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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Textbook chapter 1 · Maryland

Maryland LLC Formation Chapter (2026): 7 Sections and the 3 Best LLC Services

The recommended reading for forming an LLC in Maryland in 2026 is MD Registered Agent.org ($199), Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. 7 sections take the reader through formation; the state fee is $100, with $300 for the Business Entity Annual Report.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Chapter summary

State filing fee $100 egov.maryland.gov, as published October 2026
Business Entity Annual Report $300 a year Stated timing: April 15
Three years of state fees $700 Formation, reports and any minimum tax
Sections in this chapter 7 Each one explained

What this chapter teaches

  • The official Maryland fee and form
  • How to satisfy the resident agent rule
  • Recurring obligations
  • Which services are recommended and why

Recommended reading for Maryland

Three-year cost and paperwork completed carry the most weight; how we grade lists all five.

1. MD Registered Agent.org: best for a small first payment

Recommended first
$199 and fees, then $99 each year

This chapter recommends MD Registered Agent.org above the others, because $199 to start with the first agent year paid, followed by $99 annually.

Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing's, which earns first place because cost carries 34%.

Set aside time for the Business Entity Annual Report every year; the price omits it.

Price covers

  • The Maryland formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • No agent fee in year one
  • $199 and the state fee
  • Then $99 per year

Limitations

  • The Business Entity Annual Report remains the owner's responsibility
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit MD Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for a local filer

Local option
$199 and fees, then $99 each year

Maryland Registered Agent.co takes second position; $199 to start with the first agent year paid, followed by $99 annually.

Set aside time for the Business Entity Annual Report every year; the price omits it.

Its prices equal MD Registered Agent.org's, so either serves.

Price covers

  • The Maryland formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • No agent fee in year one
  • Then $99 per year
  • $199 and the state fee

Limitations

  • The Business Entity Annual Report remains the owner's responsibility
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit Maryland Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. Mainstay Filing: best for a first year with little paperwork

Serves all states
Year one $199; renewal $199; state fee separate

Mainstay Filing is ranked third: one annual payment, $199, completes the filing, the resident agent and the annual report; renewal is $199.

A three-year difference of $200 from MD Registered Agent.org sets its position.

Each Business Entity Annual Report is filed for you, and the only addition is the state's $300.

Price covers

  • The filing is made for you
  • Resident agent for the full year
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • No markup on the state fee

Advantages

  • No increase at renewal ($199)
  • The EIN application is filed for you
  • $199 annually, all inclusive

Limitations

  • MD Registered Agent.org renews for $100 less
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The Maryland rankings compared

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 MD Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit MD Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Maryland Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397 Visit Maryland Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each company's posted price on November 13, 2026. Every row also owes the $100 state fee.

Forming a Maryland LLC, section by section

  1. Section 1

    Settle on the legal name

    Name availability is decided by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), so the search belongs at the front of the process.

    It helps to have a fallback name ready.

  2. Section 2

    Appoint 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.

    The address has to be a Maryland address on file with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation; P.O. boxes are not accepted. The LLC also keeps a principal office in Maryland.

    Any service in the recommended reading provides a resident agent.

    Reference: mgaleg.maryland.gov, as published October 2026

  3. Section 3

    Decide between self-filing and a service

    Both routes pay $100 to the state. The services in the ranking charge $199 more and do the forms.

  4. Section 4

    Your paperwork here is the Articles of Organization

    Required: the Articles of Organization, the $100 fee, and delivery to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). The published turnaround is Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.

    Reference: egov.maryland.gov, as published October 2026

  5. Section 5

    Request an Employer Identification Number from the IRS

    Approval comes first and the IRS number second. The Mainstay Filing annual price already includes this section.

  6. Section 6

    Prepare an operating agreement

    Definition: the operating agreement sets out shares, voting and what happens when a member leaves. It is private.

  7. Section 7

    Prepare for the second year

    Every year the LLC files the Business Entity Annual Report and pays $300; the deadline is April 15.

    Reference: dat.maryland.gov, as published August 2026

The price list

Line itemGoes toCost
Fee to form Government$100
Business Entity Annual Report Government$300 every year
Service fees (optional) The service$199 in year one
Three years of state fees Government$700

Anything paid to Maryland is an official fee that can be verified in the bibliography. The three-year row combines the filing, two later reports and a minimum tax where one exists; service prices are not part of it.

How the Maryland recommendations were ranked

Tuition over three years decided first place in Maryland. It is 34% of the ranking, and the rest comes from chapters the price completes, second-year bill, fit for the state syllabus and clarity of the price list.

Add up years one to three with MD Registered Agent.org and the sum is $397; the same period at Mainstay Filing runs $200 higher.

Common questions

What is the Maryland filing fee for an LLC?

The state's fee is $100. Hiring one of them costs $199 extra.

Which form creates the LLC?

When the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) accepts the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists.

Is a resident agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

How long does Maryland take to process the filing?

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

What does Maryland require each year?

Maryland requires the Business Entity Annual Report every year, at $300, with timing described as April 15.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

A service is optional. Owners may file by paying $100 as long as they appoint a resident agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

MD Registered Agent.org, because a formation charge of $199 above state fees, and an agent renewal of $99. After it come Maryland Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.

More chapters

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Footnote for Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation: see dat.maryland.gov (August 2026).
  2. Footnote for Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation: see dat.maryland.gov (August 2026).
  3. Footnote for Maryland report due date: see dat.maryland.gov (August 2026).
  4. Footnote for Md: see mgaleg.maryland.gov (August 2026).
  5. Footnote for Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source: see mgaleg.maryland.gov (October 2026).
  6. Footnote for Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source: see egov.maryland.gov (October 2026).
  7. Footnote for Maryland registered agent statute: see mgaleg.maryland.gov (October 2026).
  8. Footnote for Processing, official source: see egov.maryland.gov (October 2026).
  9. Prices quoted from the pricing page at MD Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026
  10. Prices quoted from the pricing page at Maryland Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026
  11. Prices quoted from the Maryland service page at Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026