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

The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) charges a $100 filing fee for your Articles of Organization, making the initial formation step affordable. However, Maryland's annual personal property return fee of $300 is due every April 15th, which makes ongoing compliance more expensive than most states. For example, if you form your LLC in June 2026, your first personal property return and $300 fee are due by April 15, 2027, less than a year away from formation. This makes Maryland's total first-year cost approximately $400 in state fees before any optional services. Additional costs may include registered agent services and any county or state-specific business licenses. Maryland doesn't require newspaper publication, saving you the newspaper charges that apply in states like New York. Exception: professional LLCs in regulated fields such as law, medicine, or accounting must also obtain separate licensing from the relevant Maryland professional licensing board. File online through Maryland Business Express at businessexpress.maryland.gov for 7-business-day processing.

Do I need a Maryland address to form an LLC in Maryland?

You don't need to be a Maryland resident or personally hold a Maryland address to form a Maryland LLC, but your LLC must maintain a registered agent with a physical Maryland street address, P.O. boxes aren't acceptable. The registered agent receives all legal documents, lawsuit notices, and official correspondence from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation on behalf of your LLC during normal business hours. This can be yourself if you've a Maryland street address, a trusted Maryland resident who agrees to serve, or a professional registered agent service with a Maryland office. Exception: if your registered agent resigns, relocates, or becomes unavailable, you must promptly file an amendment to update your registered agent information with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation to avoid losing good standing. Appoint your agent during the online filing process at businessexpress.maryland.gov.

What is Maryland's annual report requirement for LLCs?

Maryland LLCs must file an annual personal property return by April 15 each year with a $300 fee paid to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). The personal property return reports your LLC's business property, assets, and other key information to the state. For example, if you form your LLC in July 2026, your first personal property return and $300 fee are due by April 15, 2027, approximately nine months after formation. The $300 annual fee is among the higher compliance costs in the country, so factor this into your ongoing business budget. Failure to file on time results in late penalties and interest, and continued non-filing can lead to forfeiture of your LLC's good standing. Exception: LLCs that own no business personal property may still be required to file the return and pay the fee; confirm with SDAT. File online at dat.maryland.gov to maintain good standing.

Can I form an LLC online in Maryland?

Yes, Maryland offers fully online LLC formation through the Maryland Business Express portal at businessexpress.maryland.gov. Online filing is the most convenient option and gives you immediate confirmation of your submission, though it's not the faster route at SDAT: its fee schedule states that non-expedited paper documents “may take 4 - 6 weeks” while non-expedited online documents “will be reviewed within 6-8 weeks”. Expedited review, at $50, is completed within 7-10 business days. After filing, you can track your application status in real-time through the same portal. Online filing also reduces errors compared to paper submissions because the form guides you through each required field. Exception: paper filings submitted by mail or in person are also accepted by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, but they take significantly longer to process, often several weeks, due to mail transit time and manual data entry. To file at no additional cost, submit your Articles of Organization online at businessexpress.maryland.gov, and if SDAT's 6-8 week standard review is too slow for your plans, budget for the $50 expedite.

Does Maryland require publication of LLC formation?

No, Maryland doesn't require LLCs to publish notice of formation in newspapers. Once your Articles of Organization are approved by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, your LLC is fully formed and authorized to conduct business in Maryland, no publication notice, no newspaper affidavit, and no additional waiting period required. This saves Maryland entrepreneurs the publication costs mandated in other states: New York requires six consecutive weeks of notices in two clerk-designated newspapers plus a $50 Certificate of Publication, and Arizona requires three consecutive publications unless the statutory agent's street address is currently in Maricopa or Pima County. Neither state publishes an official price for the newspaper notice, the newspapers set their own rates. Exception: certain regulated business sectors such as banking, securities, or insurance may have separate federal or Maryland state disclosure requirements. File your Articles of Organization online at businessexpress.maryland.gov for a clean, publication-free formation process.

Start Your Maryland LLC in 6 to 8 Weeks

Form your Maryland LLC with confidence using our complete step-by-step guide.

By Edmond Hui · Last updated: October 2026

Filing an LLC in Maryland costs $100 upfront, takes 6 to 8 weeks, and has an annual report due April 15 ($300). See breakdown below.

Maryland publishes its LLC filing turnaround as 6-8 weeks

That's the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation's own published figure, standard filings in 30-40 business days. Expedited service is available: $50 for Expedited review (7-10 business days), $325 for Same-day review, filed online by 2:30 PM, and $425 for Same-day review, paper delivered via dropbox by 10 AM.

Source: MyStateLLC 50-state primary-source processing verification, July 2026

Read this guide for another state:

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$39 with Northwest, plus your $100 state fee. Northwest's $39 includes a year of registered agent service.

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Form your LLC with Northwest ($39 + state fee)Includes a year of registered agent service. After year one, registered agent service is $125/yr. That enrolls you by default in annual report filing at $100 plus state fees, charged automatically to your saved payment method and cancellable any time.

