Register Your Business Online | Maryland.gov (original) (raw)

Please review the Fee Schedule prior to registering your business or ordering documents. All filings completed online are considered Expedited.

What types of businesses can I register online?

For business filing types not currently accepted online, please visit the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation website for assistance.

Can I register or renew a Trade Name online?

You may register or renew a trade name online.

A Trade Name is a ‘Trading As’ name, which may be different from the legal name of the business as registered with the State of Maryland.

Please note that a Trade Name is not the same as a Trademark. For more information on how to register a Trademark in Maryland, refer to the Trademarks and Servicemarks FAQ. If you can answer YES to ANY of the following questions, then you may proceed to apply for a Trade Name.

  1. Is the Trade Name needed for a specific license?
  2. Will the Trade Name serve as a ‘doing business as’ name under the legal entity name?
  3. Will your trade name be different from your legal entity name?

Trade Names may be renewed online up to 6 months prior to the lapse date. The original Trade Name must be in active status and the owner(s) of the Trade Name must be in Good Standing.

What other filings can I submit online?

You can also search for businesses and order business documents.

Can I use my own documentation when filing online?

You may submit business filings using your own documentation for the following types:

What changes to my business can I make online?

For eligible businesses, you can make the following changes online:

For more information, visit Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation’s Forms and Applications. See the options in the ‘Make Changes to an Existing Business’ section.

Do I need to file an Annual Report?

All legal business entities formed, qualified, or registered to do business in Maryland MUST file an Annual Report:

Do I need to file a Personal Property Tax Return?

All legal business entities formed, qualified, or registered to do business in Maryland MUST file an Annual Report.

For 2023 Annual Reports:
If your business owns, leases, or uses personal property located in Maryland with a total original cost of $20,000 or more, you MUST also file a Personal Property Tax Return.

For 2022 Annual Reports and prior years:
If your business can answer ‘Yes’ to either of the following questions, you MUST file a Personal Property Tax Return.

Rental property (condominiums, townhouses, cottages, rooms, etc.) in Ocean City/Worcester County (Unincorporated) must file a Form 7 Personal Property Tax Return using paper forms (no fees apply).

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships registered to do business in Maryland MUST file an Annual Report (Form 2, no fee).

For general assistance with the Annual Report, contact the Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxations office at 410-767-1330 or sdat.cscc@maryland.gov.

For questions specific to the Business Personal Property Return portion of your Annual Report filing, contact the Business Personal Property office at 410-767-1170 or sdat.persprop@maryland.gov.

Can I file my Annual Report/Personal Property Tax Return online?

Not all business types can be filed online at this time. If your business falls into one of the following categories, you will NOT be able to file online. Download Annual Report and Personal Property Tax Return forms here.

Can I file my Annual Report/Personal Property Tax Return for prior years?

YES, you can file PREVIOUS YEAR annual filings online. However, if your business falls into one of the following categories, you will NOT be able to submit PREVIOUS YEAR filings online. Download Annual Report and/or Personal Property Tax Return forms here. Business entities that are forfeited, or Not in Good Standing (other than dissolved, merged, or consolidated), ARE ELIGIBLE to file, provided they do not fall into the categories listed below:

Other important requirements for submitting previous year filings:

After Filing Annual Reports and Personal Property Returns, it is recommended you use the Maryland Business Express online entity search to verify that your business status is Active and that it is in Good Standing. If your business status is not Active or is not in Good Standing, please review this Good Standing Checklist to determine the additional steps that may need to be taken. Please note that Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships cannot have Good Standing status, but are displayed only as Active or Inactive.

Can I pay a late filing penalty online?

Yes, you can pay a late filing penalty using Maryland Business Express either as a logged-in user or guest user. Search for the entity, click on the entity name, then click on the Annual Report/Personal Property tab. You will see options to submit Annual Reports and/or Pay Penalties. If you submit an Annual Report with your Penalty payment, you will be required to log in or create a user account.

Payment of a late filing penalty does not guarantee immediate Good Standing. To confirm whether your penalty payment places your entity back into Good Standing status, ensure that you are logged into your Maryland Business Express account. Locate the entity in your ‘Businesses’ tab and click on the entity name. The General Information tab will indicate whether the entity is back in Good Standing. If the entity is Active, but not in Good Standing, the Annual Report/Personal Property tab will indicate which additional penalties or Annual Reports are due. If the entity is in Forfeited status, additional filings with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation are required.

If your penalties are more than 3 years old, you will need to visit the State of Maryland Central Collection Unit website.

For questions related to your penalty payment(s), email sdat.forfeiture@maryland.gov or call 410-767-4950.