Foreign registration ratings · Maryland
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Maryland (2026)
1. MD Registered Agent.org: best for adding Maryland and nothing else
$199 plus the state fee, then the agent at $99 a year after year one
MD Registered Agent.org is rated first: $199 plus the state fee, year-one resident agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
Over three years it sums lower than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.
What you get
- The registration filing
- First-year resident agent service
Pros
- Agent line of $99 from year two
- A $199 registration amount before the state fee
- First-year resident agent service is included
Trade-offs
- Maryland only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in more than one state
$199 plus the state fee, then the agent at $149 a year after year one
Mainstay Filing is rated second: the Maryland registration costs $199, and the resident agent is free for year one and $149 a year after.
Year one of agent service costs nothing, and afterward the agent is $149 a year in whichever state.
MD Registered Agent.org is $100 cheaper on the three-year sum, and that lowers Mainstay Filing's cost rating.
What you get
- Foreign registration filed on your behalf
- Same-business-day scanning of served papers, at no cost
Pros
- The same amount in all fifty states
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over MD Registered Agent.org
3. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for Maryland registrations only
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
Maryland Registered Agent.co is rated third: $199 plus the state fee, year-one resident agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
On amounts and features alone, MD Registered Agent.org and Maryland Registered Agent.co are the same, which makes the order between them a close call.
What you get
- The registration filing
- First-year resident agent service
Pros
- Agent line of $99 from year two
- $199 service fee and the registration fee
- A year of resident agent service is in the price
Trade-offs
- Maryland only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MD Registered Agent.org | 9.1 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 8.7 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies that register in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Maryland Registered Agent.co | 8.5 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Maryland foreign registration service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Agent paid for year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
| Maryland Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
How the lines were rated
Formation Rated puts 27% on cost over years one to three, 27% on inclusions per price and the other 46% on renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. In Maryland the order came down to cost over years one to three.
MD Registered Agent.org sums to $397 across three years, $100 below Mainstay Filing. Both services include year one of agent service, so the renewal amount decided the order.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
Maryland foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging 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 amount is $100. Maryland also needs written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, issued inside 60 days of the filing.
Registration adds one recurring line: the Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 ($300), due April 15.
Have these ready
- Written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, issued within 60 days before the filing.
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state resident agent; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $100 to the state, paid with the filing.
- The date of the Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1 and its $300 fee on your calendar.
What skipping Maryland registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in Maryland courts until it registers (4A-1007(a)). Contracts it signs remain valid (4A-1007(b)).
Maryland foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in Maryland?
Yes, once it does business there. An unregistered company cannot bring suit in the state's courts.
What are the costs of foreign registration in Maryland?
$100 to the state plus $199 to the service.
Must the filing include a home-state certificate for Maryland?
Yes: written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing, with an issue date within 60 days.
Must a resident agent stay on file after registering?
Yes. A resident agent with a street address in the state stays on record.
Which foreign registration services are rated on this page?
MD Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199), highest rated first.
Which foreign registration service holds the top rating in Maryland?
MD Registered Agent.org, as the Maryland registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 yearly.
Source lines
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (ledger date August 2026)
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (ledger date August 2026)
- Maryland report due date (ledger date August 2026)
- Md. Code, Corporations & Associations sec. 4A-202 (ledger date August 2026)
- Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Maryland registered agent statute) (ledger date October 2026)
- Maryland Business Express (ledger date October 2026)
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1002, registration (ledger date October 2026)
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1009, activities that are not doing business (ledger date October 2026)
- Corporations and Associations § 4A-1007, effect of not registering (ledger date October 2026)
- Tax-Property § 11-101, annual report (ledger date October 2026)
- MD Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Mainstay Filing, Maryland service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Maryland Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026