location_on Maryland State Guide

Registered Agent in Maryland: requirements, cost & best options

Maryland is unusual: LLC filings go to the tax department (SDAT), the role is a 'resident agent,' and the annual report is a $300 combined filing with a personal property return — due every April 15. Here's what that means for your LLC.

By Abdullah Riahi, Founder & Editor · Published June 24, 2026 · Updated October 4, 2026

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Maryland compliance, simplified

The exact Maryland rules, real costs, and the right registered-agent option for your LLC — checked against the official Maryland source.

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The Short Answer

Maryland does business filings through the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) — a tax agency, not a Secretary of State — via Maryland Business Express.
It calls the role a resident agent: a Maryland resident, a Maryland corporation, or a Maryland LLC. You can be your own if you're an MD resident; the LLC can't serve as its own agent.
The yearly filing is a $300 Business Entity Annual Report on Form 1, due April 15, bundled with a Personal Property Return — the $300 is owed regardless, and the property return applies only if you own or lease property in Maryland.
Miss it and you fall out of good standing, heading toward charter forfeiture by December. No publication requirement.
A service helps for privacy or if you're out of state.

info

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never changes what we recommend or what you pay. See how we make money.

See Northwest for Maryland → $39 + state fee · registered agent free for year one · keeps your address private

boltQuick decision for Maryland

chevron_rightUse a professional resident agent if you work from home, travel, or run the LLC from outside Maryland — it keeps your street address off the public SDAT record and guarantees someone is there to accept a lawsuit.
chevron_rightBe your own resident agent if you're a Maryland resident with a street address staffed during business hours and you don't mind that address appearing on the public record.
chevron_rightNorthwest fits if privacy and never missing the $300 April 15 Form 1 matter more to you than saving ~$125 a year.

Maryland Registered Agent & LLC Facts

Requirement / Metric	Maryland Specifics
Registered agent required?	Yes — every Maryland LLC & corporation
Governing statute	Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 4A-210 (resident agent) & § 1-101 (resident-agent definition)
Physical Maryland address required?	Yes — a resident agent with a physical Maryland address, plus a Maryland principal office
PO box allowed?	No — the resident agent needs a Maryland street address, not a PO box
Can you be your own agent?	Yes, if you're an individual residing in Maryland and at least 18 — the resident agent must be a Maryland-resident individual, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership (Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 1-101), and must sign a consent to the appointment.
LLC filing fee	$100 (confirm current)
Annual report	Business Entity Annual Report (Form 1), $300, filed with SDAT and due April 15 every year. It's combined with the Business Personal Property Return: the $300 report is owed no matter what, and the personal-property portion is required only if the LLC owns, leases, or uses personal property in Maryland. Miss it and the LLC goes 'not in good standing,' heading to charter forfeiture by December if it stays unfiled.
Franchise / annual tax	No franchise tax. Maryland has a graduated income tax up to 5.75% (the top bracket applies over $250k single / $300k joint) that owners pay on pass-through profits, plus a local county 'piggyback' income tax on top.
Publication requirement	None
Change registered agent fee	$25 ($75 expedited) — file a Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent with SDAT, by mail or through Maryland Business Express.
Official source	Maryland Division / Secretary of State

Fees and rules change — always confirm the current figures on the official Maryland source linked above before filing.

Statutory agent, resident agent, registered agent — which does Maryland use?

Maryland does not say “registered agent”. Its LLC statute says resident agent (Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 4A-210). It is the same job, and most national services still advertise it as a registered agent, so you will see both words for one thing.

What Maryland requires from a registered agent

Like every state, Maryland requires every LLC to keep a registered agent at a physical Maryland street address (a PO box won't do), staffed during business hours to receive lawsuits and official state mail.

Can you be your own registered agent in Maryland?

Yes, if you're an individual residing in Maryland and at least 18 — the resident agent must be a Maryland-resident individual, or a Maryland corporation, LLC or limited partnership (Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 1-101), and must sign a consent to the appointment.. The catch most pages skip: that address goes on Maryland's public record (scraped by data brokers if it's your home), and you must be available during business hours or risk missing a lawsuit — so home-based and remote owners usually use a service. Here's the full DIY trade-off.

thumb_upBeing your own agent — pros

addNo annual resident-agent fee — you keep the ~$100–$125/year a service would charge
addYou receive every SDAT notice and legal document directly, with no middle layer
addWorkable if you're a Maryland resident at a street address staffed during business hours

infoCons & risks

removeYour Maryland street address becomes part of the public SDAT record — and home addresses get scraped by data brokers
removeA resident agent must be a Maryland resident present during business hours; a missed lawsuit can become a default judgment
removeYou alone track the $300 April 15 Form 1 — miss it and the LLC drifts toward charter forfeiture in December

Using your Maryland home as your own resident-agent address puts it on the public, searchable SDAT record and invites service of process at your door — sometimes in front of family or customers. For home-based Maryland founders, that exposure is the main reason to use a service.

Registered agent cost in Maryland

Forming an LLC in Maryland costs $100 up front, and a registered agent runs from about $35 a year with a single-state specialist to $249 with the national brands — Northwest includes the first year free, then $125. Full breakdown, including the DIY $0 route, in cheapest registered agent, and what a registered agent actually costs if you want the pricing mechanics rather than the shortlist. To see Maryland's filing and annual fees beside all 50 states, use our LLC cost calculator.

Privacy & the public record in Maryland

The resident-agent address you give Maryland goes onto the public SDAT record and is searchable by anyone — data brokers, marketers, and process servers included. The resident agent needs a Maryland street address (Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 1-101); a PO box won't substitute. List your home and it becomes the address tied publicly to your business. The clean fix is a commercial resident agent: their Maryland street address appears on the record instead of yours, while your legal mail still reaches you.

Out-of-state & non-resident founders: Out-of-state and international founders can own a Maryland LLC, but the resident agent must be a Maryland-resident individual or a Maryland corporation/LLC at a physical Maryland address — which you usually can't provide yourself from another state or country. A commercial resident agent is effectively required there, and it also catches the $300 April 15 Form 1 you'd otherwise miss from afar. (A foreign LLC operating in Maryland registers with SDAT and files the same $300 report.)

Best registered agent for Maryland: Northwest

For a Maryland LLC specifically, Northwest supplies a Maryland street address that satisfies the resident-agent rule in § 1-101, keeps your personal address off the public SDAT record, and tracks the $300 April 15 Form 1 so the LLC doesn't drift into forfeiture.

doneFirst year free in Maryland when you form ($39 + state fee), then about $125/yr
donePrivacy by Default — their Maryland address on public filings instead of yours
doneUS-based support, no upsell funnel, all 50 states covered

Get Northwest for Maryland →

Honest caveat: Northwest is not the cheapest path, and it doesn't reduce the state's own $300 annual Form 1 — that's owed regardless. If you're a Maryland resident comfortable being your own agent at a public address and you'll never miss April 15, you can self-serve. Northwest mainly earns its ~$125/year on privacy and on making sure that $300 report is never late.

Comparing options? See our Northwest review, Northwest vs LegalZoom, or the budget pick in Northwest vs Bizee.

Best Registered Agent Services in Maryland

We weigh providers on real first-year and renewal cost, privacy, upsell pressure, and support — the same way for every state. Here are the three we point Maryland founders to.

starEditor's Choice

Northwest

check_circleAvailable in Maryland

$125/year

First year free when you form, then a flat ~$125/year. Strong privacy and no upsell funnel.

doneRegistered agent free for year one
donePrivacy by Default® — their address, not yours
doneUS-based support, no upsells

Visit Northwest

Bizee

check_circleAvailable in Maryland

$149/year

Lowest day-one cost — $0 service fee, first RA year free. But it renews above Northwest, so the saving is year one only.

done$0 formation service fee
done1st year registered agent free
doneLifetime compliance alerts

Read our Bizee review

ZenBusiness

check_circleAvailable in Maryland

$199/yr renewal

$99 intro first year

All-in-one platform with a compliance guarantee. We don't earn a commission from ZenBusiness — here's our honest comparison.

doneWorry-Free compliance guarantee
doneAll-in-one formation suite
doneHigher renewal than our top picks

Compare ZenBusiness

Pricing reflects each provider's advertised rates as of September 2026 and can change — confirm the current price on the provider's own site before you buy.

Compare your options in Maryland

Every realistic way to meet the Maryland registered-agent requirement — including doing it yourself.

Option	Best for	Pros	Cons
Be your own resident agent	Maryland residents with a staffed street address who want to avoid the agent fee	addNo annual agent fee addDirect receipt of all documents	removeAddress is public on SDAT removeMust be a Maryland resident present in business hours removeYou track the $300 April 15 Form 1 yourself
Northwest Registered Agent	Privacy-focused, home-based, or out-of-state Maryland owners	addTheir Maryland address on the SDAT record, not yours addTracks the $300 April 15 Form 1 addFirst year free with formation, ~$125/yr after	remove~$125/year after the first year removeDoesn't reduce the state's $300 annual report
Bizee or another formation service	Owners who want the lowest upfront formation cost	add$0 formation service fee addFirst agent year free addCompliance reminders	removeHeavier checkout upsells removeLess privacy focus than Northwest remove~$149/yr after year one
Maryland attorney or CPA as agent	Entities with Maryland personal property or mindful of the local piggyback tax	addA professional already handling your filings addCan advise on the personal property return and local income tax	removeUsually the most expensive option removeOverkill for a simple single-member LLC

Maryland's SDAT, the resident agent, and the $300 Form 1

Maryland surprises people three ways. First, LLCs file with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) — a tax-and-assessment agency — not a Secretary of State, through the Maryland Business Express portal. Second, the role is a resident agent (not registered agent), and it must be a Maryland-resident individual or a Maryland corporation/LLC. Third, the annual filing isn't a cheap Secretary-of-State report: it's a $300 Business Entity Annual Report on Form 1, due April 15, filed together with the Business Personal Property Return. The $300 is due regardless of whether you own property or did any business; the personal-property portion applies only if the LLC owns, leases, or uses property in Maryland. Miss it and the LLC goes 'not in good standing,' heading toward charter forfeiture in December.

Maryland is genuinely a good fit for:

doneBusinesses operating in the Baltimore–Washington corridor or across Maryland
doneOwners who value the Mid-Atlantic market and don't mind a higher annual fee
doneCompanies serving the DC metro from the Maryland side

Maryland files with the tax department — and Form 1 does two jobs

There's no Secretary of State here: LLCs file with SDAT, and the annual filing is a $300 report bundled with a personal-property return — due on the April 15 tax deadline.

Maryland LLC — filed with SDAT (not a Secretary of State); the $300 Form 1 annual report is due every April 15, bundled with a personal-property return only if you own property. RegisteredAgentHub original.

Maryland-specific things to know

Two structural things define a Maryland LLC. First, the agency: Maryland doesn't use a Secretary of State for businesses — everything (formation, resident-agent changes, the annual filing) runs through the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), via the Maryland Business Express portal. Second, the vocabulary: Maryland calls the role a resident agent, and under Corporations & Associations § 1-101 it must be a Maryland-resident individual, a Maryland corporation, or a Maryland LLC — the company can't be its own agent, and the agent needs a physical Maryland address (not a PO box).

The filing that trips people up is the annual one. It's a $300 Business Entity Annual Report on Form 1, due April 15 — the same day as income taxes — filed with SDAT, and it's combined with the Business Personal Property Return. The key nuance: the $300 report is owed no matter what (even with no property, no income, and no activity), while the personal-property portion is required only if the LLC owns, leases, or uses personal property in Maryland. Miss the deadline and the LLC goes 'not in good standing'; if it stays unfiled, SDAT posts it for potential forfeiture over the summer, mails a final notice in early October, and forfeits the charter in December — after which you'd need Articles of Reinstatement to come back.

The rest is straightforward: no publication requirement, and you change the resident agent with a Resolution to Change ($25, or $75 expedited) filed with SDAT. Owners pay Maryland's graduated income tax (up to 5.75%, top bracket over $250k single / $300k joint), plus a local county 'piggyback' income tax on top — one of the reasons Maryland's overall tax load runs higher than neighbors.

$300 a year is the number that decides Maryland. The Business Entity Annual Report, Form 1, costs $300 and is due 15 April every year. Formation is only $100, so over five years a Maryland LLC pays $100 plus four reports at $300: $1,300 in state fees. That is the highest total on this site, above North Carolina at $940, and roughly nine times Michigan at $150. Everything else about Maryland is secondary to that figure.

The $300 is owed whether or not you own anything. Form 1 is combined with the Business Personal Property Return, and the two are often described together in a way that suggests the charge depends on owning property. It does not. The $300 report fee is owed regardless; the personal-property portion is only required if the LLC owns, leases or uses personal property in Maryland. Reading it the other way is how owners with no equipment conclude they owe nothing and lose good standing.

SDAT, not a Secretary of State. Maryland LLCs file with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, a tax and assessment agency, through the Maryland Business Express portal. Maryland does have a Secretary of State, and it does not handle your LLC. Guides that send you there are describing a different state's structure.

