Comparing the dates and getting the MAX date??

Hello,
I am trying to write a script and will compare the dates in " eff_startdt" and give me the lastest date at the outcome.
I have data that some service locations have more than one contract date and I need to get the latest dated conract dates to work on the data but I tried many things I am always getting errors. When I run the script below I get " missing expression" error. I dont' see anything missing.
also somehow Max() is keep giving me errors when I do something like [ ON service_locs = vmeterid WHERE SERVICE_LOCS = SERVICE_LOCS AND EFF_STARTDT = MAX(EFF_STARTDT) ]

Can someone pls give me advice on this. Thanks

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SELECT DISTINCT Broker, customer_name, service_locs, fee_kwh, qtr_monthly, eff_startdt, eff_enddt

FROM VMETER

INNER JOIN BROKER_DATA

ON service_locs = vmeterid WHERE SERVICE_LOCS = SERVICE_LOCS AND (SELECT MAX(EFF_STARTDT) FROM VMETER)
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Does this work?

SELECT Broker, customer_name, service_locs, fee_kwh, qtr_monthly, eff_startdt, eff_enddt
FROM vmeter INNER JOIN broker_data ON service_locs = vmeterid
ORDER BY vmeter.eff_startdt
LIMIT 1