Keep your business in Good Standing by completing the required annual filings.
In order to maintain Good Standing status, it is important that you file required annual reports and maintain compliance with any applicable Maryland laws. Failing to do so means your entity may be “Not in Good Standing,” which eventually leads to forfeiture. A forfeited entity may not legally conduct business in the state.
All business entities formed, qualified, or registered to do business in Maryland must file an Annual Report every year. If the business can answer “Yes” to either of the following questions, they must also file a Personal Property Tax Return with their annual report:
All Annual Reports and Personal Property Tax Returns must be submitted by April 15 annually, unless you request an extension here. The first Annual Report only becomes due the calendar year after your business is formed. For example, if you created your business on or after January 1, 2018, you are not required to file an Annual Report or Personal Property Tax Return until April 15, 2019.
The fastest and easiest way is through Maryland Business Express' award-winning online platform for making annual filings, registering and establishing businesses, and requesting document copies.
However, if you fall into one of the following categories, you will not be able to file your Annual Report and Personal Property Tax Return online. You will need to download and complete the appropriate Annual Report and/or Personal Property Tax Return.
A business that is not in “Good Standing” is a business that is not in compliance with one or more Maryland laws that apply to businesses and their responsibilities in this state. The status can be returned to Good Standing by addressing the way the business is out of compliance.
The Department of Assessments and Taxation has compiled this easy-to-use checklist to ensure whether or not your business is in Good Standing, and if not, how to bring it back into compliance.
In many cases, viewing your business on our Business Entity Search will show you why the entity is not in Good Standing. Your entity’s status will be displayed under the “General Information” tab, and the “Personal Property” tab will show you whether you have submitted all required annual filings and if you owe a related late penalty. If action has been taken against your entity by the Maryland Office of the Comptroller; the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; or another state agency, it will be displayed under the “Filing History” tab and you will need to contact that agency for more information.
The most common reasons that a business is not in good standing are: