Place1
Top pick on this pageMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report in one price
$199 yearly plus Maryland's fee
Our mark9.6out of 10
We put Mainstay Filing first: the Maryland formation, your resident agent and the annual report all sit under one $199 yearly price.
The renewal includes filing the Business Entity Annual Report ($300 state fee, every year, due April 15), so a missed deadline is less likely.
Over three years it costs $200 more than Maryland Registered Agent.co, and we think the extra coverage earns that here.
What you get
- Formation prepared and filed
- Your resident agent, all year
- Your annual report prepared and filed
- EIN application
Why pick it
- Maryland's fee charged at cost
- $199 a year, all in, annual report included
- EIN application included
- $199 renewal, no add-ons
Less good
- Higher renewal than Maryland Registered Agent.co (by $100)
Place2
Low renewalMaryland Registered Agent.co
2. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for Maryland LLCs that file their own reports
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year
Our mark9.3out of 10
Maryland Registered Agent.co ranks second: a $199 formation fee over the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.
You get a Maryland street address for the registered office, and served papers are scanned to your account.
You handle the Business Entity Annual Report on your own every year; it is not in the price.
What you get
- The formation filing
- First year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- $199 over the state fee
- First year of resident agent service included
- $99 a year after year one
Less good
- Business Entity Annual Report filing not in the price
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Place3
Low renewalMD Registered Agent.org
3. MD Registered Agent.org: best for a second Maryland option
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year
Our mark9.0out of 10
MD Registered Agent.org comes third with a $199 formation fee over the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.
You get a Maryland street address for the registered office, and served papers are scanned to your account.
You handle the Business Entity Annual Report on your own every year; it is not in the price.
Maryland Registered Agent.co and MD Registered Agent.org publish the same prices and the same plan features, so the gap between them is small and either is a sound choice.
What you get
- The formation filing
- First year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- First year of resident agent service included
- $199 over the state fee
- $99 a year after year one
Less good
- Business Entity Annual Report filing not in the price
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
3 picks compared
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.6 | $199 | $199/yr | Formation, agent and annual report in one price | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | Maryland Registered Agent.co | 9.3 | $199 | $99/yr | A Maryland-only LLC on a budget | Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | MD Registered Agent.org | 9.0 | $199 | $99/yr | A Maryland-only LLC on a budget | Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Editorial scores out of 10 from The Founders Review, using the criteria explained on How we rank. No customer ratings are involved.
2026 prices: year one, renewal and three-year total cost
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Business Entity Annual Report filed for you |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
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| Maryland Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| MD Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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Service fees as published on each company's own pages, read November 12, 2026. Add Maryland's $100 filing fee to every row; it is not in these totals.
Why Mainstay Filing is first
The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For Maryland, what one price covers is what separated first place from second.
Maryland Registered Agent.co costs less, but the Business Entity Annual Report filing in Mainstay's price earned it the higher coverage score.
Read the full criteria on our How we rank page.
The state filing fee and form
Filing the Articles of Organization costs $100 at the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), per Md. Code, Corporations & Associations sec. 4A-202 (formation); contents at sec. 4A-204; $100 fee per SDAT charter fee schedule; the services pass that through on top.
Processing time: Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.
Keeping a Maryland LLC in good standing
Business Entity Annual Report: every year, $300, due April 15. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Common Maryland questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maryland?
The state charges $100; our picks add $199.
What form creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization, filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).
How long does Maryland take to approve an LLC?
Standard processing: Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.
Do I need a resident agent for a Maryland LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What yearly filings does a Maryland LLC have?
The Business Entity Annual Report, every year, due April 15, with a $300 state fee.
Is the EIN application included?
Mainstay Filing's yearly price includes it. Maryland Registered Agent.co and MD Registered Agent.org charge $99 for it. The IRS itself charges no fee for an EIN.
Which LLC service is best in Maryland?
Mainstay Filing tops our list: a single $199 price each year covers the filing, the agent and the annual report.
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
- Processing, official source, confirmed October 2026: egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/Home/ProcessingTimes
- Mainstay Filing Maryland service page, read on November 12, 2026
- Maryland Registered Agent.co pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026
- MD Registered Agent.org pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026