Howard County Circuit Court - Clerk's Office (MD)

Online

$15 license fee + $2 issuance fee.

Online

$15 license fee + $2 issuance fee.

Annually by April 30.

Online

$25 license fee + $2 issuance fee.

The application will ask you to provide or respond to the following: 

• Federal Tax ID or Social Security Number
• Corporate ID number or Individual ID number from the State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT)
• Have you completed the combined registration form to establish tax accounts (sales tax, unemployment insurance) with the Comptroller of the Treasury?
• If you have employees, you will need to provide your policy binder number or provide a copy of your certificate of compliance to the Clerk of the Circuit Court
• Do you have Planning and Zoning approval? You must have planning and zoning approval to operate a business. This approval must be forwarded to the Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office prior to issuance. Certain incorporated towns require planning and zoning approval for license applications. For those incorporated towns, you can not apply for a business license online.

Online

$39.50

Annually by April 30.

Licensing requirements do not apply to:

• A grower, maker, or manufacturer of goods
• A nonresident traveling salesperson, sample merchant, or representative of a foreign mercantile or manufacturing business while selling to or soliciting an order from a licensed trader in the State
• A private individual while publicly selling the individual's personal effects on the individual's property, if the individual holds only 1 sale not exceeding 14 consecutive days in a calendar year
• A restaurant licensed under Subtitle 16 of this title that generates 10% or less of its annual sales from nonfood items

Exhibitors are also exempt under certain circumstances:

• An exhibitor need not get a trader's license for a show if the show is promoted by:
  • A church, as defined in § 5-301(b) of the Corporations and Associations Article
  • A governmental unit
  • An amateur radio organization
  • An antique vehicle, machine, and equipment organization
  • A volunteer fire department or rescue squad
  • A model train collectors' association
• An exhibitor need not get a trader's license for a show if the exhibitor gives to the promoter an exhibitor's affidavit stating that the exhibitor:
  • Receives less than 10% of the exhibitor's annual income from selling the kind of goods that the exhibitor will display and sell at the show; and
  • Has not participated in more than three shows, not including participation in one show sponsored by a national organization that is exempt from taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, during the previous 365 days
• An exhibitor at an antique show, coin show, or collector show need not get a trader's license for the show if the exhibitor gives to the promoter an exhibitor's affidavit stating that the exhibitor:
  • Will display and sell at the show
  • Receives less than 10% of the exhibitor's annual income in the State from selling the kind of goods that the exhibitor will display and sell at the show; and
  • Has not participated in more than three antique shows, coin shows, or collector shows in the State during the previous 365 days
• An exhibitor who has a trader's license need not get an additional trader's license for a show if, before the show, the exhibitor gives the promoter a photocopy of the trader's license.

$0

MD Bus Reg Code § 17-1803

Online

Trader's License Fees:

• $15 if the value of the applicant's stock-in-trade is not more than $1,000;
• $18 if the value is more than $1,000 but not more than $1,500;
• $20 if the value is more than $1,500 but not more than $2,500;
• $25 if the value is more than $2,500 but not more than $4,000;
• $30 if the value is more than $4,000 but not more than $6,000;
• $40 if the value is more than $6,000 but not more than $8,000;
• $50 if the value is more than $8,000 but not more than $10,000;
• $65 if the value is more than $10,000 but not more than $15,000;
• $80 if the value is more than $15,000 but not more than $20,000;
• $100 if the value is more than $20,000 but not more than $30,000;
• $125 if the value is more than $30,000 but not more than $40,000;
• $150 if the value is more than $40,000 but not more than $50,000;
• $200 if the value is more than $50,000 but not more than $75,000;
• $250 if the value is more than $75,000 but not more than $100,000;
• $300 if the value is more than $100,000 but not more than $150,000;
• $350 if the value is more than $150,000 but not more than $200,000;
• $400 if the value is more than $200,000 but not more than $300,000;
• $500 if the value is more than $300,000 but not more than $400,000;
• $600 if the value is more than $400,000 but not more than $500,000;
• $750 if the value is more than $500,000 but not more than $750,000;
• $800 if the value is more than $750,000.

*The county may alternatively choose to collect a uniform fee of $15.

Chain Store License Fees:

Applicants who also need to obtain a Chain Store license must pay an additional fee based on the number of stores operated in the State.

• $5 for each store for 2 to 5 stores;
• $20 for each store for 6 to 10 stores;
• $100 for each store for 11 to 20 stores; or
• $150 for each store for more than 20 stores.

Online

Trader's License Fees:

• $15 if the value of the applicant's stock-in-trade is not more than $1,000;
• $18 if the value is more than $1,000 but not more than $1,500;
• $20 if the value is more than $1,500 but not more than $2,500;
• $25 if the value is more than $2,500 but not more than $4,000;
• $30 if the value is more than $4,000 but not more than $6,000;
• $40 if the value is more than $6,000 but not more than $8,000;
• $50 if the value is more than $8,000 but not more than $10,000;
• $65 if the value is more than $10,000 but not more than $15,000;
• $80 if the value is more than $15,000 but not more than $20,000;
• $100 if the value is more than $20,000 but not more than $30,000;
• $125 if the value is more than $30,000 but not more than $40,000;
• $150 if the value is more than $40,000 but not more than $50,000;
• $200 if the value is more than $50,000 but not more than $75,000;
• $250 if the value is more than $75,000 but not more than $100,000;
• $300 if the value is more than $100,000 but not more than $150,000;
• $350 if the value is more than $150,000 but not more than $200,000;
• $400 if the value is more than $200,000 but not more than $300,000;
• $500 if the value is more than $300,000 but not more than $400,000;
• $600 if the value is more than $400,000 but not more than $500,000;
• $750 if the value is more than $500,000 but not more than $750,000;
• $800 if the value is more than $750,000.

*The county may alternatively choose to collect a uniform fee of $15.

Chain Store License Fees:

Applicants who also need to obtain a Chain Store license must pay an additional fee based on the number of stores operated in the State.

• $5 for each store for 2 to 5 stores;
• $20 for each store for 6 to 10 stores;
• $100 for each store for 11 to 20 stores; or
• $150 for each store for more than 20 stores.

Annually by April 30.