Maryland Administrator & Executor Bond
Probate Bonds From $100 – Set by the Register
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A Maryland executor bond or Maryland administrator bond — a personal representative bond — is required before the Register of Wills issues letters of administration, unless excused. Maryland has a twist most states don't: under Est. & Trusts § 6-102, even when the will or all interested persons waive bond, the personal representative must still give a nominal bond in an amount sufficient to secure payment of the decedent's debts and Maryland inheritance taxes. Premiums start at $100 and are paid from estate funds.
Maryland Probate Bond Pricing
Premiums are a small percentage of the required bond amount and are paid from estate funds. Sample pricing for qualified applicants:
| Bond Amount | Premium |
|---|---|
| $10,000 | $100 |
| $25,000 | $135 |
| $50,000 | $260 |
| $100,000 | $460 |
| $200,000 | $860 |
| $500,000 | $1,610 |
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Executor, Administrator, or Trustee — Which Maryland Probate Bond You Need
All three cover a fiduciary who manages estate or trust assets. Maryland uses “personal representative” for executors and administrators, with letters issued by the Register of Wills and administration supervised by the Orphans' Court. Which bond applies depends on how you were appointed:
| Bond Type | When It Applies |
|---|---|
| Administrator Bond | A Maryland administrator bond covers a personal representative appointed when there is no will, or the named representative cannot serve. With no will to excuse the bond, a full bond is required unless every interested person files a written waiver — and even with unanimous waivers, the nominal bond covering debts and inheritance taxes remains. This is the most common Maryland probate bond. |
| Executor Bond | A Maryland executor bond covers a personal representative named in the will. The will can excuse the full bond — but the nominal bond securing the decedent's debts and Maryland inheritance taxes is still given, in an amount the Register or court considers sufficient. The court can also require a full bond mid-administration on any interested person's or creditor's petition for good cause. |
| Trustee Bond | Required when a will establishes a trust for a beneficiary and the court requires the trustee to post security before managing trust assets. The surety reviews the trust to assess the trustee's responsibilities. |
Why Does Maryland Require a Bond?
Estate administration in Maryland is governed by the Estates and Trusts Article, with estates opened at the Register of Wills in each of the 23 counties plus Baltimore City — 24 offices — and supervised by the Orphans' Court (in Harford and Montgomery counties, Circuit Court judges sit as the Orphans' Court). When a person dies, someone must be appointed to pay the estate's debts and distribute what remains. That personal representative controls assets that belong to other people, and under § 6-102(a) every representative must execute a bond to the State of Maryland, with approved surety, for the benefit of interested persons and creditors — unless excused by the will or by written waiver of all interested persons.
Maryland's distinctive rule is that a waiver never eliminates the bond entirely: under § 6-102(b), a nominal bond must still be given in an amount the Register or court considers sufficient to secure payment of the decedent's debts and Maryland inheritance taxes. National banks and trust companies are exempt (§ 6-102(c)), the premium is chargeable to the estate, and the court can require additional or new security mid-administration for good cause. If the representative causes a loss, valid claims are paid from the bond, and the representative must reimburse the surety. The bond protects the estate, not the representative.
How Your Bond Amount Is Set — and How to Reduce It
Under § 6-102(e), the penalty is set by the court or Register at an amount not exceeding the probable maximum value of the personal property of the estate during administration — real property is excluded unless sold — less the market value of any collateral deposited with the court and any estate cash held in court-restricted bank accounts. For a nominal bond, the figure is whatever the Register considers sufficient to cover debts and inheritance taxes.
The penalty is adjustable for good cause during administration, in either direction. Small estates get their own relief: where the property subject to Maryland administration is $50,000 or less ($100,000 or less when the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee), no bond at all is required if the estate's gross value after statutory deductions is under $10,000, and above that the ordinary waiver rules apply.
The Register of Wills and the Orphans’ Court
Maryland splits probate between two institutions. The Register of Wills — an elected officer in each county and Baltimore City — receives the estate filing, sets and takes the bond, and issues the letters of administration. The Orphans' Court supervises the administration itself; in Harford and Montgomery counties, Circuit Court judges sit in that role. Estates run as regular estates or streamlined small estates under the $50,000/$100,000 thresholds. Your bond is filed with the Register of the county where the decedent was domiciled — the directory below lists all 24 offices with website, phone, and mailing address.
How To Get Your Maryland Probate Bond
- Open the estate and receive your bond amount. The Register of Wills determines whether a full bond, a nominal bond, or no bond applies under § 6-102 and sets the penalty. Wait for this figure before purchasing.
- Request your quote. Apply online or call with your paperwork from the Register's office. For most standard estates we can quote from the bond amount alone; larger or more complex estates may involve a review of the will and the applicant's credit.
- Complete the short application. Provide the personal representative's information and the estate details.
- File your bond and receive your letters. We execute the bond — on Maryland's statutory bond form — with the surety's Power of Attorney attached so you can file it with the Register of Wills. The Register then issues your letters of administration, and you can begin settling the estate.
