Business formation

Form your business in Maryland

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Maryland with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

Start your formation See the service

Forming an LLC in Maryland costs $100 in state filing fees, which is right at the national median: 18 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $120 and a nonprofit for $120. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Maryland state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Maryland Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$100
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$120
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$120

Note: base $100 + $20 organization & capitalization fee for stock entities.

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Maryland

Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return (Form 1)

$300

April 15 each year, for LLCs on record as of January 1 A late return draws a penalty based on the county assessment. An LLC that does not file gets an estimated assessment and is forfeited.

State tax on the LLC

Maryland has no franchise tax on LLCs; the $300 annual report fee is the recurring state charge. An LLC taxed as a partnership files Form 510 with the Comptroller by April 15 for calendar-year filers and pays tax on behalf of nonresident members. Counties and some towns tax business personal property such as furniture, equipment and inventory, assessed from the Form 1 return; an LLC with less than $20,000 of Maryland personal property at original cost can skip that section.

How long Maryland takes

SDAT lists 6 to 8 weeks for a standard filing. Expedited filing costs $150 and takes 7 to 14 business days. Same-day service is listed at $425 online or $525 on paper. Online payments through Maryland Business Express carry a 3 percent convenience fee.

What is different about Maryland

• Maryland's business registry is the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), and the annual report doubles as the business personal property tax return.
• The $300 annual report fee applies whether or not the LLC had income; businesses approved by MarylandSaves, the state retirement savings program, can have it waived.
• The Articles of Organization must list a principal office address in Maryland as well as a Maryland resident agent.

Guide reviewed October 2026 against the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Maryland street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Maryland. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Maryland

How much does an LLC cost per year in Maryland?: $300 for the annual report, due April 15. Business personal property reported on the same return may also be taxed by the county.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?: $100 for the Articles of Organization, plus a 3 percent convenience fee if paid online through Maryland Business Express. Expedited filing costs $150.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Maryland?: SDAT lists 6 to 8 weeks for a standard filing and 7 to 14 business days for an expedited filing at $150. Same-day service is listed at $425 online or $525 on paper.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Maryland?: The Maryland state filing fee for an LLC is $100, paid once when you file the formation document. That is right at the national median: 18 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Maryland?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Maryland who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Maryland formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Maryland? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Maryland state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Maryland Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$100
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$120
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$120

Note: base $100 + $20 organization & capitalization fee for stock entities.

What an LLC costs every year in Maryland

Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return (Form 1)

$300

April 15 each year, for LLCs on record as of January 1 A late return draws a penalty based on the county assessment. An LLC that does not file gets an estimated assessment and is forfeited.

State tax on the LLC

How long Maryland takes

What is different about Maryland

• Maryland's business registry is the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), and the annual report doubles as the business personal property tax return.

• The $300 annual report fee applies whether or not the LLC had income; businesses approved by MarylandSaves, the state retirement savings program, can have it waived.

• The Articles of Organization must list a principal office address in Maryland as well as a Maryland resident agent.

Guide reviewed October 2026 against the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Maryland street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Maryland. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Maryland

How much does an LLC cost per year in Maryland?

$300 for the annual report, due April 15. Business personal property reported on the same return may also be taxed by the county.

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

$100 for the Articles of Organization, plus a 3 percent convenience fee if paid online through Maryland Business Express. Expedited filing costs $150.

How long does it take to form an LLC in Maryland?

SDAT lists 6 to 8 weeks for a standard filing and 7 to 14 business days for an expedited filing at $150. Same-day service is listed at $425 online or $525 on paper.

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

The Maryland state filing fee for an LLC is $100, paid once when you file the formation document. That is right at the national median: 18 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Maryland?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Maryland who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.