How to Start an LLC in Maryland
Our Maryland LLC formation package is $199 plus the state's $100 filing fee — we prepare and file the paperwork. Every Maryland LLC also needs a registered agent on record; that's $99/year, invoiced as its own separate line.
Launching an LLC in Maryland involves a single state filing, an ongoing appointed agent, and a short list of compliance items each year. Filing through the state costs $100 by mail or $150 online, typically clearing within a few business days, and then you transition into the annual upkeep phase. Next up: the entire sequence, all the numbers, and the part our service takes care of.
Build Your Maryland LLC — $199
Hand the work to us for $199. We prepare the documents, file with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), and the state takes about a few business days to respond.
Build Your Maryland LLC — $199
The Maryland LLC, Briefly Explained
LLCs are the workhorse small-business entity — they shield the owner's the owner's assets and pass income straight to the owner's tax return. In Maryland, LLCs serve small operators well: protection from business liabilities without the complexity of a corporation.
Maryland LLC Costs at a Glance
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Maryland SDAT) | $100–$150 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Maryland LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $300/year |
Our filing fee is $199. State fees flow to Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). The agent service is $99 annually, billed separately.
Important Maryland-specific notes: Filing fee: $100 by mail, $150 online through Maryland Business Express. Yearly report (Personal Property Tax Return) is $300 due April 15. Filed with SDAT (Dept. Of Assessments and Taxation), not Secretary of State. $100 fee for SDAT-certified family farms.
Step-by-Step: Forming Your Maryland LLC
1. Pick a Name Maryland SDAT Will Accept
Your chosen LLC name in Maryland needs an LLC suffix and needs to be clearly different from anything already in the state's records at the state. The state's entity database (searchable through Maryland SDAT) tells you immediately whether a name is available.
Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted in entity names. Skip them unless you've already cleared the relevant authority.
2. Designate a Registered Agent
The appointed agent requirement applies to every LLC in Maryland: a real Maryland address (not a PO box alone) and presence across the business day. The agent details appear in Maryland SDAT's public entity records, which means anyone can look them up.
We act as the agent in Maryland for $99/year. Our address is what appears on the public filing.
3. Send the Articles of Organization to Maryland SDAT
This is the filing that creates the entity: file Articles of Organization with Maryland SDAT and pay $100 by mail or $150 online to the state. What goes on the form: the company name, the entity's principal location, agent identity and address, manager- or member-managed designation, and the people serving as organizers.
Submit through Maryland Business Express for the standard online submission process ($150); mail filings ($100) take noticeably longer.
Approval normally comes back in a few business days. Faster processing is sometimes offered at extra cost.
4. Write the Operating Agreement
Operating agreements stay internal in Maryland — not filed with the state, but read by banks, accountants, and courts when something goes sideways. The agreement defines ownership, distributions, management authority, voting rules, and exit procedures. No operating agreement means Maryland's LLC statute fills the gaps, often in ways that don't fit how you wanted the LLC to operate.
5. Get a Federal Tax ID (EIN)
An EIN operates as your LLC's federal tax ID. It's referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. EINs are free at IRS.gov. The application is short — around ten minutes, and the number arrives on the spot.
Third-party EIN services don't add value: EINs are free from the IRS via a brief form.
6. Stay on Top of Ongoing Compliance
Post-formation, you're responsible for the following ongoing items:
- Always keep an agent in the state's records with a in-state address without interruption
- Send in Maryland's yearly report on schedule each year
- Maintain a hard separation between LLC bookkeeping and personal records (its own bank account, its own books)
- Stay compliant with all federal and state tax requirements when they're due
Slip on any of those and Maryland SDAT can administratively dissolve the LLC. Once that happens, the liability protection is gone until you bring everything current.
Want this handled? Pay our $199 flat fee and we file the Maryland LLC for you.
Why the Registered Agent Rule Matters
The agent requirement applies to every LLC in Maryland — no exceptions, no workarounds. What the agent must do:
- Preserve Maryland street-address coverage (PO box only is not allowed)
- Be present during the regular workday to accept official mail and lawsuits
- Deliver all received mail and notices promptly to keep response windows intact
Privacy is often part of why people form an LLC. Once it's listed, anyone running a Maryland entity search can find it.
$99/year buys you our agent service. We take the public-record slot so you don't have to.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?
Forming the LLC runs $100 by mail or $150 online in state fees. The recurring yearly report sits at $300/year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Maryland?
Typical turnaround at Maryland SDAT is a few business days.
Does Maryland require an annual report?
Yes. Plan on $300/year per year for the yearly report.
Do I need a registered agent for my Maryland LLC?
Yes. Maryland's LLC statute requires a statutory agent based at an in-state address. The agent has to be on file every single day the LLC exists.
Can I form an LLC in Maryland if I live in another state?
Yes. An in-state agent is the one requirement; our $99/year service is exactly that. Out-of-state owners can form Maryland LLCs freely.
File Your Maryland LLC With Our Help
You can file your Maryland LLC directly with Maryland SDAT via Maryland Business Express. The agent requirement still applies regardless — $100 by mail or $150 online is the state's filing fee.
Our service plays the statutory agent role for your Maryland LLC. For $99 per year, covers the public address, same-day scan-and-upload of anything that lands in our Maryland mailbox, and compliance alerts for upcoming filings.
Start Your Maryland LLC — $199
Looking for the statutory agent on its own? The standalone Maryland agent plan amounts to $99/year on its own.
More to know about Maryland LLCs or the registered agent piece? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.
Ready to file your Maryland LLC?
$199 covers formation and filing; the Maryland registered agent runs $99/year, billed on its own.