How to search Maryland business entities online
Official Resource
Maryland Official SOS WebsiteMaryland 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, though the page runs a brief automated bot check (Cloudflare Turnstile) before loading.
Updated August 2026
Not handled by the Secretary of State
Maryland's Secretary of State does not handle business entity registration — that function sits with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), which operates under the state comptroller's authority.
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, Department ID, and Employer Identification Number (EIN) searches. 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, and a filing history, along with officer or director information when it has been listed on a recent annual report.
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, with a 60-day extension available on request. The fee is $300 for most business entities; nonprofits file at no charge. Online filings through SDAT Business Express carry a 3% technology fee applied to the total. Non-expedited paper filings currently take roughly eight weeks to process, while non-expedited online filings are typically reviewed during the second calendar month after submission.
Rush same-day service is available — $325 online if submitted by 2:30 p.m., $425 for hand-delivered or in-person filing — 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 the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.