Maryland Annual Report: Form 1, the $300 Fee and the April 15 Deadline
Maryland Annual Report: Form 1, the $300 Fee and the April 15 Deadline
If you formed a Maryland LLC or corporation, you have a filing obligation with the state every year. It is called the Annual Report and Business Personal Property Return, and the form is Form 1. For most LLCs and stock corporations the state fee is $300, and the filing is due April 15. This guide explains what Form 1 covers, when the personal property part applies, what late filing costs, and how to confirm the details before you file. This is informational content, not legal or tax advice.
What the Maryland Annual Report Is
The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), through its Charter Division, collects the annual report for business entities it has on file. Form 1 combines two obligations into one filing. The annual report keeps your entity's record with the state current. The Business Personal Property Return reports certain business property to the state for tax purposes.
The current version of Form 1 is revision 12/5/2025. Before you file, check the SDAT Charter Division page to confirm you have the current form. Using an outdated version is an avoidable source of problems.
Maryland imposes no separate franchise tax on ordinary LLCs. For an LLC, the recurring state-level cost is the $300 annual report fee, plus county business personal property tax if the entity reports taxable personal property. Corporations are different. They pay Maryland's flat 8.25% corporate income tax on Maryland taxable income, which is a separate obligation handled through the Comptroller of Maryland.
Fees by Entity Type
The fee depends on how your business is organized. Use this table as a starting point, then confirm your entity type on the SDAT business search before you file.
| Entity type | Form 1 fee | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| Limited liability company (LLC) | $300 | April 15 each year |
| Stock corporation | $300 | April 15 each year |
| Limited partnership (LP) | $300 | April 15 each year |
| Limited liability partnership (LLP) | $300 | April 15 each year |
| Non-stock corporation | $0 | April 15 each year |
A non-stock corporation pays no Form 1 fee, but the April 15 due date still applies to the form. Confirm with SDAT whether a non-stock corporation must submit the form each year to keep its status current.
The April 15 Deadline
Form 1 is due April 15 every year. The next deadline is April 15, 2027. Because the date never moves, pick an internal reminder well ahead of it, such as March 15, and treat April 15 as a fixed date rather than a target you will get to when you can.
Do not confuse the annual report deadline with your tax return deadlines. The April 15 date is set by SDAT and is separate from federal and Maryland income tax returns. Filing a tax return does not satisfy the annual report requirement, and filing the annual report does not satisfy a tax return.
If you need more time, extension requests are filed at pprextensions.dat.maryland.gov. Submit the request before the deadline passes. Read the terms on that site to confirm how long an extension lasts and what it covers, including whether it affects penalties.
What Form 1 Covers
The annual report portion
The annual report portion confirms that your entity's information with the state is current. Pay close attention to the resident agent. Maryland calls the registered agent a resident agent. The agent may be a Maryland citizen over eighteen, a Maryland corporation, or a Maryland LLC, and must have a Maryland street address. A P.O. box does not qualify.
If your resident agent or the agent's address has changed, updating it costs $25 per entity. Confirm that the agent listed on the record is still correct before you submit Form 1, and make sure the agent has agreed to serve.
When the Business Personal Property Return applies
The personal property return is required only if the business owns or uses $20,000 or more of Maryland personal property, measured at original cost. Business personal property generally means tangible property used in the business, such as furniture, fixtures and equipment. Confirm with SDAT which assets count and how original cost is calculated.
If your asset total is close to $20,000, or your equipment is a mix of owned, leased and used items, have a CPA review the numbers before you decide whether the return applies. The threshold is a bright line, so small errors in the asset list can change the answer.
What the county adds
The personal property reporting carries a county cost as well. If the entity reports taxable personal property, county business personal property tax applies, and the rate depends on the county where the property is located. Check the current rate with your county government before you budget for it. The $300 state fee does not cover this tax.
Late Filing, Penalties and Interest
Filing late creates two separate costs. The first is the late personal-property penalty, which applies when the Business Personal Property Return is filed after the deadline. The second is interest, which accrues at 2% for every 30-day period the amount remains unpaid.
The penalty amount and how it is calculated are not set out in this guide. Confirm the current penalty schedule with SDAT before you estimate what a late filing will cost. Do not guess at the figure when you are deciding whether to file on time.
Charter Forfeiture and Reinstatement
An entity that fails to file its annual report can have its charter forfeited. Forfeiture is the serious outcome. It means the entity's authority to operate under its charter is taken away, and the business should not treat itself as in good standing until it has been reinstated. Confirm the exact consequences for your entity with SDAT or an attorney.
Reinstatement generally means filing the missing report, paying the amounts owed and completing the reinstatement steps that SDAT requires. The reinstatement fees and procedures are not set out in this guide. Confirm them with the SDAT Charter Division before you file, because the steps and costs can change.
The simplest path is to avoid forfeiture entirely. Calendar the April 15 deadline, file on time and keep the confirmation.
How to File
Use Maryland Business Express for online filings at egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress. Before you start, search your entity on the SDAT business search to confirm its exact legal name, entity type and current status. The name on your filing must match the name on the state record.
Confirm the filing method for your entity type on the SDAT Charter Division page. Once you submit, save the confirmation and the payment receipt with your company records. If you later receive a notice, you will have proof of what you filed and when.
Common Mistakes
- Treating the $300 fee as the total cost. If the entity reports taxable personal property, county business personal property tax is a separate expense.
- Assuming a small business has no annual report. The annual report is required for LLCs and corporations regardless of asset size. Only the personal property return depends on the $20,000 threshold.
- Filing under the wrong entity type. A stock corporation pays $300, while a non-stock corporation pays $0. Filing with the wrong category can create a mismatch with your state record.
- Letting the resident agent go stale. If the agent has moved or stopped serving, updating the record costs $25 per entity.
- Confusing the annual report with a tax return. Each has its own deadline and its own filing location.
Annual Report Checklist
- Search your entity on the SDAT business search and confirm the legal name, entity type and status.
- Confirm the Form 1 fee for your entity type: $300, or $0 for a non-stock corporation.
- Total your Maryland business personal property at original cost. If the total is $20,000 or more, the personal property return is required.
- Confirm the resident agent, the agent's Maryland street address and that the agent still agrees to serve.
- Set a reminder for March 15 and a firm stop date of April 15.
- If you need more time, submit an extension request at pprextensions.dat.maryland.gov before the deadline.
- File through Maryland Business Express and save the confirmation.
- Check with your county about business personal property tax if the return applies.
Official Sources to Confirm Details
Confirm the current figures on these official pages before you file, since fees, forms and procedures can change.
- SDAT Charter Division: https://dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/default.aspx
- SDAT business search: https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress/entitysearch
- Maryland Business Express: https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress
- Extension requests: https://pprextensions.dat.maryland.gov
- Comptroller of Maryland (tax questions): https://www.marylandcomptroller.gov/
- Maryland Small Business Development Center Network (free advising): https://www.marylandsbdc.org/
Disclaimer: This guide is informational content about Maryland business filing requirements. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice, and it may not reflect the latest changes to fees, forms or deadlines. For your specific situation, confirm requirements with SDAT and the Comptroller of Maryland, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA, especially if your entity has complex ownership, a large asset base or a past-due filing.