How to Form an LLC in Maryland
Our Maryland LLC formation package is $199 plus the state's $100 filing fee, and we prepare and file the paperwork. Every Maryland LLC also needs a registered agent on record; your first year with us is included, then it's $99/year.
Forming an LLC in Maryland means one state filing, a registered agent on record from day one, and a short list of yearly obligations after that. The filing goes to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), the agency that handles business filings in place of a Secretary of State, and the state charges $100 for it. Below: the fee breakdown, the Articles of Organization, and the steps in order.
Build Your Maryland LLC — $199
Hand the work to us for $199. We prepare the documents and file with Maryland SDAT, keep our name on the resident agent line through year one, and email you when SDAT signs off.
Maryland LLC Filing Fee
The official state filing fee for Maryland Articles of Organization is $100. That is the whole charge for a standard filing whether you mail it or use Maryland Business Express, where card payments pick up a 3% technology fee. Paying $50 more for expedited review is your choice; without it, SDAT gets to the filing in the second calendar month after it arrives. Same-day rush processing also exists for those in a hurry, at $325 online or $425 for paper drop-off. The current numbers are published in SDAT's charter fee schedule.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Maryland SDAT) | $100 one-time (+$50 if you choose expedited) |
| Resident agent (required for every Maryland LLC) | Bundled free for twelve months; $99 annually afterward |
| State annual report (Form 1) | $300/year |
We bill $199 to file, and that price carries a year of resident agent coverage. State fees go to SDAT. Agent renewals start in year two at $99 annually.
Maryland Articles of Organization
The document that creates a Maryland LLC is the Articles of Organization. SDAT does not assign it a form number; the official form name is simply Articles of Organization for a Limited Liability Company. Authority comes from Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 4A-202, which provides that "Any person may form a limited liability company by causing articles of organization to be executed and filed for record with the Department."
The Articles ask for your LLC name, the principal office address in Maryland, and your registered agent's name and Maryland address (the form says resident agent, Maryland's statutory term for the same role). You can file online through Maryland Business Express or mail the paper form to SDAT.
Step-by-Step: Forming Your Maryland LLC
- Choose a name that SDAT will accept. It needs an LLC designator and must be distinguishable from entities already in the state's records. Search SDAT's entity database before you commit, and avoid restricted words implying banking, insurance, or government ties unless you hold the underlying approval.
- Designate a resident agent. Under Maryland law that's a Maryland resident or a Maryland-formed corporation, LLC or LP, and the agent's consent is part of the Articles. The name and address become public. We fill this role so your own address stays off the filing, with no agent charge in our first year together and $99 per year from then on.
- File the Articles of Organization with SDAT and pay the $100 fee, plus $50 if you want expedited review. Online filing through Maryland Business Express is the faster route; mailed filings take longer to work through the queue.
- Adopt an operating agreement. Maryland does not require you to file one, but banks, accountants, and courts will ask for it, and without one the default rules of Maryland's LLC statute govern your company in ways you may not intend.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free at IRS.gov, takes about ten minutes online, and issues immediately. Skip any service that charges for this.
- Keep up with compliance: maintain a registered agent continuously, file the Form 1 annual report with SDAT by April 15 each year ($300), keep business finances separate from personal ones, and stay current on taxes.
Miss the ongoing items and SDAT can forfeit the LLC's charter, taking your liability protection with it until everything is brought current.
Want it handled? Pay our $199 flat fee and we file the Maryland LLC for you.
Why the Registered Agent Rule Matters
Every Maryland LLC keeps an agent on record from formation onward, no exceptions. The agent must maintain a Maryland street address (a PO box alone will not do), receive lawsuits and official mail at that address, and pass everything along promptly so legal response windows stay intact.
Whatever address is listed becomes searchable in SDAT's public records. We take that public slot so your home or office does not have to; that service is bundled into year one of our formation and runs $99 per year once it renews.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?
SDAT charges $100 for the Articles, mailed or filed in Business Express; expedited review is an optional $50 on top. After formation, the Form 1 annual report is $300 per year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Maryland?
SDAT works standard filings during the second calendar month after they come in. With the $50 expedite, first review lands seven to fourteen business days out, and the $325 online rush option is reviewed within three hours when submitted before 2:30 PM.
Does Maryland require an annual report?
Yes. Form 1 is due to SDAT by April 15 every year with a $300 fee.
Do I need a registered agent for my Maryland LLC?
Yes. Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 4A-210 requires every Maryland LLC to maintain a principal office in the state and a resident agent, Maryland's term for a registered agent, at a Maryland address for as long as the LLC exists.
Can I form an LLC in Maryland if I live in another state?
Yes. There is no residency requirement for owners. The LLC itself needs a Maryland resident agent, and that's our job, with year one folded into the formation price.
File Your Maryland LLC With Our Help
You can self-file with SDAT through Maryland Business Express; the fee is $100, with expedited review optional at $50 more. The registered agent requirement applies either way.
Prefer to skip the paperwork? Our $199 service prepares and files the Articles, and our agent service (no added charge in year one, $99 per year once it renews) covers the public address, same-day scanning of anything that arrives, and reminders before compliance deadlines.
Looking for the agent service on its own? The standalone Maryland agent plan is $99/year.
More questions about Maryland LLCs or the registered agent role? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.
Ready to file your Maryland LLC?
$199 covers formation and filing, plus your first year of Maryland registered agent service. After that, the agent is $99/year.