LLC Formation in Maryland (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
If you are hiring for starting an LLC in Maryland in 2026, we rank MD Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Numbers to know: 7 moves, a $100 filing fee, a $300 Business Entity Annual Report.
Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. Each row still needs Maryland's $100 fee.
The primer, move by move
Move 1
Pick the name and test it
A taken name can get the Maryland filing bounced. Run the business search at the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) before you do anything else.
Have a backup ready.
Move 2
Choose a resident agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Maryland resident, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership.
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.
File it yourself for $100, or add $199 and let a service do it. The picks are above.
Move 4
Submit the Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the document that forms the company. Deliver it to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT); the fee is $100. Posted timing: Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.
Once Maryland approves the LLC, ask the IRS for an EIN. Banks and payroll providers need one. Hire Mainstay Filing and the EIN application is handled.
Move 6
Get the owners' deal on paper
A single-owner Maryland LLC still benefits from a written operating agreement in the files.
Move 7
Calendar the repeating deadlines
Maryland requires the Business Entity Annual Report every year, due April 15, costing $300.
Where this comes from: Source page dat.maryland.gov, August 2026
The cost of this primer
Cost item
Paid to
Price
Setting up the LLC
State office
$100
Business Entity Annual Report
State office
$300 every year
A service, if you hire one
Service company
$199 to begin
Three years of state fees
State office
$700
State fees come from the official pages in the sources. Three years means the filing, two years of reports and the minimum tax where one applies.
How the marks came out
The deciding criterion: founder outlay over three years, at 27% of the mark.
Add up three years and MD Registered Agent.org is $397, $200 below Mainstay Filing.
Common questions
What will a Maryland LLC cost to start?
$100, per the official fee schedule. Service fees on this list run $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
Once the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) accepts the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists.
Is a resident agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
How long does Maryland take to process the filing?
Count on Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.
What does Maryland require each year?
Maryland requires the Business Entity Annual Report every year, at $300, with the deadline stated as April 15.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Allowed. File yourself for $100 and arrange a resident agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Pick MD Registered Agent.org: forming costs $199 beyond the state fee; the agent renews at $99. Behind it: Mainstay Filing and Maryland Registered Agent.co.