You filed Articles of Organization with SDAT. Now what? A week-by-week checklist for getting your Maryland business operationally real — banking, accounting, taxes, insurance, licenses, and the small details that cause big problems later if you skip them.
Use this as a punch list, not a contract. Sequence matters — some items (EIN before bank account, bank account before payroll) have dependencies. Skip ahead where the rules don't apply to you (e.g., you don't need workers' comp until you have an employee).
The Maryland businesses that have trouble in year two usually have a common pattern: they got the entity set up, started selling, and never went back to wire up the operational backbone. By month nine they're scrambling to reconcile bank statements, sort out independent contractor 1099s, or figure out why they got an SDAT delinquency notice.
The fix is mechanical. Run this 90-day checklist once and most of the recurring fires go away.
Apply for an Employer Identification Number with the IRS. Free, takes 10 minutes online at irs.gov. You need it for the bank account, payroll, and most state filings. Apply as soon as your SDAT Articles are accepted — you'll need the entity name and Maryland Department ID.
Visit the Maryland Comptroller's Combined Registration Application at marylandtaxes.gov. Depending on your business model, you may need to register for:
Even if you're a solo LLC with no sales tax obligation today, registering pre-empts paperwork delays later.
Maryland doesn't require you to file your operating agreement, but you should have one. Multi-member LLCs in particular need clarity on: ownership percentages, capital contributions, profit/loss allocation, decision-making thresholds, transfer restrictions, dissolution. Default state-law rules will not match what you actually want.
If you're a single-member LLC, you still benefit from having a one-page operating agreement that establishes the entity as separate from you personally — one of the factors courts look at when deciding whether to pierce the liability shield.
Bring: EIN letter, SDAT Articles, operating agreement (banks often ask), driver's license, and minimum opening deposit. Most Maryland community banks (M&T, Howard Bank, Sandy Spring, Severn Savings) are friendlier to small business than the national giants — lower fees and a human relationship manager. Try at least two before deciding.
Why this matters: Comingling personal and business funds is the single fastest way to lose your liability shield. Don't pay personal expenses from the business account or vice versa — use distributions (LLC) or W-2 payroll + dividends (S-Corp / C-Corp).
QuickBooks Online is the Maryland small-business default — nearly every Maryland CPA can work with it. Xero is the modern alternative; some bookkeepers prefer it. Wave is free and works for the smallest businesses. Whichever you pick:
Separate card. In the business name once your EIN is established. Useful for: cleaner books, building business credit history, points/rewards on things you'd buy anyway. Chase Ink, Amex Business, and Capital One Spark are the common picks.
Almost every Maryland small business should have this. Protects against bodily injury and property damage claims tied to your business operations. Typical cost: $400–$1,200/year for a solo or small business with no high-risk exposure. Get quotes from at least 3 carriers. Hiscox, Next Insurance, and The Hartford are common online options; an independent agent can often beat them for specific industries.
If you sell advice, services, or designs — consultants, accountants, designers, IT services, marketing agencies — you need errors & omissions coverage. Protects you when a client claims your work caused them harm.
Maryland requires workers' comp for nearly all employers with 1 or more employees. Quote it before you sign offer letters — rates vary widely by job classification and you don't want surprises. The Injured Workers' Insurance Fund (IWIF / Chesapeake Employers' Insurance) is the state's insurer of last resort and a useful baseline.
If you handle customer data, payment data, or any sensitive information, cyber liability is no longer optional. Many client contracts now require it. Quote it together with your general liability — bundling usually saves money.
If you sell goods (retail or wholesale), most Maryland counties require a Trader's License through the Clerk of Court. Cost scales with inventory value. Renews annually. If you only sell services, you typically don't need this — but check.
Most Maryland counties require a general business license or registration. Baltimore City has a Minority & Women's Business Opportunity (MWBOO) registration if you'll bid on city contracts. Howard, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel each have their own variants. Check your county economic development website.
Maryland licenses many specific industries through DLLR Occupational and Professional Licensing — contractors (MHIC for home improvement, MHBR for new home builders), real estate, cosmetology, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, and many more. If your business touches any regulated trade, do not start serving customers without verifying your license is in place.
If your business is owned 51%+ by a minority, woman, or veteran, certification opens up state contracting set-asides (Maryland MDOT MBE certification is the most universally recognized). Worth doing in the first 90 days because it takes weeks to process and you may want to bid before it lands.
Don't operate on handshake or DIY contracts. At minimum, have:
If budget is tight, a Maryland attorney can do these as a package for under $2,500 typically — less risk than templates from the internet.
Use your business domain for email (not gmail.com). Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 are the two defaults; both cost about $6/user/month. Even a one-page website beats nothing — people Google your business before they call.
If you serve local Maryland customers, Google Business Profile is the single highest-ROI marketing thing you can do in week one. Free, takes 30 minutes, drives local search visibility. Verify by mail or phone — takes about 5 business days.
Only do this section if you're hiring an employee in the first 90 days.
Don't try to run Maryland payroll manually. Gusto and ADP are the most common small-business options; QuickBooks Payroll integrates if you're already on QBO. Cost: $40–$80/month base + per-employee charge. They handle MD withholding, MD UI, federal payroll taxes, and W-2/W-3 filing.
If you're on Gusto, ADP, or another payroll system, most of these are done automatically through their onboarding flow.
Full walkthrough of pre-hire setup, the offer process, day-1 paperwork, and the common pitfalls Maryland first-time employers hit.
Read the guide →After the 90 days, here's what shows up on the calendar going forward:
Want to never miss a Maryland deadline?
Use the Maryland Compliance Tracker. Enter your entity and county; we generate your filing calendar with downloadable .ics for Google Calendar or Outlook.
Launch the tracker →Do these four things, in this order. The rest can wait a week or two.
Want a thought partner for the 90-day sprint?
At CBC we run founders through this checklist in a single 90-minute session and produce a written plan with vendors, timing, and budget. Useful if you'd rather not figure it out alone.
Book a working session →This guide is educational. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Maryland and federal requirements change — verify specifics for your situation with a Maryland attorney, CPA, and licensed insurance broker before relying on this checklist.