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    ::Businesses - Taxpayer Services (Charter Division)


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News and Announcements

Effective October 1, 2009, the Department will charge a $30 returned check fee for all checks returned as unpaid that were originally submitted to pay for Charter fees, including $300 annual report fees.

When a non-Maryland corporation, LLC, LLP, LP, etc. makes a initial filing with SDAT that creates or reactivates an account, that filing must be accompanied by written proof of existence from the home state, generally the equivalent of a Certificate of Status.


Corporate Charter Division in-person counter assistance at 301 W. Preston St. 8th Floor is available Monday - Friday, 8:30AM - 4:30PM. View a list of Maryland State closings and holidays


Contact the Charter Division via E-mail


Use the email links below to help the Charter Division respond more quickly to your inquiry. Please include your full name, telephone number, address and email address in your message. If you are requesting information on business entities already registered with us include the Department ID number. If you are uncertain of the Department ID number you may look it up in our online Business database.


Before e-mailing your question, you should first check this web site or any paperwork you have received from the Department, since our experience has shown that most questions can be answered from these two sources already available to you.

ERRORS:   What appears on the file or receipt does not match what you submitted because SDAT keyed the information incorrectly.  Be specific describing our error, how we entered it, how it should read, and include the entity's exact name and date of the document.      

FEES:  Be specific about what you are filing (Articles of Incorporation for a Stock Corporation, Articles of  Incorporation for a Tax Exempt Corporation, Articles of Organization, Etc.), expedited or regular service, certified copy, Certificate of Status, how many pages, etc.  For stock corporations include the number of shares and the par value for each share.  For Amendments which increase stock, give the data both before the amendment and after amendment.

COPIES:  
Inquires about the status of a copy order or how to order copies for documents filed prior to 2001.

STATUS: 
Inquires as to why the entity is not in Good Standing and what needs to be done to return the entity to that status.  Use exact name and SDAT ID number  (if known).  EIN' s do not help.

WORK IN PROGRESS:  Information we require to check recent submissions includes: (1)  was this expedited or regular service,(2) what form was filed (Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Etc.),( 3) what is the exact name of the entity (ABC, Inc), (4) the date you mailed it or faxed it and (5) was a check included and if so, what was the amount of the check?  NOTE:  These will not be addressed until after 5 business days for expedited work or 45 days for non-expedited work.

REVIVAL/DISSOLUTION; REINSTATE/CANCEL; REQUALIFY/TERMINATE: If you are trying to reopen or close an entity that is/was filed with SDAT, include the exact name, and SDAT ID # (if available) in your inquiry.

NAME AVAILABLE: In your inquiry give the exact name including ending (INC, LLC, Etc.).

TRADE NAME: 
Inquiries about a Trade Name filing already made, name availability, filing fee and how to complete the form.

SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS: 
Inquiries about how to start a business when you don't want to have a separate entity (Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Etc.),  also what forms to file and who to contact.

For inquiries not listed above email Charterhelp@dat.state.md.us

For problems with our web site email inquiry@dat.state.md.us

Helpful Resources for Starting a New Business
Security Interest (UCC) Filings
Other Information

  • How to Get Comparable Information Regarding Other States and Nations
  • Search the Maryland Business Database for entity names, principals and resident agents, personal property assessment information, and organizational document 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. Images of all documents are available at no charge for viewing and printing within 7 business days of their processing by searching the Business database.
  • 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.