| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Circuit Court Clerk: 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043 (Land Records and Licensing: 6095 Marshalee Drive, Elkridge, MD 21075). Register of Wills: 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043. District Court: 3451 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043-4377 |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk (410) 313-2111, toll-free in Maryland (888) 313-0197; Register of Wills (410) 313-2133; District Court (410) 480-7700 |
| Hours | Circuit Court Clerk, District Court, and Register of Wills all 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday, except legal holidays |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (circuit court clerks) |
| Certified copy fee | $5.00 per document plus $0.50 per page; exemplified (triple-seal) copy $10.00 |
Howard County sits between Baltimore and Washington and is the sixth most populous jurisdiction in Maryland. Its trial courts are split across two buildings in Ellicott City. The Circuit Court for Howard County, part of the Fifth Judicial Circuit with Anne Arundel and Carroll counties, hears felonies, divorce and custody cases, larger civil suits, and juvenile matters from the courthouse at 9250 Judicial Way. The Clerk of the Circuit Court, Wayne A. Robey, is the elected officer who keeps those case files.
The District Court of Maryland, District 10, which Howard County shares with Carroll County, is a separate state-run court about a mile away at 3451 Courthouse Drive. It handles landlord-tenant disputes, civil claims up to $30,000, traffic tickets, and misdemeanors, and its clerk's office is run by Judiciary employees rather than the elected Circuit Court clerk.
The Register of Wills, Byron E. Macfarlane, is a third elected office in Suite 1100 of the circuit courthouse and keeps estate and probate files. Howard is one of three Maryland counties where sitting circuit court judges serve as the Orphans' Court instead of separately elected Orphans' Court judges. The Clerk's Land Records and Licensing department has moved out of the courthouse to 6095 Marshalee Drive in Elkridge, so deed and license business is now handled at a different address from case files.
Search Howard County court records online
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County
- Cost
- Free to search Maryland Judiciary Case Search; 50 cents per page for copies, $5 plus copy charge for certification
- Coverage
- Circuit Court felony criminal, civil, family, and juvenile case records for Howard County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
The clerk's page lists department lines for Civil (410-313-3844) and Criminal/Juvenile (410-313-3824). Case search itself runs through the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search.
Other courts
District Court of Maryland, District 10 (Howard County, Ellicott City)
- Cost
- Free to search Maryland Judiciary Case Search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Landlord-tenant, replevin, civil claims up to $30,000, traffic, and misdemeanor cases for Howard County, heard at 3451 Courthouse Drive
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
A separate building from the Circuit Court. District 10 also covers Carroll County under the same administrative judge.
Other courts
Register of Wills for Howard County
- Cost
- Free to review; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Estate administration and probate filings for Howard County; the Register serves as clerk to the Orphans' Court
- Records
- Probate
Located in Suite 1100 of the circuit courthouse. The office asks visitors to call before coming in; parking in the courthouse garage is free.
What is available online
Circuit Court and District Court case information for Howard County is searched through the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal; there is no county-specific case search. Howard County is on the Judiciary's MDEC electronic filing system, so newer circuit court filings are electronic and the clerk accepts filings by MDEC, mail, or drop box. Estate files are indexed separately in the Register of Wills' statewide estate search, and recorded deeds are in the mdlandrec.net land records system rather than the court index.
Which clerk has your record
In Maryland, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Maryland page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Appellate Court of Maryland | Civil and criminal appeals as of right from the circuit courts; Appeals from certain administrative agencies | Clerk of the Appellate Court of Maryland |
| Circuit Courts (one per county and Baltimore City, 8 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil cases above the District Court's monetary limit | Clerk of the Circuit Court for the county or Baltimore City |
| District Court of Maryland (statewide, 12 numbered districts) | Landlord-tenant and eviction cases; Civil claims up to $30,000; Misdemeanors and certain felonies | District Court Clerk's Office for that district location (Judiciary employees, not an elected county clerk) |
| Orphans' Court | Probate of wills; Estate administration disputes; Guardianship of property in some cases | Register of Wills, who serves as Clerk to the Orphans' Court |
Request records in person or by mail
Howard County clerk offices
Circuit Court Clerk: 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043 (Land Records and Licensing: 6095 Marshalee Drive, Elkridge, MD 21075). Register of Wills: 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043. District Court: 3451 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043-4377
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk (410) 313-2111, toll-free in Maryland (888) 313-0197; Register of Wills (410) 313-2133; District Court (410) 480-7700
Hours: Circuit Court Clerk, District Court, and Register of Wills all 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday, except legal holidays
Circuit Court records. Request copies from the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, in person or by mail. Give the case number if you have it, or the party names and approximate filing year, name the specific document, and say whether you need it certified. Statewide circuit court fees are 50 cents per page for plain copies and $5 per document plus the per-page charge for certified copies; the clerk's office does not charge separately for mailing copies. Call the Civil or Criminal department line first if you are unsure which unit holds the file.
