Key Takeaways
- Maryland allows incoming LLC domestication directly (Md. Corporations & Associations Code, Title 4A, Subtitle 11 (§4A-1101 and §4A-1102) — filed as Articles of Conversion under §4A-206) — your LLC keeps its original formation date
- Filing fee: $25 recording fee for the Articles of Conversion (or $75 expedited), plus roughly $100 for the underlying Articles of Organization
- No new EIN is needed. Maryland's conversion mechanism (not dissolution and reformation) is explicitly a continuity-of-existence provision, functionally identical to domestication elsewhere — the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with Form 8822-B once your Maryland resident agent is set.
- No. Maryland's Articles of Conversion filing isn't identified as requiring independent proof of formal withdrawal from your old state; any closing filing your old state requires is handled under that state's own law and timeline.
- Same-day LLC domestication filing available through LLC Attorney, at no markup on state fees
If your LLC is formed in another state but you've relocated (or your business has) and want Maryland to be its new legal home, Maryland has a mechanism that does exactly what domestication does elsewhere — it's just called "conversion" on Maryland's books.
This guide covers exactly how to convert an LLC into Maryland in 2026 — the Articles of Conversion filing, fees ranging from about $125 baseline to $425 for a same-day rush, and what happens to your EIN and formation date along the way.
What Is LLC Domestication?
Domestication (sometimes called continuance or statutory conversion) lets you move your LLC from one state to Maryland without dissolving it and starting over. Done correctly, the LLC keeps its original formation date, its EIN, and its contracts — only its home state changes.
Can You Domesticate an LLC Into Maryland?
Yes. Maryland's LLC Act includes a statutory domestication provision (Md. Corporations & Associations Code, Title 4A, Subtitle 11 (§4A-1101 and §4A-1102) — filed as Articles of Conversion under §4A-206), so an out-of-state LLC can become a Maryland LLC directly while retaining its original formation date.
How to Domesticate Your LLC in Maryland
- Filing agency: Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division
- Form: Articles of Conversion, filed together with new Maryland Articles of Organization naming the converting entity
- Filing fee: $25 recording fee for the Articles of Conversion (or $75 expedited), plus roughly $100 for the underlying Articles of Organization
- Processing time: About 6-8 weeks by standard mail, or roughly 10 business days if filed online
- Expedited option: A $50 surcharge on a mailed filing brings turnaround to about 7-10 business days; a same-day rush (submitted online by 2:30 p.m.) costs an additional $325, for about $425 total
- Certificate of Good Standing: Required from your current state, dated within 90 days of filing.
- Plan of domestication: Maryland does not require a separate formal plan document beyond the standard filing.
- Member approval: Maryland's conversion-approval rule (§4A-1102) cross-references the state's general LLC merger-approval framework. Maryland's LLC merger statute (§4A-503) requires consent of members holding at least two-thirds of the interest in profits — whether conversion uses that same two-thirds threshold or a different one specific to §4A-1102 isn't independently confirmed to a certainty, so verify the exact requirement directly with SDAT or a Maryland attorney before relying on a specific percentage.
What Happens to Your EIN, Contracts, and Formation Date?
Domesticating to Maryland preserves your LLC's original formation date — the entity continues, it doesn't restart.
No new EIN is needed. Maryland's conversion mechanism (not dissolution and reformation) is explicitly a continuity-of-existence provision, functionally identical to domestication elsewhere — the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with Form 8822-B once your Maryland resident agent is set.
All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically — Maryland's conversion statute treats the converted LLC as the same entity that existed in your old state, not a new one stepping into its shoes, even though the paperwork is titled "conversion" rather than "domestication."
Do I Need to Close My LLC in My Old State?
No. Maryland's Articles of Conversion filing isn't identified as requiring independent proof of formal withdrawal from your old state; any closing filing your old state requires is handled under that state's own law and timeline.
If your business keeps operating in your old state after moving its legal home to Maryland — an office, employees, or regular in-state activity — you'll likely need to foreign-qualify there instead of maintaining it as your domestic entity. Check that state's foreign-qualification requirements once the Maryland conversion is final.
When Do Maryland's Taxes and Filings Start?
Maryland's tax and annual-report obligations begin as soon as SDAT accepts the Articles of Conversion — Maryland LLCs owe an annual Personal Property Return/Annual Report each year, so get that deadline on your compliance calendar right away.
You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the effective date — confirm the exact requirement with that state's own tax agency, since it depends on where you're moving from.
Maryland's LLC materials from SDAT and Maryland Business Express commonly refer to a "Resident Agent" rather than "Registered Agent," though this isn't confirmed to the same certainty as Kansas's identical convention — verify directly if precision matters for your filing. Separately, the naming mismatch between "conversion" (what Maryland's LLC statute actually calls this) and "domestication" (what most people search for and what corporations use under Maryland's Title 3, Subtitle 9) is the biggest content trap for this state — and standard mail processing of 6-8 weeks is notably slow if you don't pay for expedited service.
How to Move Your LLC to Maryland Step by Step
If You Do It Yourself
Step 1 — Confirm your LLC is in good standing in its current state.
Maryland will require a Certificate of Good Standing from your current state, so resolve any lapsed filings there first.
Step 2 — Get member approval for the move.
