Maryland DBA: Trade Name Registration Through SDAT
Maryland DBA: Trade Name Registration Through SDAT
If you sell, invoice or advertise under a name other than your own legal name in Maryland, you need to record that name. The state's term is trade name, so a maryland dba, a maryland assumed name and a "doing business as" name all refer to the same filing. Maryland trade name registration goes to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division. It does not go to your county, and a standard filing costs $25.
Maryland has no county DBA filing
Many states handle assumed names through a county office. Maryland does not. Under Corporations and Associations Article 1-406, a trade name is recorded with SDAT. If you find advice telling you to file a DBA with your county clerk, that advice does not describe the Maryland process. The county clerk has a different role in this process: it issues the trader's license, which is a separate filing covered later in this guide.
Who must file a trade name
Anyone doing business under a name other than their own must file, including sole proprietors. Entities follow a slightly different rule. An LLC, corporation or partnership uses its registered entity name, so it does not file a trade name for that name. It files a trade name only when it operates under a different name.
| Your situation | Trade name filing needed? |
|---|---|
| Individual operating under your own full legal name | No |
| Sole proprietor operating under a different name, such as "Chesapeake Field Services" | Yes |
| LLC, corporation or partnership operating under its registered entity name | No |
| LLC, corporation or partnership operating under a second, different name | Yes |
Check your formation documents before you file. The name on your Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation is your entity name. A public-facing name that differs from it is a trade name.
A practical example
Take a sole proprietor named Dana who lives in Frederick and runs a bookkeeping practice as "Monocacy Ledger Services." Dana files in their own name, with no entity behind it, so the name is not on record unless they file a trade name. They search the SDAT register, file the trade name form with the $25 fee, and receive a certificate that is effective for 5 years. Dana then adds a renewal date to their calendar and keeps the certificate with their business records.
Now suppose Dana later forms an LLC called Dana Ortiz Accounting LLC and keeps using "Monocacy Ledger Services" for one service line. The LLC operates under a second name, so it files a trade name for that line. The LLC does not need a trade name for its own registered name.
What it costs
The fees below come from the SDAT fee schedule (rev. May 2024) and the trade name form. Confirm current amounts with SDAT before you file, because agency fee schedules can change.
| Filing | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New trade name, standard | $25 | Recorded with SDAT |
| New trade name, expedited | $75 total | $25 filing fee plus the $50 expedite fee |
| Renewal | $25 | Filed within the 6 months before expiration |
| Amendment | $25 | Changes to a recorded trade name |
| Cancellation | $25 | Ends the trade name record |
| Name reservation (separate filing) | $25 | Holds an entity name for 30 days |
How to register a trade name in Maryland
- Search the name first. Use the SDAT business entity search at egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress/entitysearch to see whether an entity already uses the name or something very close to it. The search shows what is on record with SDAT. It does not tell you whether anyone holds trademark rights.
- Decide whether you need a reservation. A reservation applies to an entity name you are about to form, not to a trade name. If you are forming an LLC or corporation and need time to prepare its paperwork, read the reservation section below first.
- Download the trade name application. The SDAT form is at the SDAT trade name application. Complete it exactly as its instructions direct. Incomplete or inconsistent entries can delay the filing.
- Pay the fee and submit. Pay $25 for standard handling, or $75 total for expedited handling with the $50 expedite fee. Confirm the accepted payment methods and where to send the form on the SDAT page or in the form instructions. Maryland Business Express, the state's online filing portal at egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress, is a place to check. Confirm whether trade name filings are accepted there before you rely on it.
- Calendar the expiration. Once recorded, the certificate is effective for 5 years. Write the expiration date on your calendar, set a reminder for the 6-month renewal window, and keep a copy of the recorded certificate with your business records.
Ask SDAT for the current processing time before you need the certificate. Banks, vendors and customers may ask for proof of the name, and a standard filing may not be the fastest route if you have a deadline.
Name reservation is a different filing
A name reservation holds an entity name, not a trade name. Under Corporations and Associations Article 1-505, a reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 30 days. Use the SDAT name reservation form at the SDAT name reservation form.
A reservation does not register a trade name, and it does not give you ownership of the name. If you need a name for an LLC you are forming, reserve it, then file the Articles of Organization before the 30 days run out. If you only need to operate under a name, skip the reservation and file a trade name instead.
What a trade name does not give you
A Maryland trade name is a record, not a property right. Recording a trade name gives you no ownership of that name and no exclusivity over it. Filing does not stop another business from using the same name, and it does not create trademark rights.
A trade name filing also does not form a separate legal entity. If you operate as a sole proprietor, you remain personally responsible for the business. Liability protection comes from forming an LLC or corporation, which is a larger decision with tax and legal consequences. If the name matters to your brand, speak with an attorney about a trademark search and federal registration.
Renewal, amendments and cancellation
A trade name certificate is effective for 5 years. You may renew it for another 5 years by filing within the 6 months before it expires. Each renewal costs $25. An amendment, such as changing details on a recorded trade name, costs $25. A cancellation costs $25.
Missing a renewal window can affect your record, so do not rely on memory. SDAT can confirm what happens if a renewal is filed late and whether a late filing is still possible. Ask before the window closes, not after.
The trader's license is a separate filing
Recording a trade name does not give you permission to sell goods. Maryland has no single general state business license. Most businesses that sell goods need a trader's license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in their county. The trader's license year runs May 1 through April 30. Growers and manufacturers are exempt from the trader's license.
Before the clerk issues a trader's license, you need a Sales and Use Tax License from the Comptroller of Maryland. Obtain it through the Combined Registration Application at the state's taxes and insurance page. The clerk cannot issue a trader's license if you owe personal property tax or have missing SDAT filings. Confirm the trader's license fee with your county clerk, because this guide does not list it.
Common mistakes
- Filing a DBA with a county clerk. The trade name filing goes to SDAT.
- Filing a trade name for an LLC's own registered name. That filing is unnecessary.
- Treating a recorded trade name as trademark protection.
- Letting the 5-year certificate lapse because no renewal date was calendared.
- Selling goods without a trader's license or the Sales and Use Tax License behind it.
- Choosing a name without searching the SDAT register first.
Official resources
- SDAT, Charter Division: business filings, forms and fee information
- Trade name application: the form for recording a trade name
- Name reservation form: holds an entity name for 30 days
- Business entity search: check names already on record
- Maryland Business Express: the state's online filing portal
- Comptroller of Maryland: tax registration and tax questions
- Taxes and insurance: Sales and Use Tax License and the Combined Registration Application
- Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network: help with planning and next steps
Next steps
Start with the name search. If the name is clear, file the trade name form with the $25 fee, or the $75 expedited total if you need speed. Then decide whether you need a trader's license by checking whether you sell goods and whether you are a grower or manufacturer. If you are forming an LLC or corporation, decide whether the name belongs to the entity itself or to a separate operating name before you file anything.
This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Maryland fees, forms and deadlines can change, so confirm details with SDAT, the Comptroller of Maryland or your county clerk before you file. If your name raises trademark questions, or you are choosing between operating as a sole proprietor and forming an entity, consult a qualified attorney. For tax questions, talk with a certified public accountant (CPA).