Maryland LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | Maryland amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $100 ($150 with expedited review; 3% online service fee) |
| Annual report (Form 1) | $300 |
| When it is due | 15 April every year (extension to 15 June on request) |
| State tax on the LLC | No separate franchise tax on LLCs |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $100 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $300 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation and other official Maryland sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?
The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) charges $100 to file Articles of Organization for an LLC. Payments through Maryland Business Express carry a 3% service fee.
Expedited review costs $50 more, for $150 in total, and takes 7 to 10 business days. Same-day rush service costs considerably more. A name reservation costs $25.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in Maryland covers the form field by field.
How much does a Maryland LLC cost every year?
Every Maryland LLC files an annual report and business personal property return (Form 1) with SDAT by 15 April, and the fee is $300. The fee is the same whether or not the LLC owns business property or made any money.
An LLC that requests it online can extend the deadline to 15 June. Maryland’s $300 annual report fee is the second highest in the country after Massachusetts’ $500, level with Tennessee’s $300 minimum, and over three years it costs six times the formation fee.
What does a Maryland LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a Maryland LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts Maryland charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $100 | $100 |
| Year 2 | $300 | $447 |
| Year 3 | $300 | $447 |
| Three-year total | $700 | $994 |
Does Maryland charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
Maryland charges no separate franchise tax on LLCs; the $300 annual report fee is the recurring state charge. An LLC taxed as a partnership or a disregarded entity pays no state income tax itself.
Members pay Maryland income tax on their share of profit at rates up to 6.50%, plus a county or Baltimore City local income tax of up to 3.30% from 2026.
How much does a registered agent cost in Maryland?
Every Maryland LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in Maryland. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our Maryland registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a Maryland LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A Maryland LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other Maryland LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the Maryland state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $25 | LLC name reservation; $20 expedite. |
| Expedited filing | $50 | Expedited review in 7 to 10 business days, so articles filed with expedite cost $150 in total |
| Certificate of good standing | $20 | Plus $20 if expedited. |
| Certified copy | $20 plus $1 per page | Additional certified copies $1 per page; expedite $20 per document. |
| Amending the articles | $100 | Amendment to Articles of Organization; $50 expedite. |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $25 | Trade Name filing; $50 expedite. |
| Changing registered agent | $25 | Change of principal office, resident agent and resident agent address; $50 expedite. |
| Foreign LLC registration | $100 | Foreign LLC registration; $50 expedite. |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $100 | Articles of Reinstatement (domestic); $50 expedite. |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in Maryland, and Maryland does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a Maryland LLC deadline?
A late Maryland Form 1 carries a penalty of one tenth of one percent of the county assessment, plus interest of 2% of that penalty for every 30 days. An LLC that misses 15 April loses its good standing, and SDAT can then forfeit its right to do business in Maryland.
Non-filers also receive an estimated assessment at twice the estimated value of their personal property. Reinstating a forfeited LLC costs $100 for the Articles of Reinstatement plus every overdue report.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in Maryland sets out the steps.
How does Maryland compare with other states?
Maryland is cheap to form and expensive to keep. Its $100 formation fee matches the $100 national median, but the $300 annual report costs six times Virginia’s $50 fee and twelve times West Virginia’s $25 report.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $100 | $300 | $100 to form, $300 annual report |
| Virginia LLC cost | $100 | $50 | $100 to form, $50 annual registration fee |
| Delaware LLC cost | $110 | $400 | $400 flat annual tax due 1 June |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 | $125 to form, $7 annual report |
| West Virginia LLC cost | $100 | $25 | $100 to form, $25 annual report |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a Maryland LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your Maryland LLC for $0 plus the $100 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the Maryland filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every Maryland deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in Maryland first.
Maryland LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Maryland?
A Maryland LLC costs $100 to form, or $150 with expedited review, plus a 3% service fee online. After that it pays $300 a year for the annual report.
When is the Maryland LLC annual report due?
By 15 April every year. An LLC that requests it online can extend the deadline to 15 June.
Why is the Maryland annual report $300?
The $300 fee covers the Form 1 annual report and business personal property return. Every Maryland LLC pays it, whether or not the business owns property.
What happens if I miss the Maryland annual report?
A late penalty and interest apply, the LLC loses good standing, and SDAT can forfeit its right to do business. Reinstatement costs $100 plus the overdue reports.
Does Maryland charge franchise tax on LLCs?
No. Maryland has no separate franchise tax on LLCs. Members pay state and local income tax on their share of profit.
How much does a Maryland LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $700 in state fees: $100 to form and two $300 annual reports. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $994.
Sources
- Maryland SDAT, business filing fee schedule
- Maryland SDAT, 2026 Form 1 annual report instructions
- Maryland SDAT, Articles of Organization
- Comptroller of Maryland, 2025 legislative income tax changes
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation before you file.
