Hiring a Business Lawyer in Maryland
How to form an LLC in Maryland, the state fees and yearly filings, how to check a lawyer's license, and the state bar's fee rules. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Maryland: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Client Protection Fund of the Bar of Maryland, created in 1965 and supported by practicing attorneys, reimburses clients who lose money through misappropriation by Maryland lawyers (or out-of-state lawyers authorized to practice in Maryland) acting as attorneys or fiduciaries, except to the extent the loss is bonded; malpractice is not covered. Reimbursement for one claim, or all claims against the same attorney, cannot exceed 5% of the Fund's net balance. Claims must be filed within six months after the claimant discovers the theft (the Trustees may accept late claims). Filing is free, and a lawyer who helps may not charge a fee. Fund home: https://www.mdcourts.gov/cpf ; governing rules: Md. Rules 19-601 to 19-610 |
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Maryland rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | File Articles of Organization with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), online through Maryland Business Express or by mail or drop box. The articles state the LLC's name, principal office address in Maryland, and resident agent's name and Maryland address (business purpose is optional), are signed by at least one authorized person, and include the resident agent's signed consent. SDAT lists standard processing as 6 to 8 weeks. |
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| LLC filing fee | The filing fee for Articles of Organization for a Maryland LLC is $100 (standard processing, 6 to 8 weeks). The Articles of Organization instructions list expedited filing at $150 (7 to 14 business days) and same-day filing at $425 for online submissions or $525 for paper submissions (drop box or in-person delivery). Online payments through Maryland Business Express carry a 3% service/convenience fee. The SDAT fee schedule (revised May 2024) lists the fee as $100 with a $50 expedited service fee, and describes same-day rush fees of $425 (paper) and $325 (online) as expedite fees. |
| Registered agent | Maryland calls the registered agent a "resident agent." Every LLC must name a resident agent with a physical Maryland address (P.O. boxes are not accepted), and the agent must sign a consent to serve. SDAT's instructions say a resident agent must be either an individual who lives in Maryland and is at least 18 years old, or an active Maryland LLC or corporation. The fee to file a notice of change of principal office, resident agent or resident agent's address is $25.00 per LLC; there is no fee for a resident agent to resign. |
| Annual report | Every Maryland LLC (and every foreign LLC registered in Maryland) must file the Business Entity Annual Report (Form 1), which includes the business personal property return, by April 15 each year; a 60-day extension can be requested online. The filing fee for a domestic or foreign LLC is $300 (SDAT-certified family farms pay $100). A return postmarked after April 15 receives an initial penalty of 1/10 of one percent of the county assessment, plus interest of 2% of the initial penalty for each 30 days or part of 30 days it is late. Failure to file results in forfeiture of the LLC's right to do business in Maryland. SDAT says businesses enrolled in the MarylandSaves retirement program may qualify for a waiver of the annual report fee. |
| Operating agreement | Maryland law allows the members to enter into an operating agreement, not inconsistent with the articles of organization, to govern the LLC's affairs, the conduct of its business and the members' relations. The initial operating agreement must be agreed to by all persons who are then members, and unless the articles of organization specifically require otherwise, the operating agreement need not be in writing. The Articles of Organization form does not call for the operating agreement to be filed. |
| Closing an LLC | To terminate a Maryland LLC, file Articles of Cancellation with SDAT. The filing fee is $0 for non-expedited processing or $50 for expedited processing. The articles name a Maryland resident agent who will serve for one year after termination, list the members designated to wind up the LLC's affairs (or all members), and state either that notice of termination was sent by registered mail to all creditors (at least 19 days before filing) or that the LLC has no known creditors. A foreign LLC files a Certificate of Cancellation of Registration ($0). |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Maryland State Bar Association does not make referrals itself; it says "Your county's bar association can help you find a lawyer in your area" and lists county bar numbers, including Anne Arundel (410) 222-6859, Baltimore City (410) 539-3112, Baltimore County, Carroll and Frederick (410) 337-9100, Harford (410) 836-0123, Howard (410) 313-3853, Montgomery (301) 279-9100, and Prince George's and Charles (301) 952-1440. Fees are set by each county service. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Maryland Judiciary's attorney listing, drawn from its Attorney Information System, lets you search by last name (partial names allowed) and first name, with a similar-names option. An attorney listed as active is in good standing and authorized to practice; other listings may show inactive or retired attorneys, judges, or attorneys with disciplinary or administrative actions affecting eligibility. Questions: Supreme Court of Maryland Clerk's Office, 410-260-1500. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Maryland lawyers go to the Attorney Grievance Commission's Office of Bar Counsel, which investigates and prosecutes violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Read the instructions, complete and print the Attorney Complaint Form (English or Spanish), and mail it to the Office of Bar Counsel, 200 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Suite 300, Annapolis, MD 21401. Questions: (410) 514-7051 (staff cannot discuss complaint details by phone). Public sanctions and actions affecting licensure are posted on the Commission's website. Sanctions: https://www.mdcourts.gov/attygrievance/sanctions |
All legal help in Maryland · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.