Taxpayer and Citizen Assistance

The Comptroller of Maryland's motto, “Serving the People,” is a priority throughout the agency. Staff members are devoted to providing exceptional customer service to taxpayers and other constituent groups by assisting and providing detailed information regarding taxes and other agency-related matters. Links to help topics are at the bottom of this page.

Have Tax Questions? Contact Taxpayer Service

Telephone: Call 1-800-MD TAXES (1-800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland. Telephone assistance is available 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Comptroller of Maryland offers extended hours February 1 - April 18, 2023 Monday through Friday from 8:30am until 6:00pm for telephone assistance except for State Holidays.

E-mail: taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov. Please include your name, address and the last four digits of your Social Security number in your e-mail message. This will help us generate a quick response to your inquiry.

Mailing Address:

Comptroller of Maryland
Taxpayer Service Division
110 Carroll Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21411

Individual Income Tax: Call 410-974-2432 from Central Maryland or toll-free 1-888-674-0016 from elsewhere.

Business Tax: Call 410-649-0633 from Central Maryland or toll-free 1-888-614-6337 from elsewhere in Maryland.

If you forgot to file a personal income tax or business tax return, missed a deadline or have a tax liability to clear up, we can help you determine what to do next. We don't capture any personal data with this service. This is strictly for your convenience.

You can file your tax returns online, set up a payment plan online, pay by credit card, or contact us so we can help you make a payment arrangement or meet any filing requirements you may have overlooked.

If you would like to file complaints about tax return preparers you believe are engaged in improper practices, you may do so through the IRS and/or the Maryland Department of Labor. If you believe that a tax preparer is preparing fraudulent returns, you may notify the Comptroller's Office at (410) 767-1322.

This section contains contact information about all of the Comptroller of Maryland's locations. We offer our services over the telephone, online and in person. Choose one of the links below for a phone list, e-mail directory or a listing of branch locations with driving directions.

Email Security Warning!

When sending an email to the Comptroller of Maryland, do not include information such as your full social security number (use only the last 4 digits), bank account numbers, routing numbers, or any other sensitive information.

If you wish to send sensitive information, email a description of the issue (without the sensitive data), and let us know you have confidential information to send. We will reply back via an encrypted email account, which will have "#secure#" in the email subject. In reply to the secured email, you may then provide the additional detail, including the sensitive information.

If you need additional assistance or have questions about your return you may contact Taxpayer Service at 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland or at 1-800-MD TAXES from elsewhere. Assistance is available Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. As an alternative, you can send an email to taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov and receive an answer in 2-3 business days.   

Taxpayers can receive assistance via phone.

Contacting Taxpayer Service for Assistance During Tax Season

The Comptroller of Maryland offers extended telephone assistance hours for CURRENT YEAR Personal Income Tax from February 1 - April 18. Assistance will be available from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except for State holidays. We can be reached by calling 410-260-7980 (central Maryland) or 1-800-MD TAXES (outside of Central Maryland). As an alternative for phone assistance, you can send an email to taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov.

After April 18th, we will return to our normal hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. excluding State Holidays.

You may obtain the status of your refund either online or by phone by calling our automated Refund Request Line at 410-260-7701 or 1-800-218-8160.  Refund status is updated once daily at approximately 10:30 a.m. For more information about refunds, visit our Refund Information section.

Contact Us by Phone

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Topic Phone Number Toll-Free Number
Admissions and Amusement Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Annapolis Branch Office 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Baltimore Branch Office 410-260-7980 from Baltimore area 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Bulk Sales (on sale of business) 410-767-1579 from the Baltimore area 1-800-492-1751 from elsewhere in Maryland
Business Licenses 410-260-6240 from Central Maryland 1-866-239-9359 from elsewhere in Maryland
Central Registration Unit (for business taxes) 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Corporation Income Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) from elsewhere in Maryland
Cumberland Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Electronic Funds Transfer Information 410-260-7980
(file and pay business taxes by telephone)		 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Elkton Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Employer Withholding Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere
Estate Tax 410-260-7850 from Central Maryland 1-800-MD TAXES(1-800-638-2937)  from elsewhere
Estimated Income Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) from elsewhere
Frederick Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Hagerstown Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Income Tax Refund Information 410-260-7701 from Central Maryland 1-800-218-8160 from elsewhere in Maryland
Income Tax Information 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) from elsewhere in Maryland
Landover Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Motor Fuel Tax 410-260-7215 from Central Maryland 1-888-784-0142 from elsewhere in Maryland
Sales and Use Tax 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certificate Renewals 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Salisbury Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Tax Clearance Certificate 410-260-7813 from Central Maryland  
Tax Fraud/Non-Compliance-Individual Taxes 410-767-1322  
Tax Practitioner Hotline (for Tax Professionals) 410-260-7424  
Tire Recycling Fee 410-260-7980 from Central Maryland 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Towson Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Unclaimed Property 410-767-1700 from the Baltimore area 1-800-782-7383 from elsewhere
Waldorf Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland
Wheaton Branch Office 410-260-7980 (local) 1-800-638-2937 from elsewhere in Maryland