The rule that surprises single-member owners. Maryland calls the role a resident agent, and under Md. Code, Corps. and Assoc. 1-101 it must be a Maryland-resident individual, a Maryland corporation or a Maryland LLC. The consequence people miss: your LLC cannot be its own resident agent. You need a person or a separate qualifying entity, at a physical Maryland address rather than a PO box, plus a Maryland principal office.

Changing the agent, and the expedite option. A Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent costs $25, or $75 expedited, filed with SDAT by mail or through Business Express. Given that the consequence of an unreachable agent is losing good standing on a $300-a-year obligation, the $25 is worth spending the day you move.

What you do not pay, and what you do. There is no franchise tax on a standard LLC. Owners pay Maryland's graduated income tax up to 5.75%, and on top of that a local county piggyback income tax, which is genuinely easy to miss when modelling take-home. There is no publication requirement.

The honest case against forming here. At $1,300 over five years Maryland is an expensive company to hold, and the fee is flat rather than scaled to your revenue, so it lands hardest on the smallest businesses. If you operate in Maryland that is simply the cost of doing business there. If you do not, there is no advantage here that offsets $300 a year.

Looking up an existing registered agent in Maryland

Every Maryland company's registered agent is public record — you can find any LLC's or corporation's agent, with the registered office address, free through the Maryland Business Express entity search. Search by company name and the record shows the current agent on file.

Maryland's register is searchable free at the Maryland Business Express entity search. It is worth checking after a change of resident agent, because in Maryland the change only takes effect when SDAT accepts the statement for record — and a non-expedited filing can sit for six to eight weeks before that happens.

"Registered agent near me" in Maryland — explained

Searched "registered agent near me"? In Maryland it's not about being near you — your agent just needs a physical Maryland street address, staffed during business hours, on file with the Maryland filing office. That's why a national service like Northwest works no matter where in Maryland — or which state — you personally live.

How to change your resident agent in Maryland

Maryland has no form number for this one, which is why it is hard to search for. The filing is a signed resolution — SDAT publishes a template called the Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent — and it goes to the Department of Assessments and Taxation, not to a Secretary of State, because Maryland does not have one for business filings. It costs $25. The LLC provisions are in § 4A-210.

Form	Resolution to Change Resident Agent — no form number; it is a signed resolution on SDAT's template. Online, Maryland splits it in two: one filing for the resident agent, a separate Resolution to Change Principal Office for the address.
Fee	$25 per entity. Expedited review costs $50 on top, so $75 in all. Paying through Maryland Business Express adds a 3% service fee. An agent's resignation is free.
Where it goes	The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Charter Division — Maryland has no Secretary of State for business filings.
Statute	Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 4A-210
Who signs it	An authorized person of the LLC, under § 4A-210(b)(1). The incoming resident agent must also sign a consent to the appointment; where that agent is a company, a person signs on its behalf and gives their own name and title.
Who may serve	An individual who resides in Maryland and is at least 18, or a Maryland corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership named in full legal form. SDAT confirms you can be your own company's agent if you meet that test and sign the consent.
When it takes effect	When SDAT accepts the statement for record, under § 4A-210(b)(3) — not the day you mail it.
How long that takes	4 to 6 weeks by mail or in person. 7 to 10 business days if you add the $50 expedite. 6 to 8 weeks filed online without expediting. Same-day rush online is $325 and must be in by 2:30pm.

Filing it online

Go to Maryland Business Express and open Make Changes to Your Business.
Choose Resolution to Change Resident Agent. If the principal office is moving as well, Resolution to Change Principal Office is a separate filing — you need both.
Complete the resolution, including the incoming agent's consent and, if that agent is a company, its full legal name.
Choose your processing speed. This is the step that actually matters, for the reason in the first point below.
Pay the $25, any expedite fee, and the portal's 3% service fee.

Filing it by mail or in person

By mail, send the signed resolution with a check payable to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to SDAT, Charter Division, 700 East Pratt Street, Suite 2700, Baltimore, MD 21202. The in-person counter is at 123 Market Place, Baltimore. Note that SDAT does walk-in processing only on an expedited basis, so filing over the counter means paying the $50.

