Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors affecting seed germination and plant growth, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The effect of drought stress on seed germination and seedling growth of four varieties of maize was studied using randomized complete block design with three replications. Germination percentage (GP), germination index (GI), mean germination time (MGT), root length (RL), shoot length (SL) and dry root weight (DRW) were measured to evaluate the varieties’ response to field drought stress. Drought stress, variety, and the interaction drought × variety had a significant effect on all studied parameters. GP and GI decreased with the increase in stress level, while MGT increased. Shoot length decreased with increasing drought stress but different varieties show different performance under stress environment. Root length decreased with increasing level of severe drought stress. Water stress was found to affect the growth of roots the most. The varieties ‘Paheli local’ and ‘Manakamana 3’ exhibited the highest germination percentage and the best early seedling growth, given their higher biomass and longer root length. Thus, they could be recommended for environments with early cropping cycle drought.