Licenses, Fees and Filing Requirements for Maryland LLCs

Some types of businesses have different requirements in Maryland, including related fees and costs. Your MD LLC needs to pay various fees to the federal government, Maryland government and other agencies. Some of these fees are levied by Maryland Business Express or statewide organizations, while others come from the federal government. On this page, we’ve summarized the most common fees and requirements. 

Note that Maryland business licenses and permits might need to be paid when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. Find more details below.

Initial Filing Costs for Forming an LLC in Maryland

When you first incorporate your business in Maryland, you’ll need to file an LLC with MD Business Express and pay a Maryland filing fee. Here are the current fees and filing times for Maryland:

When you form your MD LLC through Incfile, we automatically forward this fee to Maryland Business Express when we file your incorporation paperwork. 

Some states allow you to form your LLC more quickly by paying a rush fee. You can compare state filing times and fees here, including expedited fees for Maryland.

Incorporate your Maryland LLC through Incfile today

Getting an EIN/Tax ID for Your Maryland LLC

Every Maryland LLC should have a unique employer identification number (EIN). These are provided by the Internal Revenue Service, and you use them when filing taxes, opening a business bank account and paying employees. You can get one yourself at no cost from the IRS or have Incfile obtain one on your behalf.

Get an EIN for your Maryland LLC through Incfile

Certificate of Authority to Operate Outside Maryland

If you’re expanding your Maryland LLC beyond the borders of the state, you will need a Foreign Qualification or Certificate of Authority to operate in another state. These are typically necessary if you have a physical presence, employees or banking in a different state than Maryland. Fees and requirements for foreign qualifications depend on each state’s rules. Incfile provides a complete Foreign Qualification service for any state.

Get a Foreign Qualification/Certificate of Authority through Incfile

Maryland Annual Reports and LLC Costs

Most states need you to file an annual (or other periodic) report. When you file your MD LLC annual report, you will need to pay a fee. Here are the annual filing requirements for Maryland: 

Learn about your ongoing Maryland LLC filing requirements and business filing deadlines with our helpful Maryland filing lookup tool.

Incfile can also complete and file your Maryland Annual Report on your behalf.

Incfile’s Maryland Annual Report filing service

Maryland Business Licenses and Permits

Some MD LLCs will need certain business licenses and permits from federal, state and regional organizations. These permits and licenses will have associated fees that you should pay on a one-off or regular basis. 

Permits and licenses vary based on:

• The industry your Maryland LLC operates in (e.g., restaurants will need health permits)

• The location of your Maryland LLC (state, county or city) (e.g., a license to conduct business from the city of Baltimore)

• The type of business that you run (e.g., healthcare providers must meet HIPAA requirements)

You can research these permits and licenses yourself or use Incfile’s Business License Research Package, which includes:

• A complete report on all the licenses, permits and tax registrations your Maryland LLC will need

• The application forms you will need to file with the Maryland, regional and federal licensing authorities

Remember that operating your business without the required licenses can expose you to risks and fines from federal, Maryland and local governments.

Incfile’s Maryland Business License Research Package

An Operating Agreement for Your Maryland LLC

An Operating Agreement is a business document that covers how the business will be run, how managers and members are chosen, rights and duties of members and several other key areas.

An Operating Agreement is extremely useful for several reasons (learn about them here). If you’re interested in having your Operating Agreement created for you, Incfile can draft a general Operating Agreement template when you choose to form your Maryland business. You can choose to make changes to the template based on your unique requirements. 

Ad Hoc Maryland Fees or Requirements for Your MD LLC

There are several other fees or requirements that you may need to meet during the life of your Maryland LLC. These ad hoc fees will only be payable in specific circumstances, which we’ve listed below.

To Obtain a Trade Name for Your Maryland LLC

If you want your MD business to trade under a different name, you can file a form with Maryland Business Express. You will need to pay a Maryland filing fee. Incfile can file this form on your behalf.

Incfile’s Maryland Fictitious Name service

To Change the Maryland Registered Agent for Your MD LLC

Your Maryland LLC needs a Registered Agent, which must be appointed when you first incorporate your LLC. You can also switch to a new MD Registered Agent later. Incfile provides a complete Maryland Registered Agent service.

Incfile’s Maryland Registered Agent service

To Reserve a Name for Your Maryland LLC

If you don’t want to form your MD business right away, you can reserve a name with Maryland Business Express. 

To Amend Certain Facts About Your Maryland LLC

Your business formation documents state certain facts about your Maryland business when it was originally formed. Over time, these facts might change — if they do, you need to file “Articles of Amendment” with Maryland Business Express. You can do this yourself or have Incfile complete the filing on your behalf.

Areas you might want to file Maryland Articles of Amendment for include:

• Adding, removing or changing a Maryland LLC member or manager

• Changing the business address of your LLC

• Altering the stated business activities of your Maryland LLC

Incfile’s Maryland Articles of Amendment service

To Get a Certificate of Good Standing for Your Maryland LLC

Some organizations will request that you prove your Maryland LLC’s compliance with laws and tax requirements. If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you will need a “Certificate of Good Standing” from Maryland Business Express. Incfile can obtain a certificate on your behalf.

Incfile’s Maryland Certificate of Good Standing service

The fees listed above detail all the charges that a standard MD LLC will be required to pay. In some unusual circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above. 

Of course, your Maryland LLC will also probably need to pay self-employment, payroll, federal, state and sales taxes, but we will cover that when we talk about taxes for MD LLCs.

FAQs About Maryland LLC Costs

What Happens to the State Fees That I Am Charged When Forming My Maryland LLC?

We charge you for this fee at cost and then pay the fee to MD Business Express on your behalf when forming your Maryland business. 

Do I Need to Pay an Annual Report Fee Every Year?

Yes. Maryland requires you to file a report for your LLC every year. You can find out more on the compliance page for your state.

Who Will I Get Business Licenses and Permits from for My Maryland LLC?

It depends on various factors including:

• The type of business you run

• Where you are located

• Governing organizations in your industry

• Federal, state and local regulations

That’s why our Business License Research Package is so useful. It explores all of these areas for you and provides a comprehensive overview of exactly what your Maryland LLC needs to be compliant.