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Maryland Business Express

Registrations & Filings

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You will need a user account to submit filings through Maryland Business Express. Use your account to create and/or manage multiple businesses.

Online FilingLog in or create a user account to proceed  

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

Common Filing Questions

What types of businesses can I register online?

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • General Partnership
  • Maryland Limited Liability Company
  • Foreign (Non-Maryland) Limited Liability Company
  • Maryland Stock Corporation
  • Maryland Tax-Exempt Nonstock Corporation
  • Maryland Religious Corporation
  • Maryland Close Corporation
  • Foreign (Non-Maryland) Corporation

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?

  • Combined Registration Application (register tax accounts with the Comptroller of Maryland)
  • Resolution to Change your Principal Office and/or Resident Agent
  • Articles of Amendment, Dissolution, Revival, Reinstatement, Supplementary, Merger, Restatement
  • Certificates of Correction, Cancellation, Reinstatement
  • Termination, Requalification and Re-registration for Foreign businesses

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:

  • Maryland Limited Liability Company
  • Maryland Stock Corporation
  • Maryland Tax-Exempt Nonstock Corporation
  • Maryland Close Corporation
  • Articles of Amendment, Supplementary, Merger and Certificates of Correction
  • Articles of Dissolution, Revival, Requalification, Certificates of Cancellation and Applications for Termination

What changes to my business can I make online?

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

  • Change Principal Office Address
  • Change Resident Agent
  • Cancel a Maryland LLC
  • Articles of Amendment MD Corp
  • Articles of Amendment MD LLC
  • Certificate of Correction
  • Articles Supplementary
  • Articles of Merger
  • Articles of Restatement
  • Articles of Amendment and Restatement
  • Articles of Dissolution of a Maryland Corp
  • Articles of Revival of a Maryland Corp
  • Articles or Certificate of Reinstatement
  • Certificate of Cancellation of a Foreign LLC
  • Application for Termination for a Foreign Corp
  • Foreign Corp Requalification
  • Foreign LLC Re-registration.

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.

Annual Report/Personal Property Questions

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:

  • Legal business entities (Corporations, LLC, LP, LLP, etc.), whether they are foreign or domestic, must file a Form 1 Annual Report (fees apply)
  • Credit Unions must file a Form 3 Annual Report (fees apply)
  • Financial Institutions, Banks, Savings Banks, Savings & Loans, and Trust Companies must file a Form 5 Annual Report (fees apply)

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.

  • Does the business own, lease, or use personal property located in Maryland?
  • Does the business maintain a trader’s license with a local unit of government in Maryland?
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.

  • Government Entity
  • General Partnership
  • Credit Union, Financial Institution, Bank, Savings Bank, Savings & Loan, and Trust Companies
  • Co-operative (Nonstock)
  • Rental Property in Worcester County (Unincorporated)
  • Public Utility
  • Cable company

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:

  • Government Entity
  • General Partnership
  • Credit Union, Financial Institution, Bank, Savings Bank, Savings & Loan, and Trust Companies
  • Co-operative (Nonstock)
  • Rental Property in Worcester County (Unincorporated)
  • Public Utility
  • Cable company

Other important requirements for submitting previous year filings:

  • Oldest filings must be completed first
  • Filings must be completed in order (oldest to most recent)
  • Once completed, multiple filings can be submitted with one payment
  • Your current year filing may be submitted even if you have incomplete 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?