A UCC record tells the world that someone has a security interest in a business's personal property. In Maryland those statements are filed with SDAT, the Department of Assessments and Taxation, the same agency that registers LLCs and corporations. The Maryland office guide covers the business register in full.
What sets Maryland apart is the search side. The Department files the statements but does not search them for the public. Its own page says so in plain words and sends you to private search firms. Because the State does not endorse any of them, compare their prices before you order.
How to find a UCC filing in Maryland
You have two routes. One is the Department's online service, called eGov Maryland, where UCC filing, search and document retrieval sit together. The other is a private search company, which does the search for you and may offer other services. SDAT keeps a list of such firms, with no recommendation.
A search starts with the debtor. For a registered company, use the exact legal name from the Business Entity Search. Our UCC search guide explains how to read the result and what a continuation or termination means.
Maryland gives every financing statement a unique 16 digit ID. Keep it if you plan to amend or end the statement later, because amendments refer to it.
| Who takes UCC filings | Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), UCC division (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Search fee | $2.00 service fee per certified search result (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| File a UCC-1 | $25 for 8 or fewer pages, $75 for 9 or more (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Filing online | Online through eGov Maryland; card or ACH payments add a $4.50 convenience fee (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| UCC forms | dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/UCC-Instructions-for-Maryland.aspx (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | $4.50 service fee on each UCC filing, charged by a third-party vendor (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | SDAT staff do not search UCC records; private search companies do (dat.maryland.gov, checked ) |
Maryland UCC fees
The base filing fee is $25 for 8 pages or fewer and $75 for 9 pages or more. Two extra charges apply.
- A $4.50 service fee is added to each filing, and a $2.00 service fee to each certified search result. A third-party vendor charges them to build and maintain the State's online services.
- A $4.50 convenience fee applies when you pay by card or ACH. A paper check avoids it.
So an 8 page filing paid by card online costs $25 plus the two $4.50 charges. Add them up before you budget for a batch.
How to file a UCC-1 in Maryland
Use the national UCC-1, or the UCC-3 to amend, and read the Maryland instructions for each form first. Complete items A and B, because the office uses them to reach you if there is a problem.
For the debtor box, give the organization's exact name. For the ID box, write MD, a space, then the Department ID number. The first letter of that ID shows the entity type. W is a limited liability company, D a stock corporation, M a limited partnership. Our UCC-1 filing guide shows the whole form.
When the filing does not go to SDAT
If item 6 on the UCC-1 is checked, the filing should not go to the Department. It belongs with the circuit court clerk for the county where the real property is located. The same rule applies to the amendment form and to the addendum when the real property boxes are checked.
A warning about false filings
A person who files a lien against another person's personal property on a false, fictitious or fraudulent statement commits a misdemeanor. The penalty can reach a year in jail, a fine of $10,000 or both for a first offense. SDAT publishes an affidavit form for people who think a filing is fraudulent.
For questions the pages do not answer, the UCC division takes calls at 410-767-1459. If you would like help with the filing, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can file at the state yourself.
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, online filing, certificate ordering. 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, good standing certificate. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/SDAT%20Forms/llc-foreign.PDF: foreign LLC fee. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/SDAT%20Forms/PPR_Forms/2025_Form1_Instructions.pdf: report due date, late penalty. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Documents/Charter_Legal_FAQ.pdf: registered agent rule. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/documents/entitystatus.pdf: status terms. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/pages/ucc-filing-statements.aspx: who takes ucc filings, file a ucc-1, filing online, search fee, processing time. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/UCC-Instructions-for-Maryland.aspx: ucc forms. Checked .
- dat.maryland.gov/businesses/pages/ucc-search-companies.aspx: worth knowing. Checked .