- Maryland LLC fees at a glance
- The annual report and personal property return
- The insight most owners miss: the $300 can be waived
- Falling behind costs more than the late fee
- How to form a Maryland LLC, step by step
- Foreign LLCs, certificates and drop-offs
- Who should think twice
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To form a Maryland LLC, you file articles of organization with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) and pay $100, as of October 2026. Every year after that, the LLC files an annual report, which costs $300. For 2026, reports were due on or before April 15, with a 60-day extension available online.
Maryland is cheap to enter and expensive to stay in. The $300 annual report is the cost that surprises people, and there's a little-known way to have it waived. Here's what the state code and SDAT say.
Maryland LLC fees at a glance
These fees come from section 1-203 of Maryland's Corporations and Associations article, as of October 2026:
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Articles of organization | $100 |
| Articles or certificate of reinstatement | $100 |
| Name reservation | $25 |
| Annual report (Maryland LLC) | $300 |
| Annual report (family farm) | $100 |
| Registration of a foreign LLC | $100 |
| Certificate of status | $20 |
SDAT also runs a same-day dropbox for charter filings at its Baltimore office, with a $425 expedited fee on top of the base filing fee, as of October 2026. Hand-delivered annual reports placed in that dropbox count as filed that day and don't need the expedite fee.
The annual report and personal property return
SDAT handles the annual report alongside the business personal property return, and its notice covers both. For 2026, SDAT told all domestic and foreign business entities to file on or before April 15, 2026, or request a 60-day extension by then. With an approved extension, the due date was Monday, June 15. Extension requests can only be made online.
Nearly all charter and personal property filings can be made online through Maryland Business Express, which is also where you register the business and order documents. If you want to see how Maryland's yearly filing compares, my guide to the LLC annual report covers the main differences between states.
The insight most owners miss: the $300 can be waived
SDAT publishes a fee waiver tied to MarylandSaves, a state-endorsed retirement savings program that employers can sign up to. Employers that sign up qualify for a waiver of the $300 annual report fee for each year they remain qualified, as of October 2026. SDAT says enrolling now earns the exemption for the 2027 annual report, and MarylandSaves, not SDAT, keeps the list of eligible businesses.
If you have employees, this is worth a look. For a small LLC, $300 a year is a noticeable cost, and the program itself has no administrative fees for employers, according to SDAT's notice.
Falling behind costs more than the late fee
SDAT says that since January 1, 2021, every entity must file all of its past-due annual reports to revive, reinstate, re-register or re-qualify, with narrow exceptions for some religious and non-stock corporations. So a lapsed Maryland LLC doesn't just pay the $100 reinstatement fee. It pays for every year it missed at $300 each, as of October 2026, before it can come back.
How to form a Maryland LLC, step by step
- Check your name, and reserve it for $25 if you need to hold it, as of October 2026.
- Line up who will receive legal papers for the LLC. My guide to picking a registered agent explains what the role involves.
- File the articles of organization through Maryland Business Express and pay $100.
- Sign an operating agreement with your members.
- Put April 15 in the calendar for the annual report and personal property return.
- If you'll hire, check the Maryland minimum wage, and look at MarylandSaves before your first annual report.
Foreign LLCs, certificates and drop-offs
An LLC formed in another state that wants to do business in Maryland registers as a foreign LLC, which costs $100 under section 1-203, as of October 2026, and then owes the same $300 annual report each year. If a bank, landlord or buyer asks for proof your LLC is in good standing, SDAT issues a certificate of status for $20, as of October 2026.
You don't need an appointment to drop off annual reports, personal property returns or other non-rush filings at SDAT. Still, nearly everything can be filed online through Maryland Business Express, which is the faster route for most small businesses and the only route for extension requests.
Who should think twice
If you're testing an idea with little revenue, the $300 a year, as of October 2026, is the number to weigh, not the $100 to start. It recurs every year the LLC exists, whether or not it trades. That doesn't make Maryland a bad choice, especially for a business that's physically there, but it's a cost to plan for rather than discover in April.
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My verdict
Maryland gets you started for $100, as of October 2026, but the $300 annual report is the cost that matters. File by April 15 or extend online, never let reports pile up, and if you employ people, check the MarylandSaves waiver before you pay the next one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?
The articles of organization cost $100, as of October 2026, under section 1-203 of the Corporations and Associations article.
How much is the Maryland LLC annual report?
It's $300 for a Maryland LLC, as of October 2026, or $100 for a family farm.
When is the Maryland annual report due?
For 2026, on or before April 15, or June 15 with an approved 60-day extension requested online.
Can the Maryland $300 annual report fee be waived?
Yes, for employers that qualify through MarylandSaves. SDAT says each year they remain qualified earns a waiver of the $300 fee.
What happens if I miss Maryland annual reports?
To revive or reinstate, SDAT requires you to file all past-due annual reports, so each missed year has to be paid.
How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Maryland?
Registration of a foreign LLC costs $100, as of October 2026, and the LLC then files the $300 annual report each year.
How do I prove my Maryland LLC is in good standing?
Order a certificate of status from SDAT, which costs $20, as of October 2026.
Can I get a Maryland LLC formed the same day?
SDAT's same-day dropbox in Baltimore takes charter filings with a $425 expedited fee on top of the base fee, as of October 2026.