Estate and probate records. Contact the Register of Wills in Suite 1100 of the same courthouse, or by phone at (410) 313-2133. The office recommends calling before a visit so staff can tell you what to bring. Filings cannot be submitted by email.
District Court records. Contact the District Court clerk's office at 3451 Courthouse Drive, not the Circuit Court, for misdemeanor, traffic, landlord-tenant, and small civil case files. The District Court has its own clerk staff and phone line, (410) 480-7700.
Land records and licenses. Deeds, plats, and business or marriage licenses are handled by the Clerk's Land Records and Licensing department at 6095 Marshalee Drive in Elkridge, not at the courthouse.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Maryland |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (circuit court clerks) |
| Certified copy | $5.00 per document plus $0.50 per page; exemplified (triple-seal) copy $10.00 |
From the Judiciary's Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit Court effective October 1, 2025 (Schedule II I 1 and I 3; Courts Article §§ 2-201(b) and 7-202). No fee for mailing copies. Certain copies are free to former and active armed forces members and beneficiaries. This schedule applies to circuit court clerks only; District Court and Register of Wills copy fees are set separately, so confirm with those offices.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Maryland court records are open to the public by default under the Maryland Rules on access to court records (Rules 16-901 through 16-912, "Access to Court Records," Title 16, Chapter 900), but several categories are removed from public view:
The Maryland guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a separate case search for Howard County court records?
No. Howard County Circuit Court and District Court cases are searched through the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal. The clerk's page on mdcourts.gov links to that same tool.
Which Howard County courthouse has my case?
Felonies, divorce, custody, and larger civil cases are at the Circuit Court, 9250 Judicial Way. Traffic tickets, misdemeanors, evictions, and civil claims up to $30,000 are at the District Court, 3451 Courthouse Drive. They are different buildings with different clerks.
Who handles probate in Howard County?
The Register of Wills for Howard County, in Suite 1100 at 9250 Judicial Way. Howard is one of three Maryland counties where circuit court judges sit as the Orphans' Court rather than separately elected Orphans' Court judges.
What does a copy of a Howard County Circuit Court record cost?
Under the statewide circuit court fee schedule, plain copies are 50 cents per page and a certified copy adds $5 per document. Confirm the total with the clerk before mailing payment.
Sources
- Maryland Courts — Howard County Directory — https://www.mdcourts.gov/courtsdirectory/howard
- Circuit Court for Howard County — Clerk's Office — https://www.mdcourts.gov/clerks/howard
- Circuit Court for Howard County — https://www.mdcourts.gov/circuit/howard
- Maryland Courts — District Court, Howard County — https://www.mdcourts.gov/district/directories/howard
- Register of Wills for Howard County — https://registers.maryland.gov/main/howard.html
- Maryland Courts — Circuit Court Fee Schedule — https://www.mdcourts.gov/circuit/feeschedule
- Maryland Courts — Courts Directory — https://www.mdcourts.gov/courtsdirectory/appellate
- Maryland Courts — District Court of Maryland — https://www.mdcourts.gov/district
- Maryland Courts — Orphans' Court — https://www.mdcourts.gov/orphanscourt
- Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal — https://www.mdcourts.gov/casesearch
- Maryland Courts — Court Records — https://www.mdcourts.gov/courts/courtrecords
- DPSCS — Criminal History Background Checks — https://dpscs.maryland.gov/publicservs/bgchecks.shtml
- Maryland Register of Wills — Directory of Offices — https://registers.maryland.gov/main/directory.html
- Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit Court (effective October 1, 2025) [PDF] — https://www.mdcourts.gov/sites/default/files/import/circuit/feesummaryschedule.pdf
- Maryland Courts — Expungement (Adult) — https://www.mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/expungement
- Md. Code, Criminal Procedure § 10-105 — https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcp§ion=10-105&enactments=false
See also: all Maryland counties.