What is a Maryland Business License?

A Maryland business license is a license obtained to be used within the state of Maryland to operate a business and can be obtained from the Clerks of the Circuit Court in the county where the business is located. If you're thinking about opening a business in Frederick County, please contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office at (301) 600-1962 to find out whether or not you need a business license.

How to Get a Small Business License in Maryland

Maryland offers a lot of information for recently created business entities about getting a small business license in Maryland via a wide range of online assets. The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation supplies step-by-step information for companies thinking about beginning a brand new business within the state. Additionally, Maryland Made Simple, the state website, is a multiple-agency team up with the goal of improving governmental processes, decreasing regulatory obstacles, and helping the private and public sectors communicate. Maryland Made Simple permits entrepreneurs to register a brand new enterprise entity, get hold of key licensing info, and take part in a program that helps to speed up evaluations for improvement tasks throughout the state.

Business Licenses and Tax Registration

New companies can find information related to licensing requirements by answering questions in regards to the basics of your business, business structure, and location at Maryland's Business License Information System (BLIS). If local licensing requirements pertain to your business, you should apply to the appropriate clerk of the Circuit Court. In Maryland, there are no formal legal requirements to make sole proprietorships or normal partnerships. Corporations, LLCs, restricted partnerships, and restricted LLCs should file formation paperwork with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.

All companies within the state should register for tax functions with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Company operations should adjust to any relevant local zoning legal guidelines and building codes. Using a Combined Registration Application, Maryland’s Central Business Licensing and Registration Portal provides a single portal for business and commerce title registration and enterprise entity formation with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation and the institution of any relevant tax accounts with the state’s Comptroller of the Treasury.

Specialized Professions

The Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing handles state-level regulated specialty professions. This state division handles more than 23 licensing commissions and boards to manage a variety of occupations from engineers and designers to hair stylists and plumbers. The positioning allows professionals in regulated occupations to evaluate licensing requirements, determine instructions, renew and apply for occupational licenses, and find pertinent contact info pertaining to their governing board or fee. The general public could search the state’s licensing database and ensure that people or firms are correctly licensed before doing business with them or before filing complaints.

Trade Name Registrations

People or enterprise entities working under a name other than their legal name should file a business name registration, generally known as “doing business as” or DBA registration. Business names should be registered with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Companies can file their business name purposes online. That division compares the requested title with different business names to see if the name is obtainable to be used throughout the state.

Business License Requirements for the State of Maryland

Many types of companies in Maryland are exempt from having to get a business license to function. However, certain types of companies that are regulated by state laws should be licensed, including:

  • Plumbers
  • Restaurants
  • Laundry establishments
  • Wholesale dealers for farm equipment
  • Chain stores
  • Any retailer selling cigarette or tobacco merchandise
  • Commercial garages
  • Operators of console machines
  • Construction companies
  • Junk sellers
  • Peddlers
  • Music or jukebox distributors
  • Vending machine companies
  • Pinball machine owners/distributors
  • Auctioneers
  • Gas fitters
  • Hawkers
  • Storage warehouses
  • Traders and trade shows
  • Billiard parlors

The kind of license or licenses required can depend upon the precise nature of the business, and chances are you'll require a couple of them. You may contact your appropriate Clerk of the Circuit Court or the State License Bureau online by searching by your business type for licensing info on Maryland's Business License Information System online.

If you need help with deciding whether or not you need to have a Maryland business license, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel’s marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.