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How to start an LLC in Maryland

Every step to form your LLC in Maryland, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.

Filing fee
$100
Regular report
$300
What you file
Articles of Organization
Where
The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)

Get the free checklist It follows these steps with you, for your business, and keeps track of what's done.

What an LLC costs in Maryland

Filing Articles of Organization with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)$100
The regular report that keeps it in good standing$300
An EIN from the IRSFree
A registered agentFree if you're your own; a service charges a yearly fee

The state's fees only. Card or handling fees, a registered agent service, local licenses and taxes come on top where they apply. Checked against official sources on September 30, 2026. It's general information, not legal or tax advice.

Step by step

In the order most owners do them. Each step says where it happens and links to the official page.

  1. With the state

    Check your name is free

    Search the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)'s business records to check no business already uses your name, or one too close to it. An LLC's name must also end with "LLC" or a similar ending.

    Search business names (opens the official site)

  2. Your records

    Choose a registered agent

    Maryland calls it a resident agent: an adult who lives in Maryland or a Maryland business entity, with a Maryland street address (not a PO box). The agent must sign the articles to consent, and a corporation can't be its own resident agent.

  3. With the state

    File your Articles of Organization

    File them with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), online through Maryland Business Express or on paper. The state's fee is $100, plus a 3% convenience fee to pay online; standard review takes 6 to 8 weeks, and expedited review (7 to 10 business days) is an optional extra $50. Once they're filed, your business exists.

    File online (opens the official site)

  4. Your records

    Write an operating agreement

    It sets out who owns the LLC, how decisions are made and what happens if someone leaves. It isn't filed with the state: keep it with your records. A lawyer can help you write one.

  5. With the IRS

    Get an EIN from the IRS

    An Employer Identification Number is your business's tax number, for taxes, hiring and a bank account. Apply once your Articles of Organization are filed. It's free from the IRS: with a Social Security number or ITIN, you can apply on the IRS's own site and get it at once. Watch out for look-alike sites that charge for it.

    Apply for an EIN on IRS.gov (opens the official site)

  6. With the state

    Register for state taxes

    If you'll sell taxable goods or services, or hire employees, register with the Comptroller of Maryland using the Combined Registration Application, online through Maryland Tax Connect. Employers also register with the Maryland Department of Labor's Division of Unemployment Insurance for an employer account (through BEACON), and with Maryland's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program.

    Register for state taxes (opens the official site)

  7. City or county

    Check local licenses and permits

    In Maryland, a business that sells goods (unless it grows or makes them) needs a trader's license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court where it's located; the license year runs from May 1 to April 30. Other licenses depend on the kind of business, and your county or city may need permits or zoning approval.

    Find your local requirements (opens the official site)

  8. Your records

    Open a business bank account

    Keep the business's money apart from your own: it keeps your records clear at tax time, and keeps the LLC separate from you. Banks usually ask for your filed Articles of Organization and your EIN.

  9. With the state

    Put the annual report and personal property return in your calendar

    Every LLC in Maryland files an annual report (Form 1) with SDAT by April 15 each year; it includes the business personal property return, which you complete if the business owns personal property in Maryland that originally cost $20,000 or more. The fee is $300. A late report brings a penalty, and an LLC that doesn't file forfeits its right to do business in Maryland.

    About annual reports (opens the official site)

Questions about an LLC in Maryland

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Maryland?

The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $100. To stay in good standing, it also files a regular report, which costs $300. An EIN from the IRS is free.

Does Maryland require a yearly report for an LLC?

Yes. Maryland asks every LLC for a regular report to stay in good standing. It costs $300, and the step below says when it's due and where to file it.

Can I form an LLC in Maryland myself?

Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) and pay the state's fee, and the steps above show where. You don't need a lawyer, though one can advise on your situation. PressUp's free checklist follows these steps with you.

Is this legal or tax advice?

No. PressUp isn't a law firm or an accountant. This guide is general information from Maryland's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Where this comes from

Maryland's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:

LLC guides for other states