How to search Maryland business entities online

Maryland business entity records are searchable at egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch, operated by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). Maryland's Secretary of State does not handle business entity registration — that function sits with SDAT, which operates under the state comptroller's authority. No account is required for public searching.

What the search covers

The database covers all entities registered with SDAT: domestic and foreign LLCs, stock corporations, nonstock corporations (nonprofits), professional corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and statutory trusts. Trade names filed with SDAT are also searchable. County-level assumed name filings are held at the county circuit court, not SDAT.

How to search

The portal supports name and Department ID searches. Name searches use a starts-with match. A Department ID — SDAT's unique entity identifier — retrieves a single precise record. Clicking into a result opens the full entity profile, which shows the formation date, entity type, current status, resident agent name and address, officer or director information, and a filing history.

Certificates of Status (Maryland's equivalent of good standing) can be ordered directly from the entity search results. The standard certificate is available online through the SDAT Business Express platform.

Annual reports and processing time

Maryland annual reports are due April 15 each year. The fee is $300 for for-profit entities; nonprofits file at no charge. Online filings through SDAT Business Express carry a 3% technology fee applied to the total. Non-expedited processing currently runs approximately 6–8 weeks.

Rush same-day service is available — $325 online, $425 in-person — for entities that need processed documents on the day of submission. Expedited service must be specifically requested and paid at the time of filing.

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation or any state agency. Verify current procedures at dat.maryland.gov — Business Services. Source: Maryland SDAT, verified May 2026.