Maryland's conversion-approval rule (§4A-1102) cross-references the state's general LLC merger-approval framework. Maryland's LLC merger statute (§4A-503) requires consent of members holding at least two-thirds of the interest in profits — whether conversion uses that same two-thirds threshold or a different one specific to §4A-1102 isn't independently confirmed to a certainty, so verify the exact requirement directly with SDAT or a Maryland attorney before relying on a specific percentage.
Step 3 — File the domestication paperwork.
File with Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division using the Articles of Conversion, filed together with new Maryland Articles of Organization naming the converting entity, $25 recording fee for the Articles of Conversion (or $75 expedited), plus roughly $100 for the underlying Articles of Organization.
Step 4 — Confirm your EIN and contracts carry over.
No new EIN is needed. Maryland's conversion mechanism (not dissolution and reformation) is explicitly a continuity-of-existence provision, functionally identical to domestication elsewhere — the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with Form 8822-B once your Maryland resident agent is set. All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically — Maryland's conversion statute treats the converted LLC as the same entity that existed in your old state, not a new one stepping into its shoes, even though the paperwork is titled "conversion" rather than "domestication."
Step 5 — Appoint a registered agent in your new state.
Maryland calls this role a "Resident Agent" — required before or as part of the domestication filing.
Step 6 — Handle your old state's final obligations.
No. Maryland's Articles of Conversion filing isn't identified as requiring independent proof of formal withdrawal from your old state; any closing filing your old state requires is handled under that state's own law and timeline. You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the effective date — confirm the exact requirement with that state's own tax agency, since it depends on where you're moving from.
Step 7 — Update your tax and compliance calendar.
Maryland's tax and annual-report obligations begin as soon as SDAT accepts the Articles of Conversion — Maryland LLCs owe an annual Personal Property Return/Annual Report each year, so get that deadline on your compliance calendar right away.
Step 8 — Watch for Maryland-specific domestication traps.
The single most important Maryland-specific quirk is terminology: Maryland's LLC statute doesn't use the word "domestication" at all — that term is reserved for Maryland corporations. LLCs use "conversion" instead (Articles of Conversion under Title 4A, Subtitle 11), but it accomplishes the same thing. The second trap is timing — Maryland's standard 6-8 week mail processing is one of the slowest in the country, so budget for the $50-$325 expedite fees if speed matters.
If LLC Attorney Does It for You
- Submit your LLC's current-state details at llcattorney.com — name, formation date, and member information.
- LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing, obtains your Certificate of Good Standing, and serves as your resident agent in Maryland once the move is complete.
- Receive confirmation of your completed move, plus access to flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for any old-state wind-down questions.
When Should You Talk to an Attorney About Moving Your LLC to Maryland?
Talk to an attorney before converting your LLC into Maryland if you want the exact member-approval threshold under §4A-1102 confirmed (since it isn't independently verified as identical to the two-thirds merger threshold), if you're deciding whether the expedited or same-day rush fee is worth paying given the 6-8 week standard timeline, or if your old state has unusual final-tax-return requirements you want confirmed ahead of time.
What You Actually Get With LLC Attorney's Maryland Domestication Service
The part of a Maryland LLC move that trips people up is the terminology — searching for "Maryland LLC domestication" won't turn up the right form, because Maryland's statute calls it "conversion." LLC Attorney files under the correct name and process from the start.
- LLC domestication to Maryland, starting at $149.
- Certificate of Good Standing retrieval, filing prep, and registered agent service all handled in one order.
- Old-state withdrawal and final-tax-obligation guidance specific to your prior state — not a generic multi-state template.
- Access to professionally trained Business Success Advisors at no charge, plus flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for move-specific questions.
Moving your LLC's legal home to Maryland is straightforward once you're working with the right form under the right name — LLC Attorney handles the Articles of Conversion correctly and manages the state's notoriously slow standard timeline for you.
Ready to Move Your LLC to Maryland?
LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to Maryland, starting at $149. See our full pricing for all service tiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — though Maryland calls it "conversion," not "domestication." Maryland's Corporations and Associations Code, Title 4A, Subtitle 11 (§4A-1101/1102) lets an out-of-state LLC become a Maryland LLC directly while retaining its original formation date, functionally equivalent to domestication in other states.
Yes. Maryland's conversion mechanism is a continuity-of-existence provision, not a dissolution-and-reformation — your original formation date, EIN, and contracts all carry over, since only the home state changes.
$25 for the Articles of Conversion recording fee plus roughly $100 for the underlying Articles of Organization, so about $125 baseline. Expedited service adds $50 (mailed) or up to $325 for a same-day online rush, bringing the total as high as $425.
No. Your EIN stays the same — Maryland's conversion continues the same legal entity rather than creating a new one. Update your address with the IRS via Form 8822-B once your Maryland resident agent is set.
Maryland doesn't require proof of withdrawal from your old state as part of its own filing, but you'll typically still need to file a closing document in your prior state under its own law once Maryland's conversion is confirmed.
Maryland's obligations begin as soon as SDAT accepts the Articles of Conversion. Maryland LLCs owe an annual Personal Property Return/Annual Report — get that deadline on your compliance calendar right away.
Maryland's conversion-approval rule cross-references its general LLC merger framework, which requires consent of members holding at least two-thirds of the interest in profits — confirm this threshold applies identically to conversions with SDAT or a Maryland attorney before relying on it.
About 6-8 weeks by standard mail, or roughly 10 business days online. Expedited mail service ($50) cuts it to 7-10 business days, and a same-day online rush ($325 extra) can get it done the same day you submit.
Yes. LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to Maryland, starting at $149.