Maryland · How do I start a business? · state model checked by Claude · quality 1.00
Generated by lexflow from the state statutes (open-us-law, government publisher text) and checked by Claude: every quoted phrase was matched word for word against the statute text, and the process passed the BPMN/DMN schemas, bpmnlint and a Petri-net soundness check. Information, not legal advice.
Governing law: Md. Code, Corporations and Associations § 4A-202
Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST.
| Articles state the company's name | Name meets the Title 1, Subtitle 5 naming rules | Principal office in Maryland given | Resident agent name and address given | Agent is a Maryland resident or Maryland corporation, LLC or LP | Executed by an individual authorized by the persons forming the LLC | All required fees paid | → Articles accepted for record | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| false | - | - | - | - | - | - | false | § 4A-204(a)(1) |
| - | false | - | - | - | - | - | false | § 4A-208 |
| - | - | false | - | - | - | - | false | § 4A-204(a)(2) |
| - | - | - | false | - | - | - | false | § 4A-204(a)(2) |
| - | - | - | - | false | - | - | false | § 1-101(x) |
| - | - | - | - | - | false | - | false | § 4A-206(a)(1) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | false | false | § 4A-207(b) |
| true | true | true | true | true | true | true | true | § 4A-207(a)(1) |
Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST.
| Organized for a nonprofit or charitable purpose | Owners render a licensed professional service | Number of owners | Owners want protection from the business's debts | Plans to sell shares to outside investors | Some co-owners will be passive investors only | → Business structure | → What is filed with the state, and where | → State filing fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| true | - | - | - | - | - | Nonstock (nonprofit) corporation | Articles of incorporation whose charter provides the corporation has no authority to issue capital stock, filed for record with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | $100 + $20 organization and capitalization fee ($120), or $150 + $20 ($170) for a 501(c)(3), (4) or (6) nonprofit | § 5-202(a) |
| - | true | - | true | - | - | Professional corporation (a limited liability company may also render professional services; Maryland has no separate professional LLC form; architects, professional engineers, real estate licensees and veterinarians may instead use an ordinary corporation, § 5-102(a)(3)) | Articles of incorporation stating that the corporation is a professional corporation and the professional services it renders, filed for record with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | $100 plus the organization and capitalization fee (See 1-204) | § 5-112(a) |
| - | - | - | true | true | - | Stock corporation | Articles of incorporation signed and acknowledged by one or more adult incorporators, filed for record with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | $100 plus the organization and capitalization fee (See 1-204) | § 2-102(a) |
| - | - | >= 2 | true | - | true | Limited partnership (limited partners who stay out of control of the business are not liable for its obligations; the general partner cannot limit its liability to outsiders, so if every owner needs protection choose a limited liability company) | Certificate of limited partnership executed by all general partners, filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | $100 | § 10-201(a) |
| - | - | - | true | - | - | Limited liability company (worker-owned businesses may elect in the articles to be a limited worker cooperative association) | Articles of organization filed for record with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | $100 | § 4A-202(a) |
| - | - | 1 | false | - | - | Sole proprietorship | No formation filing; before trading under any name other than the owner's own, file a trade name certificate ($25) with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | None | § 1-406(a) |
| - | - | >= 2 | false | - | - | General partnership | No formation filing (a partnership forms by association); the partners may register as a limited liability partnership by filing a certificate of limited liability partnership ($100) with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation | None | § 9A-202(a) |
Found with CourtListener (Free Law Project): opinions in the state's appellate courts whose text cites these sections. Listed for research; not every citing case construes the section.