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Quick Facts

State filing fee	$100
Processing time	6 to 8 weeks
Annual report due	April 15
Annual report fee	$300
State income tax	Yes. Members pay state income tax on pass-through profits. Check the current rate with the state tax agency.

Source: Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) (verified July 2026)

Step diagram for forming an LLC in Maryland, showing the 7 required steps, $100 state filing fee, $300 annual report. — The 7 steps to form an LLC in Maryland, with the state's own filing fee and annual report cost. Source: Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), verified July 2026.

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

1
Choose Your Maryland LLC Name
Your LLC name must include 'LLC' or 'Limited Liability Company' and be distinguishable from existing Maryland businesses. Search the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation business name database to confirm availability.
How to search Maryland's business entity records →
Pro tip: Reserve your name for 30 days by filing a Name Reservation Application with a $25 fee if you're not ready to file immediately.
2
Appoint a Maryland Registered Agent
Maryland requires a registered agent with a Maryland street address to receive legal documents. You can serve as your own agent, hire a professional service, or appoint someone you trust who meets the residency requirements.
Maryland registered agent rules, costs and options →
Pro tip: A professional registered agent service puts its address, not yours, on the registered agent line of the public filing, and accepts legal papers during business hours.
3
File Articles of Organization
Submit your Articles of Organization to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation with the $100 filing fee. Include your LLC name, registered agent information, and principal office address. Filing can be completed online through the Maryland Business Express portal.
What You File in Maryland
In Maryland, the formation document is the Articles of Organization, filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Charter Division. The state filing fee is $100. Maryland lets you fill in and file the Articles of Organization online. The state's published processing time: 6 to 8 weeks. The form itself requires the LLC's name, the registered agent's name, the registered office address, the principal office address, the organizer's name, a business purpose and the registered agent's consent. Every line of the Articles of Organization, field by field →
Processing Times
- Online: 6 to 8 weeks for standard online review. SDAT does split this by channel, and paper is the faster of the two
- Mail: 4 to 6 weeks. SDAT's fee schedule states non-expedited service "may take 4 - 6 weeks to review"
- Expedited: $50 for Expedited review (7-10 business days), $325 for Same-day review, filed online by 2:30 PM, and $425 for Same-day review, paper delivered via dropbox by 10 AM
Pro tip: Standard review takes 6 to 8 weeks. Pay the $50 expedite fee for review within 7 to 10 business days, or $325 for same-day online review.
4
Create an Operating Agreement
This page has not confirmed whether Maryland law requires an LLC to have an operating agreement. A written agreement signed by every member is worth having either way: it records who owns what share, who makes decisions and how profits are divided. This internal document should be signed by all LLC members.
Maryland LLC operating agreement: what to include →
Pro tip: Even single-member LLCs benefit from an operating agreement to maintain corporate formality and strengthen liability protection.
5
Obtain an EIN from the IRS
Apply for your Employer Identification Number (EIN) directly through the IRS website at no cost. Most banks ask for this federal tax ID to open a business bank account, and the IRS requires one if the LLC hires employees, owes certain employment or excise taxes, or is taxed as a partnership or corporation.
How to get your LLC's EIN from the IRS, free →
Pro tip: Apply for your EIN immediately after your Articles are approved - you'll need it before opening business bank accounts.
6
Open a Business Bank Account
Maintain separate business finances by opening a dedicated business bank account using your EIN and filed Articles of Organization. This separation matters for maintaining your LLC's limited liability protection and simplifies tax preparation.
Business bank accounts for Maryland LLCs →
Pro tip: Shop around for business banking - many Maryland banks offer special programs and fee waivers for new small businesses.
7
Obtain Business Licenses and Permits
Determine what licenses and permits your specific business type requires in Maryland. Check federal, state, and local requirements through the Maryland OneStop Business portal, which consolidates licensing information for different business activities and locations.
Does your Maryland LLC need a business license? →
Pro tip: Many Maryland counties and cities require a general business license regardless of your business type - check with your local jurisdiction.

Watch: How to Start an LLC in Maryland (2026): Step-by-Step Guide

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each Secretary of State publishes for forming an LLC, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own filing needs: fees and forms change between our reviews, several occupations cannot use an ordinary LLC at all and must use a professional entity, and your city or county may require a registration of its own. Confirm the current fee and form with the filing office named on this page before you send anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

