MERRILL LYNCH MULTI STATE LTD MATURITY MUN SERIES TRUST
NSAR-A, 1997-03-27
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 01/31/97
000 C000000 0000872478
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 ML MULTI-ST. LTD. MAT. MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
001 B000000 811-6282
001 C000000 6092822800
002 A000000 P.O. BOX 9011
002 B000000 PRINCETON
002 C000000 NJ
002 D010000 08543
002 D020000 9011
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  8
007 C010100  1
007 C020100 ML NEW YORK LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200  2
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 ML ARIZONA LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C020400 ML CALIFORNIA LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030400 N
007 C010500  5
007 C020500 ML FLORIDA LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030500 N
007 C010600  6
007 C020600 ML MASSACHUSETTS LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030600 N
007 C010700  7
007 C020700 ML MICHIGAN LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030700 N
007 C010800  8
007 C020800 ML NEW JERSEY LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030800 N
007 C010900  9
007 C020900 ML PENNSYLVANIA LTD. MATURITY MUNI BOND FUND
007 C030900 N
007 C011000 10
007 C011100 11
007 C011200 12
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
007 C011300 13
007 C011400 14
007 C011500 15
007 C011600 16
007 C011700 17
007 C011800 18
007 C011900 19
007 C012000 20
008 A00AA01 FUND ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-12485
008 D01AA01 PRINCETON
008 D02AA01 NJ
008 D03AA01 08543
008 D04AA01 9011
011 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-14663
011 C01AA01 PRINCETON
011 C02AA01 NJ
011 C03AA01 08543
011 C04AA01 9011
012 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-01339
012 C01AA01 JACKSONVILLE
012 C02AA01 FL
012 C03AA01 32246
012 C04AA01 6484
013 A00AA01 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B01AA01 PRINCETON
013 B02AA01 NJ
013 B03AA01 08540
014 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
014 B00AA01 8-7221
015 A00AA01 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 NEW YORK
015 C02AA01 NY
015 C03AA01 10005
015 E01AA01 X
015 A00AA02 BANKERS TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA02 S
015 C01AA02 NEW YORK
015 C02AA02 NY
015 C03AA02 10006
015 E01AA02 X
015 A00AA03 CHEMICAL BANK
015 B00AA03 S
015 C01AA03 NEW YORK
015 C02AA03 NY
015 C03AA03 10017
015 E01AA03 X
<PAGE>      PAGE  3
015 A00AA04 CUSTODIAL TRUST CO.
015 B00AA04 S
015 C01AA04 NEW YORK
015 C02AA04 NY
015 C03AA04 10167
015 E01AA04 X
015 A00AA05 MORGAN GUARANTEE TRUST CO.
015 B00AA05 S
015 C01AA05 NEW YORK
015 C02AA05 NY
015 C03AA05 10260
015 E01AA05 X
018  00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00  189
019 C00AA00 MERRILLLYN
020 A000001 HOUGH, (WILLIAM R.) & CO.
020 B000001 59-2246010
020 C000001      2
020 C000002      0
020 C000003      0
020 C000004      0
020 C000005      0
020 C000006      0
020 C000007      0
020 C000008      0
020 C000009      0
020 C000010      0
021  000000        2
022 A000001 BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
022 B000001 13-3299429
022 C000001      6400
022 D000001      6900
022 A000002 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000002 13-5108880
022 C000002      6200
022 D000002      7000
022 A000003 SMITH BARNEY INC.
022 B000003 13-1912900
022 C000003      4200
022 D000003      4631
022 A000004 TUCKER ANTHONY INCORPORATED
022 B000004 04-2566229
022 C000004      3312
022 D000004      2588
022 A000005 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000005 13-2518466
022 C000005      3609
022 D000005      2183
022 A000006 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000006 13-3224016
<PAGE>      PAGE  4
022 C000006      1900
022 D000006      3391
022 A000007 HOUGH, (WILLIAM R.) & CO.
022 B000007 59-2246010
022 C000007      1502
022 D000007      3681
022 A000008 FIRST ALBANY CORPORATION
022 B000008 14-1391446
022 C000008      1300
022 D000008      2912
022 A000009 PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
022 B000009 13-2638166
022 C000009      1300
022 D000009      2700
022 A000010 ROOSEVELT & CROSS INCORPORATED
022 B000010 13-2728032
022 C000010      2445
022 D000010      1517
023 C000000      45600
023 D000000      49550
024  00AA00 N
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054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 N
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058 A00AA00 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  5
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
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<PAGE>      PAGE  8
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<PAGE>      PAGE  9
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<PAGE>      PAGE  10
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<PAGE>      PAGE  11
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050  000300 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  12
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<PAGE>      PAGE  13
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<PAGE>      PAGE  14
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<PAGE>      PAGE  15
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<PAGE>      PAGE  16
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<PAGE>      PAGE  17
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<PAGE>      PAGE  18
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<PAGE>      PAGE  19
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<PAGE>      PAGE  20
050  000500 N
051  000500 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  21
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<PAGE>      PAGE  22
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<PAGE>      PAGE  23
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<PAGE>      PAGE  24
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<PAGE>      PAGE  25
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<PAGE>      PAGE  26
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<PAGE>      PAGE  27
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<PAGE>      PAGE  28
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<PAGE>      PAGE  29
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<PAGE>      PAGE  30
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<PAGE>      PAGE  31
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<PAGE>      PAGE  32
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<PAGE>      PAGE  33
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<PAGE>      PAGE  34
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<PAGE>      PAGE  35
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<PAGE>      PAGE  36
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<PAGE>      PAGE  37
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SIGNATURE   GERALD M. RICHARD                            
TITLE       TREASURER           
 


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<NAME> ML MULTI STATE LIMITED MATURITY MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
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<NAME> ML MULTI STATE LIMITED MATURITY MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
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   <NAME> MICHIGAN LIMITED MATURITY
       
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<NAME> ML MULTI STATE LIMITED MATURITY MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
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   <NAME> NEW JERSEY LIMITED MATURITY
       
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   <NAME> NEW JERSEY LIMITED MATURITY
       
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<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<NAME> ML MULTI STATE LIMITED MATURITY MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
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   <NAME> NEW JERSEY LIMITED MATURITY
       
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<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000872478
<NAME> ML MULTI STATE LIMITED MATURITY MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
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   <NAME> NEW JERSEY LIMITED MATURITY
       
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