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Registered agent guide · Maryland

Maryland Registered Agent Guide (2026): Rules, Fees and the 3 Best Agents

In 2026 we'd hire Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Maryland Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and MD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) for registered agent service in Maryland, in that order. Every Maryland LLC must keep a resident agent on file. The state's own yearly fees come to $300, 44th of 50.
State Filing Data research desk

Maryland fee data

among 50 states on yearly fees

Rank 1 is the least expensive state, tied. Compare states

Resident agent required

Yes

October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov

Business Entity Annual Report

$300 / yr

Timing: April 15. August 2026: dat.maryland.gov

Yearly state fees

$300

Per year once formed

Who we'd use in Maryland

Five criteria, fixed weights, same for every state. Details: methodology.

We would start here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for growing companies

Year one $149, then $149 a year

First choice, Mainstay Filing: $149 a year here or in any other state, renewing at $149.

Maryland Registered Agent.co comes in $150 lower across three years, and we still rank coverage ahead of that gap.

What you pay for

  • Street address for the registered office
  • Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
  • First three government mailings a year scanned free
  • Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

For

  • $149 a year
  • One provider for any state

Against

  • Costs $50 more each year than Maryland Registered Agent.co
  • The agent-only plan does not file reports
Single state

2. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for Maryland-based founders

Year one $99, then $99 a year

In second place, Maryland Registered Agent.co: a Maryland-only plan at $99 a year that renews at $99.

What you pay for

  • Registered office street address
  • Legal papers scanned and posted online

For

  • Lower yearly cost than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 a year, no increase

Against

  • Single-state service
  • You file the Business Entity Annual Report
Single state

3. MD Registered Agent.org: best for a local agent

Year one $99, then $99 a year

In third place, MD Registered Agent.org: a Maryland-only plan at $99 a year that renews at $99.

It publishes the same prices as Maryland Registered Agent.co, so the two are close.

What you pay for

  • Registered office street address
  • Legal papers scanned and posted online

For

  • Lower yearly cost than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 a year, no increase

Against

  • Single-state service
  • You file the Business Entity Annual Report

Price comparison

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year service fees
1 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Maryland Registered Agent.co $99$99/yr$297
Visit Maryland Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 MD Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297
Visit MD Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each company's published price, read November 12, 2026. The state bills you the same either way.

Maryland agent and upkeep calculator

Agent prices plus Maryland's yearly state fees (the Business Entity Annual Report from year two). Formation fees are left out.

State fees $600 plus Mainstay Filing at $447: $1,047 over 3 years.

Where Maryland sits in the 50-state table

RankStateYearly state fees
42nd Kentucky$190
43rd North Carolina$200
44th Maryland$300
44th Tennessee$300
46th Nevada$350

Full ranking: Registered agent rules by state. 1st is the least expensive.

Maryland resident agent requirements (official, Secretary of State)

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. 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.

Who can be the agent: A Maryland resident, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership. Source: Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 1-101(x).

Yearly state fees for a Maryland LLC

The Business Entity Annual Report comes every year at $300 (April 15). Notices about it go to your resident agent.

Why this order

Of our five criteria, state filings covered (30%) settled first place in Maryland.

Fifty-state coverage outscored Maryland Registered Agent.co on our method.

FAQ

Does Maryland require a resident agent?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Who can serve as the resident agent?

A Maryland resident, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership.

How much does a registered agent cost in Maryland?

From $99 to $149 a year on this page.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

$300 a year on our measure: the Business Entity Annual Report ($300 every year).

Which registered agents are on this page?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Maryland Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and MD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), in our order.

Which registered agent would you pick?

Mainstay Filing first: the same $149 agent price in every state, so a growing company keeps one provider. Then Maryland Registered Agent.co and MD Registered Agent.org.

Other guides

Official sources and price pages

  1. Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation at dat.maryland.gov, confirmed August 2026
  2. Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation at dat.maryland.gov, confirmed August 2026
  3. Maryland report due date at dat.maryland.gov, confirmed August 2026
  4. Md at mgaleg.maryland.gov, confirmed August 2026
  5. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source at mgaleg.maryland.gov, confirmed October 2026
  6. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source at egov.maryland.gov, confirmed October 2026
  7. Maryland registered agent statute at mgaleg.maryland.gov, confirmed October 2026
  8. Kentucky Secretary of State at sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026
  9. Kentucky Secretary of State at sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026
  10. Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official at revenue.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026
  11. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State at sosnc.gov, confirmed August 2026
  12. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State at sosnc.gov, confirmed August 2026
  13. Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services at tnbear.tn.gov, confirmed August 2026
  14. Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services at sos.tn.gov, confirmed August 2026
  15. Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source at sos.tn.gov, confirmed October 2026
  16. Nevada yearly filing: Annual list + license: fees at nvsos.gov, confirmed October 2026
  17. Mainstay Filing: Maryland service page as published on November 12, 2026
  18. Maryland Registered Agent.co: pricing page as published on November 12, 2026
  19. MD Registered Agent.org: pricing page as published on November 12, 2026