically, when a court marks a filing as “Deficient”, the clerk will add a comment to the envelope stating the reason for the deficiency, and follow up by e-mailing a Deficiency Notice or Errored Filing Notice to the filer. More details are available in our FAQ section below: What should I do if I receive a deficiency notice?

E-file Easier with Rapid Legal

Rapid Legal helps prevent rejections by automatically checking your files for common issues before submission. The system will detect problems such as oversized PDFs and whether a document is text searchable, among other common issues.

If you need to file and serve, use Rapid Legal’s File and Serve feature to combine both tasks in a single order. You can select to serve the documents within your e-filing workflow. It’s as simple as checking a box.

Support and Contacts

If you need a hand with your e-filing, or have questions about the Maryland courts, please contact:

Rapid Legal Customer Support support@rapidlegal.com
(800) 366-5445
Support Hours
Monday – Friday 
6:00 AM – 5:30 PM PST
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM CST
9:00 AM – 8:30 PM EST

Maryland Judiciary MDEC Support Center
(410) 260-1114
Maryland Courts Directory
Maryland District Courts
Maryland Circuit Courts
MDEC Attorney Update Form
Use this to change your name, address, or telephone number in MDEC.

FAQs

Can I serve a party electronically?

For initial service, the defendant must be served using a paper process. The easiest way to serve papers is to have Rapid Legal serve them for you! We provide process serving across Maryland and nationwide.

How do I know my filing was received?
Rapid Legal sends a time-stamped confirmation email with both your order number and the court’s transaction number.

What if my filing exceeds 35 MB?

Split large documents into smaller parts before uploading. For help, see How to Properly Compress a PDF the Courts Will Accept. You may need to use additional envelopes.

What should I do if I receive a deficiency notice?

A deficiency notice doesn’t mean your e-filing has been rejected, it just means the clerk found something that needs to be corrected before your submission can be accepted.

Here’s how to handle a deficiency notice:

Technically deficient filings are accepted, and will appear as “accepted” when you check the status of the envelope. Normally, the court will change the filing code to “Deficient Filing” and accept it.

1. You’ll receive an email from Tyler Technologies and the subject line will be Notification of Service or Administrative Copy of Service. The court should send a Deficiency Notice or Civil Filing Error Notice. Common causes of a deficiency include:

A missing signature or attachment.
A PDF that’s upside down or blurry.
The wrong filing code or case number.
A missing required form or fee.
Multiple documents combined into one PDF that should be filed with different filing codes.

Helpful Tip: The Maryland Judiciary’s E-Filing Deficiency Bulletin (Feb. 2023) lists the most common issues that trigger deficiency notices.

2. Follow the instructions provided in the notice to correct the problem. Examples of common fixes include:

Re-scan or re-upload a clear, right-side-up version of your PDF.
Add any missing forms.
Pay any required filing fees that weren’t processed.
Make sure all parties, service contacts, and case numbers are correct.

3. Re-submit your e-filing through the same case. Typically, you’ll have 14 days to correct the deficiency. Once the court has accepted the filing, you will receive the normal “Reviewed” confirmation email. If deficiency is corrected, the court will not change the filing code or send additional notices.

Can I file paper documents if I experience technical issues?
Yes. During a system outage or unforeseen events, you can request permission to file in paper format under Maryland Rule 20-106.

You’ll need to submit an affidavit to the clerk describing the event that prevents e-filing and states when e-filing capability will be restored. (See page 3 of the “Highlights” column in MDEC Rules Overview.)

My e-filing requires more than one signature. What should I do?

When a document requires signatures from more than one individual, you’ll need to:

Confirm that all signers have accepted the document’s content.
Get the signatures of all required signers.
Electronically file the document, listing all signers in the same manner as the filer’s own signature.
See rule 20-107.

How can I create a scanned “facsimile” signature?

Sign your name with a black pen on clean white paper.
Scan at 300 dpi resolution and save as PNG or JPEG.
Crop tightly around the signature and remove extra white space.
Insert it into your document’s signature block, then convert the document to PDF.

How do I file a certificate of service?

Follow these step-by-step instructions. Use form CC-DR-058 for Circuit Court or form DD-DC-067 for District Court.