Maryland Business Filing Tips & FAQs

Being local has its advantages.

When we brag about our local experts, it’s because we know they’ve put in the work to understand the ins and outs of business filings with the state. We bring that experience and expertise to all our work with our business formation and resident agent service clients. At the same time, we know there are plenty of mom-n-pop shops out there with razor-thin profit margins who could benefit from what we know, too. So we collected all our filings tips and FAQs into one spot.

Got a question or need help with something not covered here? Reach out to us!

Preparing to File

Check your name availability.

Although change is possible, it’s easier to file right the first time. There are a few different places you’ll want to check the availability of your business name before you commit it to ink:

Maryland State Business Entity Search. Searching here first can tell you whether a particular business name is already in use (i.e., its status is not “Dissolved” or “Forfeited”). Keep in mind that your business name must be distinguishable from any name in use, so choosing a name that has limited similar matches can help your filing be approved the first time.
Maryland Secretary of State Trademarks & Service Marks Database and the USPTO Trademark Search can help you figure out if your intended business name risks infringement on another business’ trademark. Usually avoiding a matching business name is sufficient, but it isn’t a guarantee, and the last thing you want is to have your filing approved only to be slapped with a trademark infringement lawsuit right out of the gate.

Get your resident agent’s signature on your formation documents.

Maryland law requires that your resident agent consent to the appointment, and their signature on your Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation is required. That means you need to choose someone before you file that paperwork. Your filing will be rejected without it.

And yes, that goes for out-of-state businesses applying for foreign qualification too. You probably already have a registered agent in your own state—they serve the same purpose as a Maryland resident agent—but you’ll need an individual or professional service in Maryland to do business here.

If you hired us to serve as your resident agent and plan to file yourself, you’ll find the forms you need in your client account. We’ve included our resident agent info and signature for you.

Will you sign as my resident agent on City of Baltimore business licenses?

If you’ve hired us for resident agent services, of course! Contact us with the form you’re filing. We’ll complete our part, sign it, and send it back to you—by mail if necessary for originals-only or “wet ink” signatures.

How to File

Maryland Business Express is the state’s preferred (and our recommended) filing method. Online filings are automatically considered expedited, which means you can avoid that two-month waiting period for non-expedited filings. Your costs do go up a little thanks to that 3% e-payment processing fee on credit card and Paypal transactions, but unless you can afford to wait, we think it’s worth it.

If you still want to file by paper, you can do that too:

Where can I find pricing for Maryland business filings?

The complete fee schedule for Maryland Business Express lives here. It includes the base filing fee plus pricing for rush processing and expedited processing.

How fast is “expedited”? How can I check filing processing time?

SDAT keeps an updated list of processing times by document on its Registrations & Filings page. At the time of publication, expedited Articles of Organization were being processed 16 calendar days after submission, while expedited Articles of Incorporation were processing 15 calendar days after submission.

How do I get confirmation of filing from SDAT?

You can order certified copies at the time of filing when you use Maryland Business Express. Doing it this way guarantees that your certified copies will be immediately available. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait up to five business days after your filing has been approved.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for information about the status of your submission, you can check your Maryland Business Express account. From your home page, locate your online filings tab and check the status. If it says “Submitted,” then it has yet to be reviewed (otherwise its status would be “Approved,” “Rejected,” or “Refunded.” Approved registrations will land in your MBE account two weeks after they’ve been approved.

After You’ve Filed

Getting your business registered with the state is just the first step in the paperwork process. Here’s what to know about what comes next.

EIN vs SDAT Department ID Number vs Central Registration Number

When you start a Maryland LLC or corporation, there are at least three different unique identifiers you’ll acquire in the process:

Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is issued by the IRS and is used on your federal tax filings, sort of like your company’s social security number. This is why it’s also sometimes called a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).
Your Department Identification Number or SDAT ID is issued by the Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxation. All legal entities must have one of these numbers, which are unique identifiers for Maryland state. You’ll need one to open accounts with financial institutions like banks.
Your Central Registration Number is issued by the Maryland Office of the Comptroller. This office is responsible for your tax and insurance accounts, including the Sales and Use Tax most businesses wind up paying.

Make sure you keep track of which agency has assigned which number—you’ll need all three to successfully conduct business in Maryland, and getting them mixed up can create complications in your application processes with various licenses, permits, and vendors.

Renewals, Annual Reports, & Personal Property Tax Returns

Mark your calendars—not only will your registered business entity need to file its Annual Report and Personal Property Tax Returns, but you’ll also need to keep on top of renewals for trade names, licenses, and permits.

Your Annual Report and Personal Property Tax Return is the big one. This must be filed every calendar year before April 15th, and you’ll need to set aside at least $300 for the filing fee.

Other renewals to keep track of include:

Trade names, or DBAs (doing-business-as):
Every five years from date of acceptance by SDAT. You’ll be able to renew for another five years no more than six months ahead of the due date.
Business licenses and permits:
These vary widely, so you’ll need to pay close attention when applying for any licenses or permits required to operate your business. For example, if you have only a temporary sales and use tax license, that expires after 30 days. A Traders License, required to sell goods in Maryland, has a license year that runs from May 1st through the following April 30th. A barber license is good for two years from the date it’s issued, and conveniently, this matches the two-year period for which your barbershop can be permitted. Operating a food cart in Baltimore? Your street vendor’s license must be renewed before December 31st each year to operate during the following year.

If you’ve hired us to start your business or to act as your resident agent, you’re automatically enrolled in our compliance service. There’s no up-front charge. As the year starts, we’ll begin sending reminder notices to collect the information we need to file your Annual Report and Personal Property Tax Return, and when it’s time to file, we’ll handle it for you for just $100 plus Maryland’s fee. (You can cancel this service at no cost any time from your client account if you’d prefer to file yourself.)

Business Not In Good Standing

Assuming your business is active and should be in good standing, this indicates that you’re out of compliance with current legal regulations that apply to your business. There are a few common reasons this may have happened:

Missing your Annual Report or Personal Property Tax Return
An unpaid fee, usually a late fee or a payment that has been rejected for some reason
Failure to maintain an active resident agent
An issue with either the Office of the Comptroller or the Department of Labor

You’ll need to identify the issue, correct it, file any outstanding paperwork, and pay any outstanding fees to return your business to good standing. Oh, and you’ll also need to provide a Tax Clearance Certificate if you’ve reported property on your Personal Property Tax Return. Reach out to your local finance office to specifically request this critical document—SDAT won’t accept receipts or emails.

Failure to return to good standing eventually results in forfeiture of your business, which means that your right to do business in Maryland is relinquished and your business name is up for grabs. You can still recover at this point, but it’ll require doing everything you’d need to do to get back to good standing plus filing additional paperwork to bring back your business.