Skip to content
LLC Answered The short reply to every LLC filing question.

Your questions · Maryland

3 Best LLC Services in Maryland (2026) for You

Our 2026 Maryland ranking, best first, is MD Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199). Of the total, $100 is the state's set filing fee and $397 to $597 is three years of service.
By the LLC Answered editorial team

Answer in four lines

Short reply
Price of filing
$100, paid up front
Ongoing
$300 once every twelve months
Resident agent
Yes, it is required
Our ranking
MD Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then Maryland Registered Agent.co

Our Maryland picks, best first

The scoring is explained on this page.

#1 Hire first

1. MD Registered Agent.org: best for a small first-year bill

$199 plus the state fee; then $99 a year

Hire MD Registered Agent.org in Maryland: $199 gets the LLC formed, and the agent renews yearly at $99.

It beats Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, the test we weigh most.

The price excludes the Business Entity Annual Report.

What is bundled

  • LLC filed for you
  • Year-one agent service

Pluses

  • $99 a year after that
  • No agent charge for year one
  • Forms the LLC for $199

Downsides

  • The Business Entity Annual Report is yours to file
  • $99 add-on for the EIN
Go to MD Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#2 National coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for staying away from paperwork

Annual price $199, renewal price $199; state fee extra

Mainstay Filing comes next since a single $199 yearly price includes the formation, the resident agent and every annual report.

Three years here run $200 above MD Registered Agent.org.

Business Entity Annual Report filing is included, with the $300 state fee charged at cost.

What is bundled

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • Resident agent for a full year
  • Annual report handled each time
  • EIN taken care of
  • No markup on state fees

Pluses

  • $199 annually, all in
  • Applies for your EIN
  • $199 at renewal

Downsides

  • $100 a year more than MD Registered Agent.org from year two
Go to Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#3 Maryland only

3. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for owners who handle their own reports

$199 plus the state fee; then $99 a year

Maryland Registered Agent.co comes next since $199 gets the LLC formed, and the agent renews yearly at $99.

The price excludes the Business Entity Annual Report.

Price for price it ties MD Registered Agent.org.

What is bundled

  • LLC filed for you
  • Year-one agent service

Pluses

  • No agent charge for year one
  • Forms the LLC for $199
  • $99 a year after that

Downsides

  • The Business Entity Annual Report is yours to file
  • $99 add-on for the EIN
Go to Maryland Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compared in a table

#ServiceFirst yearLater years3-year costWhat is covered
1 MD Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397LLC filed for you; Year-one agent service Go to MD Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597articles prepared and filed; resident agent for a full year; annual report handled each time Go to Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Maryland Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397LLC filed for you; Year-one agent service Go to Maryland Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Read November 13, 2026 from company pricing; three years = year one plus two renewals.

The questions, one by one

What is the all-in cost to start one?

$100 for the state, plus $199 if you hire.

When the recurring report are counted, state fees reach $700 across three years. egov.maryland.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

What do I send, and to whom?

One document does it: the Articles of Organization, filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).

State processing time: Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission. egov.maryland.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

Will the state insist on 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.

mgaleg.maryland.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

What do I owe in later years?

Stay current on the Business Entity Annual Report, filed every year for $300. The state gives the due date as April 15; do not miss it.

dat.maryland.gov, last confirmed August 2026, official site

Could I just file it on my own?

Nothing stops you. With no service, your three-year bill is the state's $700.

That $397 to $597 over three years is the price of having someone else handle it.

Why is number one first?

MD Registered Agent.org leads on three-year price, a 36% test.

Three-year price is worth 36% and paperwork covered 29%, with three smaller tests breaking ties.

$397 for three years at MD Registered Agent.org is $200 below Mainstay Filing.

How we decide

Maryland rules at a glance

RequirementAnswerCited at
Cost to file the LLC $100egov.maryland.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site
Resident agent Yes, it is requiredmgaleg.maryland.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site
Business Entity Annual Report $300 every yeardat.maryland.gov, last confirmed August 2026, official site
Paid to the state by year 3 $700Added from the rows

Every figure above links to its official source; the last line is our own addition of the filing, two reports and any minimum tax, with variable costs such as publication left out.

A few more

How long does approval take?

Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.

Is the EIN part of the price?

Only one pick bundles it, Mainstay Filing; MD Registered Agent.org adds $99, Maryland Registered Agent.co adds $99.

What does each charge over three years?

Totals: MD Registered Agent.org at $397, Mainstay Filing at $597, Maryland Registered Agent.co at $397 (services only).

How do you know these fees?

State side: Maryland's published fee schedules and forms. Service side: the prices each company lists.

Can I skip hiring one?

You can file yourself if you meet the rules on this page, and the state charges what it charges either way.

Which LLC service should I hire in Maryland?

MD Registered Agent.org first: the opening cost is $199, first agent year included, followed by $99 annually. Mainstay Filing and Maryland Registered Agent.co follow.

Related pages

Proof and sources

  1. On record: Maryland State Department of Assessments, dat.maryland.gov, current as of August 2026
  2. On record: Maryland State Department of Assessments, dat.maryland.gov, current as of August 2026
  3. On record: Maryland report due date, dat.maryland.gov, current as of August 2026
  4. On record: Md, mgaleg.maryland.gov, current as of August 2026
  5. On record: Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, mgaleg.maryland.gov, current as of October 2026
  6. On record: Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, egov.maryland.gov, current as of October 2026
  7. On record: Maryland registered agent statute, mgaleg.maryland.gov, current as of October 2026
  8. On record: Processing, official source, egov.maryland.gov, current as of October 2026
  9. pricing page at MD Registered Agent.org, looked at November 13, 2026
  10. Maryland service page at Mainstay Filing, looked at November 13, 2026
  11. pricing page at Maryland Registered Agent.co, looked at November 13, 2026