Maryland is a state where you should not look for the Secretary of State at all when you deal with a company. The State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) keeps the business register, and its Charter Division takes the filings. Online work runs through Maryland Business Express, which holds both the entity search and the filing forms.
Because SDAT also handles business property assessments, the yearly duty looks different too. There is no stand-alone annual report: it is combined with the Business Personal Property Return on Form 1. Our guide to Secretary of State vs Department of State explains why offices differ like this.
Searching SDAT business records
Open the Business Entity Search on Maryland Business Express. You can type the business name, the SDAT Department ID, or the company's EIN. Results show the resident agent and address, the principal office and the list of amendments.
| Official business search | egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, entity or file number, other (egov.maryland.gov, checked ) |
You cannot search by the name of a resident agent. If all you have is a person's name, start with any company name you suspect and then read the agent line on the record.
Maryland status: good standing or forfeited
SDAT uses plain words for a company's standing. "Good Standing" means every document and fee the law requires has been received and no other agency has reported unpaid taxes. "Not in Good Standing" usually follows a missed annual report. "Forfeited" is the step after that.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Good Standing | All documents and fees required by law were received and no other government agency has told SDAT the entity is delinquent in tax payments. |
| Not in Good Standing | Entity has not met the criteria in Maryland law, for example no annual report or extension filed. |
| Forfeited | Entity missed the annual report deadline and its charter or right to do business is forfeited soon after falling out of good standing. |
Status wording from dat.maryland.gov, checked .
SDAT fees
Forming an LLC or a corporation costs $100. A nonstock nonprofit pays $170, made up of the $100 filing fee, a $20 organization and capitalization fee and a $50 assessment. An out-of-state LLC also pays $100, and it must include proof of existence from its home state issued in the last 60 days.
| Form an LLC | $100 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $100 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $170 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $100 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $25 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $20 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Charter filings: expedited $50 extra for 24 hour per search text; same day options at higher fee. Name reservation expedite $20. (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Maryland. State fees are separate.
SDAT also offers expedited service for an extra charge. The amounts and turnaround are on the fee schedule linked in the table.
The Maryland annual report on Form 1
Every Maryland LLC and corporation files Form 1, the Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return. It is due April 15, or the following Monday when the 15th lands on a weekend. Filing online through Maryland Business Express costs nothing, since SDAT dropped the online fee.
The fee, the due date, late penalties and the filing steps are in our Maryland annual report guide.
Missing it has real costs. The company drops out of good standing, and then its charter or its right to do business in Maryland is forfeited. Our annual report guide covers the general steps.
Holding a name in Maryland
A Maryland name reservation is short. It holds a name for an exclusive 30 days, under title 1, section 505 of the Corporations and Associations Code. The fee is $25, and expedited service adds $20.
| Reservation fee | $25 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Reservation lasts | 30 days (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | dat.maryland.gov/SDAT%20Forms/Name_reservation.pdf (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
Resident agent in Maryland
Maryland uses the term resident agent. The agent must be a Maryland resident aged 18 or over, or a Maryland entity, and an owner can act as agent if eligible.
A resident agent is required. The agent must be a Maryland resident (an individual at least 18 years old, or a Maryland entity). The owner may act as agent if eligible. (dat.maryland.gov, checked )
Certificate of Good Standing from SDAT
A Certificate of Good Standing costs $20, and you order it through Maryland Business Express. Expediting it adds $20.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Maryland good standing guide.
Trade names in Maryland
Trade names are registered at state level with SDAT, for a base fee of $25. Questions about trade names go to 410-767-1801.
Contact SDAT
| Office | Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Charter Division (Business Services) (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 410-767-1184 (SDAT headquarters), 1-888-246-5941; Charter Division 410-767-1330 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | Walk-in expedited service 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | 301 West Preston Street, Room 801, Baltimore, MD 21201 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 301 West Preston Street, Room 801, Baltimore, MD 21201 (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Contact page | businessexpress.maryland.gov (businessexpress.maryland.gov, checked ) |
The Charter Division line, 410-767-1330, is the right first call for filings. Walk-in expedited service runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. SDAT has announced a move to downtown Baltimore, so check the address on its customer service page before you visit.
Sources
- dat.maryland.gov/: office name, division. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/pages/charter-frequently-asked-questions.aspx: mailing address. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/pages/customer-service.aspx: street address, phone, hours. Checked .
- businessexpress.maryland.gov/: contact page. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/default.aspx: business search. Checked .
- egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch: search fields. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/SDAT%20Forms/Name_reservation.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/documents/fees.pdf: LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, certificate fee. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Documents/FEES.pdf: nonprofit filing fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/SDAT%20Forms/llc-foreign.PDF: foreign LLC fee. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Documents/Charter_Legal_FAQ.pdf: registered agent rule. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/documents/entitystatus.pdf: status terms. Checked .