Place1
Top pick on this pageMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for multi-state companies
$199 to register, $149 yearly after
Our mark9.4out of 10
Top of our list: Mainstay Filing, for it prepares and files the Maryland registration for $199 and names itself your resident agent, free for year one.
The agent renews at $149, the same price wherever the company registers.
The three-year premium over Maryland Registered Agent.co is $100; coverage outweighs it in our scoring.
What you get
- Registration prepared and filed
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Why pick it
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- Service fee $199 plus state fees
- Works in all fifty states
Less good
- Renewal costs $50 more than Maryland Registered Agent.co
Place2
Lower renewal than MainstayMaryland Registered Agent.co
2. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for a low Maryland agent renewal
$199 to register, $99 yearly after
Our mark8.9out of 10
Maryland Registered Agent.co ranks second: $199 over the state fee to register in Maryland, with the agent at $99 a year after that.
Served documents are scanned and shared online, and the registered office is a Maryland street address.
What you get
- Maryland registration filed for you
- A year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- $199 over the state fee
- Then $99 a year
- A year of resident agent service included
Less good
- Covers Maryland only
- EIN costs $99 more
Place3
Best value hereMD Registered Agent.org
3. MD Registered Agent.org: best for registering only in Maryland
$199 to register, $99 yearly after
Our mark8.6out of 10
Number 3 is MD Registered Agent.org: $199 over the state fee to register in Maryland, with the agent at $99 a year after that.
Served documents are scanned and shared online, and the registered office is a Maryland street address.
Prices and features match Maryland Registered Agent.co exactly, so the two are close to interchangeable.
What you get
- Maryland registration filed for you
- A year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- A year of resident agent service included
- $199 over the state fee
- Then $99 a year
Less good
- Covers Maryland only
- EIN costs $99 more
Quick comparison: Maryland
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.4 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Maryland Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | MD Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The scores are ours: editorial marks out of 10 built from the weighted criteria on How we rank, not ratings from customers.
Maryland pricing for 2026: what each service costs
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
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| Maryland Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| MD Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. These totals leave out Maryland's $100 registration fee.
How the order was decided
Five criteria set the order; the two heaviest are three-year cost and what one price covers. Here what one price covers made the difference.
Maryland Registered Agent.co renews for less, but one provider in every state scored higher on coverage.
Our method page lists all five criteria.
Maryland foreign registration fee and form (official)
Out-of-state companies file the Limited Liability Company Registration (For non-Maryland Limited Liability Company) with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division; the state charges $100. Maryland also wants written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, dated within 60 days.
After registering, the company files the Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 ($300), due April 15.
Documents you need
- Written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, issued no more than 60 days before you file.
- The company's exact legal name as it appears in its home state, plus its formation date.
- Someone to serve as your resident agent there; every service here does.
- The $100 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 and its $300 fee.
What happens if you skip it
An unregistered foreign LLC cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts until it registers (4A-1007(a)). Its contracts stay valid (4A-1007(b)).
What Maryland founders ask
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Maryland?
Yes, if the company transacts business there. Until it registers it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.
How much does foreign registration cost in Maryland?
The state fee is $100. The services we rank add $199 to prepare and file it.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, dated within 60 days of filing.
Do I need a resident agent after registering?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which foreign registration services do you rank here?
Mainstay Filing ($199), Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199) and MD Registered Agent.org ($199), from first to last.
Which foreign registration service is best in Maryland?
Mainstay Filing ranks first on our method: $199 over the state fee, the first resident agent year included, then $149 a year.
Sources and dates
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, confirmed August 2026: dat.maryland.gov/SiteAssets/Pages/sdatforms/2026_Form1%20Final%20(6).p
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, confirmed August 2026: dat.maryland.gov/SiteAssets/Pages/sdatforms/2026%20Form%201%20Instruct
- Maryland report due date, confirmed August 2026: dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/Annual-Report-and-Personal-Property-
- Md. Code, Corporations & Associations sec. 4A-202, confirmed August 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=4A
- Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source, confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=1-
- Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source, confirmed October 2026: egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/Payment/FeesSchedule
- Maryland registered agent statute), confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=4A
- Maryland Business Express, confirmed October 2026: egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1002, registration, confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=4A
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1009, activities that are not doing business, confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=4A
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1007, effect of not registering, confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gca§ion=4A
- Tax-Property § 11-101, annual report, confirmed October 2026: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtp§ion=11
- Maryland service page of Mainstay Filing, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of Maryland Registered Agent.co, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of MD Registered Agent.org, read November 12, 2026