Contact Us by Email

Email Security Warning!

When sending an email to the Comptroller of Maryland, do not include information such as your full social security number (use only the last 4 digits), bank account numbers, routing numbers, or any other sensitive information.

If you wish to send sensitive information, email a description of the issue (without the sensitive data), and let us know you have confidential information to send. We will reply back via an encrypted email account, which will have "#secure#" in the email subject. In reply to the secured email, you may then provide the additional detail, including the sensitive information.

General Information
taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov 		A service which provides assistance and general information regarding Maryland tax returns, notices and other agency matters.
Comptroller Brooke Lierman
Brooke@marylandtaxes.gov 		Have a question or comment for State Comptroller Brooke Lierman?
Comptroller Executive Staff
Comptroller@marylandtaxes.gov 		Need to contact Comptroller Lierman’s team?
Alcohol Tax
att@mdatc.gov 		For manufacturers, transporters, and wholesale distributors of alcoholic beverages into, within and out of Maryland.
Bureau of Revenue Estimates
bre@marylandtaxes.gov 		Provides staff support to the Board of Revenue Estimates, which is responsible for estimating state revenues. Maintains detailed data and forecasts on state revenues and the state economy.
cdcprograms@marylandtaxes.gov To report suspected tax fraud/non-compliance concerning individual taxes.
Central Payroll Bureau
cpb@marylandtaxes.gov 		Responsible for issuing paychecks to all state employees, except those in the Mass Transit Administration. Handles deductions, payroll taxes, W-2 forms, and other payroll reports for state government.
Compliance Division
compliance@marylandtaxes.gov 		The division's primary functions are auditing and collecting various business and personal income taxes. Operating sections include Administration, Auditing, Collections, and Hearings and Appeals.
Electronic Filing Program
efil@marylandtaxes.gov 		For online filers, tax preparers, and software developers with questions or comments about Maryland's electronic filing program for personal and corporate income tax returns.
Feedback
feedback@marylandtaxes.gov 		Let us know how the Comptroller's Office can better meet your needs through the services we offer and how we can make this site more useful to you.
General Accounting Division
gad@marylandtaxes.gov 		Maintains the state's accounting records and accounts for all state funds received and disbursed. Countersigns and distributes all State Treasury checks.
Motor Fuel Tax
MFTLicenses@marylandtaxes.gov 		For motor fuel dealers and diesel fuel sellers and users, commercial motor carriers, and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) members.
Sales and Use Tax
sut@marylandtaxes.gov 		For business and individual taxpayers with questions about the state sales and use tax.
Corporate Information Reporting
cdcombinedreporting@marylandtaxes.gov 		For business taxpayers with questions about corporate information reporting.
State License Bureau
slb@marylandtaxes.gov 		Responsible for enforcing local revenue laws which require business licenses.
Tax Information for Tax Professionals
taxprohelp@marylandtaxes.gov 		For tax professionals with questions about income tax law and client accounts.
Tax Forms
taxforms@marylandtaxes.gov 		For requesting tax forms and instructions.
Tobacco Tax
att@mdatc.gov 		For manufacturers, transporters, and wholesale distributors of tobacco products into, within and out of Maryland.
Unclaimed Property
unclaim@marylandtaxes.gov 		Financial assets, such as bank accounts, insurance benefits and wages that remain unclaimed for three years must be reported to the Maryland State Comptroller's Office. The comptroller serves as custodian of these unclaimed funds and maintains a database to help locate the legal owners.
Web Manager
webman@marylandtaxes.gov 		Develops and maintains the pages and computer systems for the Maryland State Comptroller's Web site

If you are unsure of the appropriate e-mail address to use, please e-mail the General Information account.

