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Plain answers · Maryland

3 Best Registered Agents in Maryland (2026), Plainly Answered

For registered agents in Maryland, our 2026 order is Maryland Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and MD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). Three years of agent service add up to $297 to $447, starting at $99 to $149.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Quick answer

Required?
Must have one
Legal term
Resident agent
What a service costs
$99 to $149 a year
Who to hire
Maryland Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then MD Registered Agent.org

Maryland: our picks

Best first, by our stated criteria.
1Best overall

1. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for LLCs that stay in one state

First year $99, then $99 a year

Maryland Registered Agent.co is the one we'd hire first in Maryland, because $99 a year buys an in-state agent.

Cost decides it: three years here come in under Mainstay Filing.

The price covers

  • Registered office address
  • Legal papers posted online

Upsides

  • $99 a year, no increase
  • Beats Mainstay Filing on yearly price

What to weigh

  • No coverage outside the state
  • The Business Entity Annual Report stays on your desk
Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Works in any state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in every state

First year $149, then $149 a year

Mainstay Filing comes second: its $149 yearly price does not change from state to state.

Maryland Registered Agent.co saves $150 over three years, enough to rank above it.

The price covers

  • An address in the state
  • Three government mailings a year scanned free
  • Covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Upsides

  • Same price in all fifty states
  • Flat $149 a year

What to weigh

  • Maryland Registered Agent.co is $50 a year less
  • Does not file the yearly report
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Maryland only

3. MD Registered Agent.org: best for local service

First year $99, then $99 a year

MD Registered Agent.org is next: $99 a year buys an in-state agent.

It charges the same as Maryland Registered Agent.co; the order between them is a close call.

The price covers

  • Registered office address
  • Legal papers posted online

Upsides

  • $99 a year, no increase
  • Beats Mainstay Filing on yearly price

What to weigh

  • No coverage outside the state
  • The Business Entity Annual Report stays on your desk
Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

How the picks compare

#ProviderYear 1Later years3-year costYou get
1Maryland Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297registered office address; legal papers posted onlineVisit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447an address in the state; three government mailings a year scanned free; Covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofitsVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3MD Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297registered office address; legal papers posted onlineVisit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as published on November 12, 2026. The state's own fees are listed in the requirements below.

The plain answers

Do I have to name a resident agent?

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

Statute: Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 1-101(x). from mgaleg.maryland.gov · October 2026

Can anyone be the agent?

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

An owner who qualifies may act as the agent at no cost.

What do agents charge?

Our picks charge $99 to $149 a year; three years cost $297 to $447.

State fees stay the same whichever agent you name.

What does the agent actually do?

It accepts court papers and state mail for your LLC at an address in Maryland.

That is why the address must be staffed in business hours. More on service of process

What does the LLC owe the state each year?

The Business Entity Annual Report, once a year, at $300 each time. It is due April 15.

from dat.maryland.gov · August 2026

How did you rank them?

It comes down to three-year cost, where Maryland Registered Agent.co is strongest.

Most of our weighting sits on three-year cost and what the price takes off your plate.

On cost, Maryland Registered Agent.co wins at $297 for three years, a $150 saving against Mainstay Filing.

Read our criteria

What Maryland requires

RuleAmount or ruleCited
Formation fee$100from egov.maryland.gov · October 2026
Resident agentMust have onefrom mgaleg.maryland.gov · October 2026
Business Entity Annual Report$300 every yearfrom dat.maryland.gov · August 2026
State fees, first three years$700Computed from the rows
The three-year line adds the filing fee, the reports in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Costs without a fixed amount, such as newspaper publication, are left out.

FAQ

Can an owner be the agent?

You may, once you meet the rule on who can serve and where.

What is the address rule?

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.

How do the three-year costs compare?

Maryland Registered Agent.co $297, Mainstay Filing $447 and MD Registered Agent.org $297

What are the numbers based on?

State fees from Maryland's official sources, cited next to each figure; service prices from each company's own pricing.

Must I hire anyone?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Which one should I hire in Maryland?

We rank Maryland Registered Agent.co first on three-year cost, with Mainstay Filing and MD Registered Agent.org behind it.

Sources

  1. dat.maryland.gov · Maryland State Department of Assessments · August 2026
  2. dat.maryland.gov · Maryland State Department of Assessments · August 2026
  3. dat.maryland.gov · Maryland report due date · August 2026
  4. mgaleg.maryland.gov · Md · August 2026
  5. mgaleg.maryland.gov · Maryland formation fee: Filing fee · October 2026
  6. egov.maryland.gov · Maryland formation fee: Filing fee · October 2026
  7. mgaleg.maryland.gov · Maryland registered agent statute · October 2026
  8. November 12, 2026: Maryland Registered Agent.co pricing page
  9. November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing Maryland service page
  10. November 12, 2026: MD Registered Agent.org pricing page