: The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) charges a $100 filing fee for your Articles of Organization, making the initial formation step affordable. However, Maryland's annual personal property return fee of $300 is due every April 15th, which makes ongoing compliance more expensive than most states. For example, if you form your LLC in June 2026, your first personal property return and $300 fee are due by April 15, 2027, less than a year away from formation. This makes Maryland's total first-year cost approximately $400 in state fees before any optional services. Additional costs may include registered agent services and any county or state-specific business licenses. Maryland doesn't require newspaper publication, saving you the newspaper charges that apply in states like New York. Exception: professional LLCs in regulated fields such as law, medicine, or accounting must also obtain separate licensing from the relevant Maryland professional licensing board. File online through Maryland Business Express at businessexpress.maryland.gov for 7-business-day processing.
: Maryland publishes this figure, which many states do not: 6-8 weeks. In the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation's own words: "Standard non-expedited review is 6 to 8 weeks.". Expedited service is available on top of that: $50 for Expedited review (7-10 business days), $325 for Same-day review, filed online by 2:30 PM, and $425 for Same-day review, paper delivered via dropbox by 10 AM. Treat this as a genuine planning figure rather than a guarantee, and confirm it on the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation's own site before committing to a date.
: You don't need to be a Maryland resident or personally hold a Maryland address to form a Maryland LLC, but your LLC must maintain a registered agent with a physical Maryland street address, P.O. boxes aren't acceptable. The registered agent receives all legal documents, lawsuit notices, and official correspondence from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation on behalf of your LLC during normal business hours. This can be yourself if you've a Maryland street address, a trusted Maryland resident who agrees to serve, or a professional registered agent service with a Maryland office. Exception: if your registered agent resigns, relocates, or becomes unavailable, you must promptly file an amendment to update your registered agent information with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation to avoid losing good standing. Appoint your agent during the online filing process at businessexpress.maryland.gov.
: Maryland LLCs must file an annual personal property return by April 15 each year with a $300 fee paid to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). The personal property return reports your LLC's business property, assets, and other key information to the state. For example, if you form your LLC in July 2026, your first personal property return and $300 fee are due by April 15, 2027, approximately nine months after formation. The $300 annual fee is among the higher compliance costs in the country, so factor this into your ongoing business budget. Failure to file on time results in late penalties and interest, and continued non-filing can lead to forfeiture of your LLC's good standing. Exception: LLCs that own no business personal property may still be required to file the return and pay the fee; confirm with SDAT. File online at dat.maryland.gov to maintain good standing.
: Yes, Maryland offers fully online LLC formation through the Maryland Business Express portal at businessexpress.maryland.gov. Online filing is the most convenient option and gives you immediate confirmation of your submission, though it's not the faster route at SDAT: its fee schedule states that non-expedited paper documents “may take 4 - 6 weeks” while non-expedited online documents “will be reviewed within 6-8 weeks”. Expedited review, at $50, is completed within 7-10 business days. After filing, you can track your application status in real-time through the same portal. Online filing also reduces errors compared to paper submissions because the form guides you through each required field. Exception: paper filings submitted by mail or in person are also accepted by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, but they take significantly longer to process, often several weeks, due to mail transit time and manual data entry. To file at no additional cost, submit your Articles of Organization online at businessexpress.maryland.gov, and if SDAT's 6-8 week standard review is too slow for your plans, budget for the $50 expedite.
: No, Maryland doesn't require LLCs to publish notice of formation in newspapers. Once your Articles of Organization are approved by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, your LLC is fully formed and authorized to conduct business in Maryland, no publication notice, no newspaper affidavit, and no additional waiting period required. This saves Maryland entrepreneurs the publication costs mandated in other states: New York requires six consecutive weeks of notices in two clerk-designated newspapers plus a $50 Certificate of Publication, and Arizona requires three consecutive publications unless the statutory agent's street address is currently in Maricopa or Pima County. Neither state publishes an official price for the newspaper notice, the newspapers set their own rates. Exception: certain regulated business sectors such as banking, securities, or insurance may have separate federal or Maryland state disclosure requirements. File your Articles of Organization online at businessexpress.maryland.gov for a clean, publication-free formation process.

Sources

5 documents

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.aspxMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation: business entity filings
dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Documents/FEES.pdfMaryland LLC filing fees
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtp&section=11-101&enactments=falseMaryland statute: Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtp&section=14-704&enactments=falseMaryland statute: Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return
egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpressMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation: file the Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return

More for Maryland LLCs

Ready to Form Your Maryland LLC?

$39 with Northwest, plus your $100 state fee. Northwest's $39 includes a year of registered agent service.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Prefer to file directly? File yourself at the Secretary of State → ($100 state fee, no service fee)

Not sure which service is right? Compare formation services →

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.

How we check facts

Start Your Maryland LLC in 6 to 8 Weeks

Quick Facts

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

Choose Your Maryland LLC Name

Appoint a Maryland Registered Agent

File Articles of Organization

What You File in Maryland

Processing Times

Create an Operating Agreement

Obtain an EIN from the IRS

Open a Business Bank Account

Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

More for Maryland LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

By profession

Ready to Form Your Maryland LLC?

Quick Facts

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

Choose Your Maryland LLC Name

Appoint a Maryland Registered Agent

File Articles of Organization

What You File in Maryland

Processing Times

Create an Operating Agreement

Obtain an EIN from the IRS

Open a Business Bank Account

Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

More for Maryland LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

By profession

Ready to Form Your Maryland LLC?

More Maryland LLC Guides

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