The Maryland Judiciary Judicial Information Systems announced the launch of a new Non-Case Revenue System for circuit courts statewide, enabling the acceptance of digital payment options, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, for non-case-related fees and services.
The system modernizes cashiering and revenue collection processes specifically for payments not tied to individual court cases. These include administrative fees, license-related charges, land record fees, copies of documents, certification services, and other miscellaneous court charges handled by circuit court clerks’ offices.
Implementation begins March 1, 2026. Starting on that date, customers will bear the cost of transaction fees for credit cards, debit cards, and digital payments rather than the courts absorbing them. The current fee structure is $0.35 plus 1.9 percent per transaction. Officials noted that these rates may change in the future.
The Judiciary described the upgrade as a step toward greater convenience for the public. The new system provides additional payment methods beyond traditional cash, checks, or in-person card swipes, allowing users to complete transactions more efficiently at circuit court locations.
Maryland’s 24 circuit courts, which serve all counties,s including those in Southern Maryland—Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s—handle a wide range of non-case revenue items. In Southern Maryland, residents frequently pay for services such as recording deeds and liens in land records, obtaining marriage licenses, requesting certified copies of court documents, or settling certain administrative fees through the clerk’s office.
The shift to customer-paid convenience fees aligns with trends in state and local government services, where many jurisdictions have moved similar costs to users to offset processing expenses. The Judiciary emphasized that the change applies only to credit, debit, and digital payments; other payment methods,s such as cash or personal checks, remain available without added fees.
The announcement highlights the Judiciary’s ongoing efforts to update technology infrastructure through the Judicial Information Systems division. The Non-Case Revenue System replaces older processes that limited payment flexibility and required courts to cover merchant fees.
No changes were announced for case-related payments such as fines, restitution, filing fees or bonds, which may continue under separate systems or rules.
The Judiciary did not specify exact rollout details for individual counties beyond the statewide effective date, but circuit court clerks’ offices will implement the system uniformly. Residents in Southern Maryland can contact their local circuit court clerk for guidance on accepted payment methods after March 1.
The update supports broader access to court services in a region where many residents commute to work in the Washington metropolitan area and rely on digital tools for daily transactions.