Maryland Relay is a public service provided by the Maryland Department of Budget and Management/Telecommunications Access of Maryland, which enables standard telephone users to communicate with deaf, hard - of - hearing, deaf/blind or speech - disabled people who use a TTY. For more information you can visit their web site, https://doit.maryland.gov/mdrelay/ or call the following numbers.

Access Numbers

7-1-1 (in Maryland)
1-800-735-2258 (Anywhere)
410-260-7157 or 410- 67-1967 (Baltimore Metro TTY)
301-949-6032 (Wheaton TTY)
1-888-VCO-WORD =1-888-826-9673 (for VCO)
1-877-735-5151 (for ASCII)
1-800-785-5630 (MD Speech-to-Speech Relay)
1-900-386-3323 (900 call via MD Relay)

Comptroller of Maryland's Ombudsman's Office

Building upon the agency's commitment to stellar customer service, the agency has created a new unit dedicated to providing taxpayers with a high-level contact for tax issues that haven't been resolved adequately. The Ombudsman's Office, led by Dana Frank Buker, is dedicated to helping taxpayers navigate government channels and come to a swift resolution of their problems.

Ombudsman

If you have a problem with the Comptroller's Office that you are unable to resolve through routine channels, the Comptroller's ombudsman may be able to help.

The ombudsman can:

  • Respond to your inquiries about unresolved tax matters including mistakes made, undue delays, poor or misleading information or staff behavior;
  • Ensure that the appropriate staff person reviews your complaints;
  • Provide you with a written response about the Department's decision, if needed;
  • Inform you of what action, if any, you should take to resolve the issue, and
  • Assist you in understanding your rights and responsibilities under the Maryland Tax Statute.

The ombudsman cannot:

  • Review complaints relating to tax policy or legislation
  • Review matter that are before the courts
  • Automatically stop legal action being taken by the Comptroller's Office to collect a liability
  • Review complaints that other statutory bodies would deal with

Contact Information

Comptroller's Ombudsman: Dana Frank Buker
Telephone number: 410-260-4020
E-mail: ombudsman@marylandtaxes.gov
Address: 80 Calvert Street, PO Box 466, Annapolis, MD 21404-0466

Identity Protection: Prevention, Detection and Victim Assistance

If You Believe You Are a Victim of Identity Theft

Identity theft places a burden on its victims and presents a challenge to businesses, organizations and government agencies. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen social security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund.

Contact the following organizations:

Contact and place a "fraud alert" on your credit records with the three major credit bureaus: 

Fraudulent Returns Filed with the State of Maryland

If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, and/or that a fraudulent Maryland or federal tax return was filed using your social security number, you may contact our office and a representative will assist you:

If a fraudulent Maryland return was submitted using your social security number:

  • The fraudulent filer had possession of your stolen social security number, and possibly additional information.  You may request a copy of the return by submitting Form 129.
  • The fraudulent filers typically file electronically using online tax software.
  • Refund requests are typically deposited into a pre-paid debit card account.
  • Please be advised that if you attempt to, you will NOT be able to submit your tax return using third party software. You may file using our free iFile system, file a paper return or visit one of our Branch Offices and have the return filed on your behalf. 

If you have received a letter from the Comptroller of Maryland advising you that an attempt was made to file a fraudulent return: 

  • it will not affect your valid return.  
  • we have removed the invalid return from your account, 
  • we have taken the appropriate steps to place an identity theft indicator on your social security number  (and your spouse's, if applicable) to ensure future filings are manually reviewed. NOTE:  This will cause a delay in processing future refunds, however, you can request us to remove the indicator.
  • You do NOT need to do anything further with the Comptroller#'s Office or send any additional documentation. Submission of the IRS Form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit will delay the processing of your return.

The Comptroller's Office has numerous business rules in place to assist in fraud and identity theft detection; however, the details are not information we share with the public.  The Comptroller's Questionable Return Detection Team, along with the Comptroller's Field Enforcement Bureau, are working together in trying to identify and forward for prosecution anyone that is identified as being involved with an identity theft case.

The following links are based on our traditional series of brochures offering helpful tax filing tips for working couples, senior citizens, military families, people who recently moved into Maryland and other special groups of taxpayers.

Some of the topics also focus on electronic filing options and different methods for paying taxes, as well as estate tax matters and tax law enforcement.

Personal Tax Tips

Miscellaneous Tax Tips