What catches people out

Filing online does not make it faster. It usually makes it slower. On SDAT's current fee schedule a non-expedited online filing is reviewed in 6 to 8 weeks, against 4 to 6 weeks by mail or over the counter, and 7 to 10 business days if you add the $50 expedite. The slowest of the three routes is the one most people assume is the fastest. If speed matters, pay to expedite; if it does not, the post is quicker than the portal.
SDAT's own form instructions understate who can serve. The instruction sheet attached to the paper resolution, revised March 2023, says the agent must be “a citizen of Maryland who resides in Maryland; or an active Maryland corporation.” But § 1-101 also allows a Maryland limited liability company or limited partnership, and SDAT's own charter FAQ confirms an appointed company may be a Maryland LLC. Go by the statute, not the form's cover sheet.
Maryland wants two Maryland addresses, not one. Section 4A-210(a) requires a principal office in the State and a resident agent. Most states only make you keep the agent, so people moving an LLC into Maryland often budget for half of what Maryland actually asks for.
The incoming agent's consent is not optional. Whoever is taking the job signs a consent to the designation. If that is a company, a person signs on its behalf, gives their own name and title, and the company's full legal name has to appear on the document.
If your agent resigns and you have nobody lined up, you have ten days. Under § 4A-210(d)(2) a resignation takes effect the moment it is filed if your LLC has already appointed a successor, and ten days after filing if it has not. It costs the agent nothing to resign, so this can happen faster than you expect.
Your agent can move your principal office, not just their own address. Under § 4A-210(c)(3), where the agent's address and your principal office are the same address, the agent's own change-of-address statement may change the principal office too — provided they notified the LLC in writing and the statement says they did.

Form, fees and processing times verified 4 October 2026 against SDAT's Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent, the 2024.05 SDAT Corporate Charter Fee Schedule, SDAT's charter filing FAQs, and the text of Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. §§ 1-101 and 4A-210. Fees change — confirm with SDAT before you file. Full cross-state sequence in how to change your registered agent.

How to start an LLC in Maryland

In short: choose your name, appoint a registered agent (the step above), file your formation document with Maryland ($100), and get a free EIN from the IRS. Then keep it compliant: Business Entity Annual Report (Form 1), $300, filed with SDAT and due April 15 every year. It's combined with the Business Personal Property Return: the $300 report is owed no matter what, and the personal-property portion is required only if the LLC owns, leases, or uses personal property in Maryland. Miss it and the LLC goes 'not in good standing,' heading to charter forfeiture by December if it stays unfiled.. No franchise tax. Maryland has a graduated income tax up to 5.75% (the top bracket applies over $250k single / $300k joint) that owners pay on pass-through profits, plus a local county 'piggyback' income tax on top.. For the full walkthrough see our cheapest way to start an LLC guide.

Which path is right for you in Maryland?

verifiedUse Northwest if

doneYou work from home or want to keep your address off the public SDAT record
doneYou're forming or operating the LLC from outside Maryland
doneYou'd rather not be the one tracking the $300 April 15 Form 1

personBe your own agent if

checkYou're a Maryland resident with a street address staffed during business hours
checkYou're comfortable with that address appearing on the public SDAT record
checkYou're confident you'll file the $300 Form 1 by April 15 every year

compare_arrowsConsider other options if

checkYour only priority is the lowest upfront formation cost (a budget service like Bizee)
checkYou already pay a Maryland attorney or CPA who can serve as your agent
checkYou want to compare on price first — see our Northwest vs Bizee and Northwest vs ZenBusiness guides

Maryland Registered Agent FAQ

Does Maryland have a Secretary of State for LLCs?expand_more

No — Maryland business entities are handled by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), a tax-and-assessment agency, through the Maryland Business Express portal. Formation, resident-agent changes, and the annual report all go to SDAT, not a Secretary of State.

What is a resident agent in Maryland?expand_more

It's Maryland's name for what other states call a registered agent — the person or company at a Maryland address that receives legal and state documents for your LLC. Under Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 1-101 it must be an individual residing in Maryland, or a Maryland corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership. SDAT adds that an individual agent has to be at least 18, and that whoever is appointed signs a consent.

How much is the Maryland annual report and when is it due?expand_more

It's a $300 Business Entity Annual Report on Form 1, due April 15 each year, filed with SDAT. It's combined with the Business Personal Property Return, but the $300 is owed regardless of whether you own property or did any business in Maryland.

Do I have to file the personal property return?expand_more

Only if your LLC owns, leases, or uses personal property in Maryland — then the personal-property portion of Form 1 applies. If it doesn't, you skip that portion but still owe the $300 annual report. Filing through Maryland Business Express determines which parts apply.

