How Baltimore County Handles Service-of-Process Fees: Payee Rules, Drop-Box Procedures, and the 50% Refund Policy

Submitting process for service through the Baltimore County Sheriff's Office? The fee setup has to be exact or they'll reject it. Make checks and money orders payable to the Baltimore County Sheriff. Include the payer's name, address, and phone number - this contact info determines who the office considers the payer of record.

1. Attach the service fee to your process - If you’re paying by check or money order, it needs to be submitted with the paperwork.
2. Have it logged in the drop-box journal - Drop-box submissions with an attached fee are recorded in the journal located on top of the drop box.
3. Place the process and fee into the locked box - After it’s logged, the paperwork and attached payment go into the locked box for secure handling.

Paying at the front window gets you faster handling. Staff will collect your fee, hand you a receipt, and log the transaction into the journal on the spot. Keep that receipt - it's your proof of payment and the simplest way to confirm everything was processed correctly.

When the Sheriff's Office receives process for service, it gets time-stamped immediately. That timestamp marks when the office officially took custody of your paperwork.

From there, the paperwork goes into the Sheriff's process inventory system (PIS) and gets a bar code attached. This creates an internal record with a scannable identifier so staff can track it through their system.

Practical Checklist

• ✓ Make your check or money order payable to the Baltimore County Sheriff.
• ✓ Include the payer’s name, address, and phone number on the payment so it will be accepted.
• ✓ If you use the drop box, submit the process with the fee attached; it should be logged in the drop-box journal and placed into the locked box.
• ✓ If you pay at the front window, get a receipt and make sure the transaction is logged into the journal.