Scheduled Maintenance
Maryland Business Express provides you with all the resources you need to start a business in Maryland. Select from the following:
Form the legal entity for your business with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
-
What types of business filings can I create?
-
Filing types currently accepted:
- Sole Proprietorship
- General Partnership
- Maryland Limited Liability Company
- Foreign (Non-Maryland) Limited Liability Company
- Maryland Stock Corporation
- Maryland Tax-Exempt Nonstock 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.
-
Filing types currently accepted:
Register a business ‘Trading As’ name with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
-
Do I need to register a Trade Name?
- A Trade Name is a “doing business as” name, which may be different from the legal name of the business as registered with the State of Maryland. Registering a Trade Name is not mandatory, but is recommended if you are a Sole Proprietor or Partnership using a name other than the full legal name of the owner or owners, or a Corporation, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Company operating under a name other than the name 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?
» Business Entity Search, Certificate of Status & Document Order
Search business entities and order business documents, including Certificates of Status
-
What type of documents filed online can be ordered?
- Documents may be Certified only, and may include Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization and Trade Names only. Receive documents immediately via email.
- A Maryland Certificate of Status may be required for loans, to renew business licenses, or for tax or other business purposes in Maryland or other states.
- Certificates of Status are NOT available for trade names, name reservations, sole proprietorships, government entities and some other business entities.
-
What type of documents filed in-person, by postal mail or fax can be ordered?
- Documents may be Certified or Non-Certified, and may include Amendments, Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Revivals, Trade Names, etc.
-
Can I order a Certificate of Status?
- Yes. A Maryland Certificate of Status is a document issued by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation that provides evidence that a Maryland business (Corporation, LLC or LP) is authorized to transact business in the state of Maryland, and complies with all state business requirements.
- A Maryland Certificate of Status may be required for loans, to renew business licenses, or for tax or other business purposes in Maryland or other states.
- Certificates of Status are NOT available for trade names, name reservations, sole proprietorships, government entities and some other business entities.
-
What do I need to download and print a Certificate of Status?
You will need:- The Business Name or Department ID number issued by SDAT for a registered business
- A credit card
- Verify Certificate(s) of Status
- Verify Authentication of Certified Copies
» File Personal Property Returns
Our Department processes hundreds of thousands of Personal Property returns annually. This time of year is by far the busiest. If you have recently filed your return, you may experience a delay in viewing the status of your return. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.
File returns for any business, even those not registered through Maryland Business Express
-
Do I need to file a personal property return?
-
If any of the following conditions apply to your business, you will NOT be able to file your Personal Property Return online. You will need to submit paper forms:
- You created your business this year
- You have a foreign (out of country) mailing address
- Your business has multiple locations
- Your business had a location correction in the previous year
- Your business is not in good standing (a status of dissolved, merged or consolidated)
- Your business has a status of ‘Forfeited’, and the date the forfeiture took effect is beyond the current year or three years prior)
-
If your business falls into one of the following categories, you will NOT be able to file your Personal Property Return online. You will need to submit paper forms:
- Government Entity
- General Partnership
- Financial Institution (Bank, Building & Loan, Credit Union etc.)
- Public Utility (Railroad, Utility Cooperative, Non-utility generator etc.)
- Co-operative (Non-stock)
- Cable company
- Rental Property in Worcester County (Unincorporated)
-
If any of the following conditions apply to your business, you will NOT be able to file your Personal Property Return online. You will need to submit paper forms:
Establish your necessary tax accounts with the Comptroller of Maryland
Service Fee
This electronic government service includes a $3 eCheck fee or 3% service/convenience fee for filings with payment processed through Maryland Business Express. This fee is assessed by NICUSA, Inc., Maryland's eGovernment service provider, a third party working under a contract administered by the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT). The service fee is used to develop, maintain, and expand the online service offerings of the state and is non-refundable. Accepted credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Customers not wishing to pay the service fee may file by paper with the Department of Assessments of Taxation.