Can I be my own resident agent in Maryland?expand_more

Yes, if you're a Maryland resident with a physical Maryland street address (a PO box won't qualify). An individual agent must be a Maryland resident, so an out-of-state owner needs a Maryland-resident individual, a Maryland corporation/LLC, or a commercial resident-agent service.

What happens if I miss the Maryland April 15 filing?expand_more

The LLC incurs a penalty and goes 'not in good standing.' If it stays unfiled, SDAT lists it for potential forfeiture over the summer, mails a final notice in early October, and forfeits the charter in December — after which you'd file Articles of Reinstatement to restore it.

How do I change my resident agent in Maryland?expand_more

File a Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent with SDAT — $25, or $75 for expedited handling — by mail or through Maryland Business Express.

What income tax do Maryland LLC owners pay?expand_more

Owners pay Maryland's graduated state income tax, up to a top rate of 5.75%, on their share of the profits — plus a local county 'piggyback' income tax added on top, which varies by county. There's no franchise tax on a standard LLC.

What does a Maryland LLC cost over five years?expand_more

$100 to form plus four annual reports at $300, so $1,300 in state fees over five years. That is the highest five-year total of any state covered here.

Do I owe the $300 Maryland report if my LLC owns no property?expand_more

Yes. The $300 Business Entity Annual Report fee is owed regardless. Only the Business Personal Property Return portion depends on owning, leasing or using personal property in Maryland.

Can my Maryland LLC be its own resident agent?expand_more

Maryland's rules say who may serve — an individual residing in Maryland aged 18 or over, or a Maryland corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership — and SDAT states plainly that you can be the resident agent for your own company if you meet that test and sign the consent. Neither § 1-101 nor SDAT's published guidance addresses an LLC naming itself as its own agent, so we won't tell you it is accepted. The documented routes are a Maryland-resident individual, a separate Maryland entity, or a commercial resident-agent service.

Which Maryland agency handles LLC filings?expand_more

The State Department of Assessments and Taxation, SDAT, through the Maryland Business Express portal. Maryland's Secretary of State does not handle LLC filings.

How much does it cost to change my Maryland resident agent?expand_more

$25, or $75 expedited, filed with SDAT by mail or through Maryland Business Express.

What is Maryland's piggyback income tax?expand_more

A local county income tax charged on top of Maryland's state income tax, which reaches 5.75%. Owners pay both on pass-through profits, so modelling only the state rate understates the total.

What form do I use to change a Maryland resident agent?expand_more

A Resolution to Change Resident Agent, filed with SDAT's Charter Division. Maryland gives it no form number, which is why it is awkward to search for — the filing is a signed resolution, and SDAT publishes a template. It costs $25, or $75 with expedited review. Online, Maryland Business Express splits it into two filings: one for the resident agent and a separate Resolution to Change Principal Office if the address is moving too.

Is it faster to change my Maryland resident agent online?expand_more

Not unless you pay to expedite — and otherwise it is slower. SDAT's current fee schedule puts a non-expedited online filing at 6 to 8 weeks, a mailed or hand-delivered one at 4 to 6 weeks, and an expedited filing at 7 to 10 business days for $50 more. Same-day rush online costs $325 and has to be submitted by 2:30pm.

Who can be a resident agent in Maryland?expand_more

An individual who resides in Maryland and is at least 18 years old, or a Maryland corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership named in full legal form. Whoever it is must sign a consent to the appointment, and if it is a company a person signs on its behalf giving their name and title. SDAT states plainly that you can be the resident agent for your own company if you meet that test and sign the consent.

What happens if my Maryland resident agent resigns?expand_more

It costs the agent nothing to resign. Under Md. Code, Corps. & Assoc. § 4A-210(d)(2) the resignation takes effect as soon as it is filed if your LLC has already appointed a successor, and ten days after filing if it has not. So if you have no replacement lined up, ten days is the window you have to appoint one.

Official Maryland sources

Comparing states?

Founders weighing Maryland usually shortlist these too — or see every state's fees side by side.

Virginia →Pennsylvania →Delaware →

Keep reading

Northwest Registered Agent: full review → Best registered agent service → Can I be my own registered agent? →

Affiliate disclosure: RegisteredAgentHub is reader-supported. If you sign up through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only feature services we believe offer genuine value. See how we make money.

This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Maryland fees and rules can change — confirm current details with the official Maryland source before filing.