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A practical guide · Maryland

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Maryland (2026) and What to Check

Your 2026 shortlist for foreign registration services in Maryland reads Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and MD Registered Agent.org ($199), in our order. Plan on $100 for the state and $397 to $497 in service fees across three years.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team

Quick guide

State fee to register
$100
Certificate of good standing?
Needed (60 days maximum age)
After you register
$300, Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1
Where to start
Maryland Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then MD Registered Agent.org

Maryland: the ranking

The scoring is laid out on this page.

#1 Top pick

1. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for a lean registration

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

Why Maryland Registered Agent.co first? Because $199 files the registration, and the agent renews at $99 each year.

Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing, which puts it first for a company that stays in one state.

Checklist: what is included
  • Registration handled
  • Year-one agent service
What works
  • Only $199 to register
  • Year one of the agent comes with it
  • Then $99 annually
Gaps
  • Single-state coverage
See Maryland Registered Agent.co's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#2 National coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for the same fee everywhere

$199 plus the state fee, then $149 a year

In second place, Mainstay Filing, where the fee is $199 in every state, and the resident agent is included for the first year.

Maryland Registered Agent.co is $100 lower across three years, which is enough to rank above it.

Once the free year ends, the resident agent renews at $149.

Checklist: what is included
  • Application prepared and sent
  • One service fee for all fifty states
What works
  • Adds $199 to the state fee
  • Identical fee in every state
Gaps
  • Pay $50 more a year for the agent
See Mainstay Filing's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#3 For Maryland filers

3. MD Registered Agent.org: best for one more state only

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

MD Registered Agent.org follows since $199 files the registration, and the agent renews at $99 each year.

Both publish identical prices, so pick whichever you like better.

Checklist: what is included
  • Registration handled
  • Year-one agent service
What works
  • Then $99 annually
  • Only $199 to register
  • Year one of the agent comes with it
Gaps
  • Single-state coverage
See MD Registered Agent.org's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Cost check

#ProviderStartRenewal costThree-year costIncluded
1 Maryland Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397registration handled; Year-one agent service See Maryland Registered Agent.co's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$149/yr$497application prepared and sent; one service fee for all fifty states See Mainstay Filing's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 MD Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397registration handled; Year-one agent service See MD Registered Agent.org's plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Company prices from November 13, 2026, before state fees.

Questions to settle

At what point is registration required?

Register with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division before your LLC does business in Maryland.

Doing business unregistered risks it cannot sue in Maryland courts until it registers (4A-1007(a)).

verify at mgaleg.maryland.gov, as of October 2026

What are the fees for registering?

$100 to the state, $199 to a service.

Over three years the state's fees reach $700, counting any recurring report. verify at mgaleg.maryland.gov, as of October 2026

Which form do I file, and with whom?

Send the Limited Liability Company Registration (For non-Maryland Limited Liability Company) to the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division.

Add written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing issued within the last 60 days.

What do I do after the LLC registers?

The state wants a Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 later, priced at $300.

The state sets the deadline at April 15.

Why is number one first?

Maryland Registered Agent.co leads on total for three years, which carries 37% of our score.

Start with total for three years, then filing jobs included, then three smaller checks.

Choose Maryland Registered Agent.co over Mainstay Filing and keep $100 across three years.

Our method in full

Maryland registration rules at a glance

RequirementAmount or ruleVerify
Fee to register $100verify at mgaleg.maryland.gov, as of October 2026
Home-state certificate Needed, 60 daysverify at mgaleg.maryland.gov, as of October 2026
Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 $300verify at mgaleg.maryland.gov, as of October 2026
State fees across three years $700Rows above, added up

Every amount above links to its official source. The last row is our own total of the filing, two reports and any minimum tax, without variable costs like publication.

FAQ

Will one agent cover both states?

Both states apply their own rules, so keep an agent at home too. A provider active in every state, such as Mainstay Filing, can cover both.

Three years in, what has each cost?

Maryland Registered Agent.co $397; Mainstay Filing $497; MD Registered Agent.org $397 (services only).

Where do you get the fees?

Every state fee links to its official page, and every service price is read from the company's own site.

Is a service required by law?

No. You can file with the state yourself; a service saves time and can act as your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.

Who submits the registration?

Yes, filing is part of what these companies sell, and the state fee does not move.

Who ranks first in Maryland?

Maryland Registered Agent.co leads on total for three years, ahead of Mainstay Filing and MD Registered Agent.org.

Where each fact comes from

  1. Maryland State Department of Assessments [dat.maryland.gov] last confirmed August 2026
  2. Maryland State Department of Assessments [dat.maryland.gov] last confirmed August 2026
  3. Maryland report due date [dat.maryland.gov] last confirmed August 2026
  4. Md [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed August 2026
  5. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  6. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee [egov.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  7. Maryland registered agent statute [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  8. Maryland Business Express [egov.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  9. Corporations and Associations § 4A-1002 [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  10. Corporations and Associations § 4A-1009 [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  11. Corporations and Associations § 4A-1007 [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  12. Tax-Property § 11-101, annual report [mgaleg.maryland.gov] last confirmed October 2026
  13. Pricing from the Maryland Registered Agent.co pricing page, November 13, 2026
  14. Pricing from the Mainstay Filing Maryland service page, November 13, 2026
  15. Pricing from the MD Registered Agent.org pricing page, November 13, 2026