What do the status labels mean in a Maryland search?

The state defines 2 of the 3 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.

How do I check whether an LLC name is available in Maryland?

The state tells you to use this same search to check whether a name is already in use. A name reservation costs $25.00. Expedited service adds $20.00.

Business entity search · Maryland

Maryland Business Entity Search

By Edmond Hui · Last updated October 5, 2026

The short answer. The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (Corporate Charter Division) keeps Maryland's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on egov.maryland.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.

Search Maryland's register

Maryland Business Entity Search at a Glance

Register kept by	The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (Corporate Charter Division)
Official search	Business Entity Search
Cost to search	Not confirmed
Search by	Entity name; entity or filing number
Filed documents online	Yes, free
Copy fee	$1.00 per page (see Documents)
Certifying a copy	See Documents
Name reservation	Not confirmed
Name reservation fee	$25.00 (see Name availability)
Bulk data	Available, for a fee

Read from the government sources listed at the foot of this page, last checked October 5, 2026. See the sources.

How to Search Maryland's Register

The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on egov.maryland.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. Open the official search.

On the main search page you can search by:

Entity name
Entity or filing number

What a Search Result Shows

A Maryland result includes the items below, according to the state's own pages or a result page we read. It may show more.

Status
Registered agent or registered office
Filing history
Images of filed documents

What Each Maryland Status Means

The status is the label the register puts on each entity. Where the state defines a label, the meaning below restates that definition, with a link to the state page it comes from. Where it does not, we do not guess from the word, because the same word can mean different things in different states.

Status label	What it means	Applies to
“Active” Named on egov.maryland.gov	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
“Not in Good Standing” Named on dat.maryland.gov	The business entity is not in compliance with one or more Maryland laws that apply to businesses. A business that has been voluntarily terminated also shows this status because it is no longer active. Based on the definition at dat.maryland.gov	All entities
“Forfeited” Named on dat.maryland.gov	The entity's right to conduct business in Maryland has been relinquished and it has no right to use its name. For a domestic corporation, it also means the business has no existence under Maryland law. Based on the definition at dat.maryland.gov	All entities

This list is not complete. It holds the labels we found in the filing office's own pages, and the register may show others.

If the search shows that your own LLC was dissolved, see how to reinstate an LLC in Maryland.

A search result is not a certificate of good standing. If a bank or another state asks for one, see how to get a Maryland certificate of good standing.

Viewing and Ordering Documents

Filed documents can be viewed online. Viewing them online is free.

Plain copies requested in person or by mail cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of charter documents requested at the time of recordation, in person or by mail, cost $20.00 for the first certified copy plus $1.00 per page, and expedited service adds $20.00 per document. Order copies from the state.

Is the Name Available?

The state tells you to use this same search to check whether a name is already in use.

We have not confirmed whether Maryland requires a name reservation before you file. A name reservation costs $25.00. Expedited service adds $20.00.

Our free LLC name checker looks up domain and social media handle availability for a name. It does not search Maryland's register, so check the state's search as well.

Bulk Business Entity Data

Maryland offers bulk business entity data for a fee. The Department's corporate file, covering corporations, LLCs, partnerships and trade names, is sold through a private contractor and is created monthly, with a weekly subscription available. See the state's bulk data page.

Ready to form? See what goes on the Maryland articles of organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

: The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (Corporate Charter Division) keeps Maryland's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on egov.maryland.gov.
: We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.
: The state defines 2 of the 3 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.
: Filed documents can be viewed online. Viewing them online is free. Plain copies requested in person or by mail cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of charter documents requested at the time of recordation, in person or by mail, cost $20.00 for the first certified copy plus $1.00 per page, and expedited service adds $20.00 per document.
: The state tells you to use this same search to check whether a name is already in use. A name reservation costs $25.00. Expedited service adds $20.00.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's business entity filing office publishes about searching its register, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you whether a particular business is active, authorized or reliable: read the state's own record for that, and search tools, status labels and fees change between our reviews. Confirm anything you rely on with the filing office named on this page before you act on it.

Sources

Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Maryland sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so.

dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/default.aspxBusinesses (SDAT)
egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearchBusiness Entity Search
dat.maryland.gov/Documents/Accessible%20Documents/Charter%20-%20Resource%20Docs/What%20it%20means%20when%20a%20business%20is%20Not%20in%20Good%20Standing%20or%20Forfeited%20-%20Entity%20Status_0326-A.pdfWhat does it mean that a business entity is Not in Good Standing or Forfeited?
dat.maryland.gov/pages/services.aspxServices and Data Available
businessexpress.maryland.gov/manage/order-business-documentsOrder Copies of Business Documents
dat.maryland.gov/Documents/Accessible%20Documents/Charter%20-%20Resource%20Docs/List%20of%20Fees%20for%20Charter%20Services%20and%20Document%20Filings_0326-A.pdfFee Schedule for Documents (SDAT Revised May 2024)
businessexpress.maryland.gov/plan/select-business-nameSelect a Business Name

Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC

Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.