Charter Business Services

News and Announcements

Register business through the Central Business Licensing and Registration portal. Filing types currently accepted: Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Maryland Limited Liability Company, Foreign (Non-Maryland) Limited Liability Company, Stock Corporation, Tax-Exempt Nonstock Corporation, Close Corporation, Foreign (Non-Maryland) Corporation.
Verify certified copies of documents issued by the Department through the Central Business Licensing portal.

Walk-in Assistance: In-person counter assistance at 301 W. Preston St. 8th Floor is available Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. You must be in line no later than 4:15 p.m. in order to receive service that same day.

Helpful Resources For New & Existing Businesses

• Checklist for New Businesses - Information on business licenses and other requirements.
• What it means when a business is Not in Good Standing or Forfeited
• Questions and Answers Forfeitures
• List of Fees for Charter Services and Document Filings
• Frequently Asked Charter Questions
• Questions and Answers for Non-Maryland (Foreign) Businesses

Sources Outside of SDAT

• Department of Commerce Start a Business in Maryland Guide
  
• Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation
• Minority Business Enterprise
  
• Comptroller of Maryland business tax payer services
  
• MD Small Business Development Center - Business entity descriptions, training workshops and other valuable resources
• US Small Business Administration - Federal information regarding loans, online courses, planning and financing a new business

Important Filing Information

• Document Return Fee: All filers of business entity charter documents must indicate at the time of filing if they are “opting out” of having their original filed documents returned to them. If a filer wishes to have the original documents returned, then he or she must pay an additional $5.00 filing fee with the payment of the other fees for the processing of the documents. If the $5.00 fee is not paid, the Department will assume the filer did not want the original documents returned.
  
  
• Rejected Corporate Charter Documents: Please note that under *Maryland law a filer has sixty (60) days from the date of our initial rejection of a filing to correct any rejected document and resubmit it or all filing fees are retained by the Department for reviewing the first filing. If a document is resubmitted after the sixtieth day, another separate filing fee must be paid with the second submission. If a filer chooses not to resubmit the document for filing, a demand for a refund must be made in writing within sixty (60) days of the date of the initial rejection of the document.