Bond Details at a Glance
- Bond Name: Maryland Executor Bond / Maryland Administrator Bond (Personal Representative Bond)
- Also Known As: Probate bond, fiduciary bond, nominal bond (when excused)
- Bond Amount: Up to the probable maximum value of the estate's personal property during administration, less court-held collateral and restricted-account cash; nominal bonds cover debts and inheritance taxes (Est. & Trusts § 6-102(e), (b))
- Starting Premium: $100 for a $10,000 bond; premium chargeable to the estate
- Obligee: The State of Maryland, for the benefit of interested persons and creditors
- Governing Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 6-102 (bond requirement, nominal bond, amount, reduction); §§ 5-601, 5-604 (small estates); Maryland Rule 6-312
- Waiver: Will or written waiver of all interested persons excuses the full bond — but the nominal bond remains; banks and trust companies exempt; small estates under $10,000 gross exempt entirely
- Court: Register of Wills in each of the 23 counties plus Baltimore City; Orphans' Court supervises (Circuit Court judges in Harford and Montgomery)
- Attorney Required: No
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Maryland administrator or executor bond?
A personal representative bond executed to the State of Maryland under Est. & Trusts § 6-102 before the Register of Wills issues letters. It protects the estate's interested persons and creditors and guarantees faithful administration.
Can the bond be waived?
Partially. The will or written waivers from all interested persons excuse the full bond — but Maryland still requires a nominal bond in an amount sufficient to secure the decedent's debts and Maryland inheritance taxes. Banks and trust companies are exempt, and very small estates (under $10,000 gross) need no bond.
Do administrators need a bond in Maryland?
Almost always. With no will to excuse it, a full bond is required unless every interested person files a written waiver — and even then the nominal bond remains.
How much does a Maryland probate bond cost?
Premiums start at $100 for a $10,000 bond and scale with the penalty — $135 at $25,000, $260 at $50,000, $460 at $100,000, and up. The premium is chargeable to the estate.
How is the bond amount determined?
The Register or court sets the penalty up to the probable maximum value of the estate's personal property during administration, less court-deposited collateral and restricted-account cash. Real property is excluded unless sold. Nominal bonds are set at whatever covers debts and inheritance taxes.
Can the amount be reduced?
Yes. Depositing collateral with the court or holding estate cash in court-restricted bank accounts reduces the penalty directly, and the court can decrease the amount for good cause during administration.
Which Maryland office handles probate?
The Register of Wills of the county (or Baltimore City) where the decedent was domiciled opens the estate and takes the bond; the Orphans' Court supervises administration — with Circuit Court judges sitting in that role in Harford and Montgomery counties.
What happens if a claim is filed against the bond?
The surety pays valid claims — from mismanagement, fraud, or failure to follow the will or Maryland law — up to the bond's penalty, and the personal representative must reimburse the surety in full. The bond protects the estate, not the representative.
Maryland Register of Wills Directory
Estates in Maryland are opened with the Register of Wills in each of the state's 23 counties and Baltimore City. Find your office below for its website, phone number, and mailing address.
| County | Court | Phone | Mailing Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | Register of Wills | (301) 724-3760 | Annex Courthouse, 59 Prospect Square, 1st Floor, Cumberland, MD 21502 |
| Anne Arundel County | Register of Wills | (410) 222-1430 | 2011 E Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
| Baltimore County | Register of Wills | (410) 887-6680 | County Courts Building, 401 Bosley Avenue, Room 500, Towson, MD 21204 |
| Baltimore City | Register of Wills | (410) 752-5131 | Courthouse East, 111 North Calvert Street, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 |
| Calvert County | Register of Wills | (410) 535-1600 x2256 | Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 |
| Caroline County | Register of Wills | (410) 479-0717 | Courthouse, 109 Market Street, Room 119, Denton, MD 21629 |
| Carroll County | Register of Wills | (410) 848-2586 | Courthouse Annex, 55 North Court Street, Room 124, Westminster, MD 21157 |
| Cecil County | Register of Wills | (410) 996-5330 | Circuit Courthouse, 129 East Main Street, Suite 102, Elkton, MD 21921 |
| Charles County | Register of Wills | (301) 932-3345 | PO Box 3080, La Plata, MD 20646-3080 |
| Dorchester County | Register of Wills | (410) 228-4181 | PO Box 263, Cambridge, MD 21613 |
| Frederick County | Register of Wills | (301) 600-6565 | Courthouse, 100 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701 |
| Garrett County | Register of Wills | (301) 334-1999 | Courthouse, 313 East Alder Street, Room 103, Oakland, MD 21550 |
| Harford County | Register of Wills | (410) 638-3275 | Mutual Fire Insurance Building, 18 Office Street, 1st Floor, Bel Air, MD 21014 |
| Howard County | Register of Wills | (410) 313-2133 | Circuit Courthouse, 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043 |
| Kent County | Register of Wills | (410) 778-7466 | Courthouse, 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620 |
| Montgomery County | Register of Wills | (240) 777-9600 | 50 Maryland Avenue, North Tower 3220, Rockville, MD 20850 |
| Prince George's County | Register of Wills | (301) 952-3250 | PO Box 1729, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 |
| Queen Anne's County | Register of Wills | (410) 758-0585 | PO Box 59, Centreville, MD 21617 |
| St. Mary's County | Register of Wills | (301) 475-5566 | PO Box 602, Leonardtown, MD 20650 |
| Somerset County | Register of Wills | (410) 651-1696 | Courthouse, 30512 Prince William Street, Princess Anne, MD 21853 |
| Talbot County | Register of Wills | (410) 770-6700 | Talbot County Courthouse, North Wing, Suite 14, 11 N. Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601 |
| Washington County | Register of Wills | (301) 739-3612 | 100 W. Washington Street, Suite 3400, Hagerstown, MD 21740 |
| Wicomico County | Register of Wills | (410) 543-6635 | PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787 |
| Worcester County | Register of Wills | (410) 632-1529 | Courthouse, 1 West Market Street, Room 102, Snow Hill, MD 21863 |