Maryland Registered Agent Primer (2026): 6 Moves and the 3 Best Agents
If you are hiring for appointing a registered agent in Maryland in 2026, we rank MD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), in that order. 6 moves: the Maryland rule for a resident agent, who qualifies, the address test and how to record the agent.
Posted prices, read November 13, 2026. Maryland charges the same either way.
How the Maryland agent is set up
Move 1
What Maryland wants from an agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at mgaleg.maryland.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 2
Who may serve
A Maryland resident, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership. Statute: Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 1-101(x).
Move 3
The address test
The address has to be a Maryland address on file with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation; P.O. boxes are not accepted. The LLC also keeps a principal office in Maryland.
Each service we rank gives you the in-state address.
Move 4
Self-serve or professional
Qualifying owners can name themselves. The recommended agents cost $99 to $149 annually.
Move 5
File the agent's details
New companies list the agent on the Articles of Organization. Replacing the agent later means filing again with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at egov.maryland.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 6
Update when things change
Anything the state sends about the Business Entity Annual Report goes to your resident agent. The filing costs $300 every year, due April 15.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at dat.maryland.gov; we read it in August 2026
The cost of this primer
Cost item
Payee
Figure
Registered agent service
The provider
$99 to $149 a year
Agent renewal
The provider
$99 to $149 a year
Business Entity Annual Report
Paid to the state
$300 every year
These are the official Maryland fees, cited below. The three-year line adds the filing fee, the year-two and year-three reports and any minimum tax.
How the marks came out
edged out on founder outlay over three years, worth 27%.
Add up three years and MD Registered Agent.org is $297, $150 below Mainstay Filing.
Common questions
Does Maryland force an LLC to keep a resident agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Can I be my own resident agent?
Often. Run the two tests in moves 2 and 3.
Can I change my resident agent later?
Yes, any time. Move 5 shows how to file the change with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).
What does a registered agent cost in Maryland?
$99 to $149 per year for the agents listed.
What does the LLC pay the state each year?
The state collects the Business Entity Annual Report fee of $300 each time.
Which registered agent would you choose?
MD Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing and Maryland Registered Agent.co, best mark first.