Steps to Ensure Active and Good Standing Status
The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) strongly encourages all business
owners to periodically confirm whether or not their business is Active and in Good Standing by looking it up on
SDAT’s free online search, and follow this checklist if it is not.
Business owners are also encouraged to sign up to receive general email updates from the Department and
timely reminders to file these important documents. For more information on services and contact information
for the Department’s programs, please visit dat.maryland.gov.
Note: Only legal entities (ie. Corporations, LLCs) can be in “Good Standing”, non-legal entities (Sole
Proprietorships and General Partnerships) can only be “Active” or “Inactive”.
Good Standing Checklist - To return your business to “Active” or “Good Standing” Status
First, check your status - Is your business “Active” or in “Good Standing”?
❏ Look up your business status at businessexpress.maryland.gov (instructions on page 3).
To return your business to “Active” or “Good Standing” Status:
❏ File Annual Reports & Business Personal Property Returns due (instructions on page 4).
❏ Pay any penalties due (instructions on page 5).
❏ If a legal entity, make sure it has an active Resident Agent (instructions on page 6).
❏ Resolve a hold by the Department of Labor or the Comptroller (instructions on page 6).
❏ Pay any returned payment fees (check your credit card/bank account to see if the payment was
processed).
For legal entities, to return your “Forfeited” business to “Good Standing” status:
❏ First, resolve any issue(s) listed above.
❏ If resolved, a hold by the Department of Labor or the Comptroller, obtain a “Clearance Letter” from
them.
❏ If your Maryland entity has reported Business Personal Property, now or in the past, obtain a “Tax
Clearance Certificate” from your county’s finance office.
❏ If you own a foreign (non-Maryland) entity, obtain a “Certificate of Good Standing” from the original
state of incorporation no older than 60 days.
❏ Then, file the appropriate Articles of Revival/Reinstatement/Re-qualification/Re- registration online,
and attach the Clearance Letter, Tax Clearance Certificate, and/or Foreign Certificate of Good Standing
(instructions on page 7).