Maryland Resident Agent Service

Why Maryland requires a resident agent

Maryland uses the term resident agent, and yours has to be either an individual living in Maryland or a corporation, LLC or limited partnership formed in Maryland. Each Maryland corporation must have both a resident agent and a principal office in the state (§ 2-108(a)), and each Maryland LLC is held to the same rule (§ 4A-210(a)). If you are an owner who lives in Maryland, the § 1-101(x) definition lets you serve as your own entity's resident agent. Md. Code Ann., Corps. & Ass'ns § 1-101(x); see also §§ 2-108(a), 4A-210(a)

What happens if you lapse

• A foreign corporation qualified to do intrastate business in Maryland keeps that qualification only as long as a resident agent stays in place in the state, and losing the agent ends it. Md. Code Ann., Corps. & Ass'ns § 7-203(c)
• If a foreign corporation operating in Maryland lacks any resident agent, or reasonable diligence fails to locate or serve the one it named, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation can stand in as its resident agent, which means papers may reach you through the state without your knowledge. Md. Code Ann., Corps. & Ass'ns § 7-205(b)

Switching to us

We prepare and file the change of resident agent for you. Maryland charges $25 for an LLC Md. Code, Corps. & Assns. 1-203(b)(2)(ii) and $25 for a corporation Md. Code, Corps. & Assns. 1-203(b)(2)(ii).

Official Maryland links

• Business entity search
• Statutes
• Forms
• Annual report filing

Frequently asked

Do I need a resident agent in Maryland?

Almost every state does, and the Maryland rule is set out above with its citation. Where the law leaves a choice, a resident agent is still the practical way to make sure service of process reaches you.

How much does Maryland resident agent service cost?

$129 a year, with no setup fee, the same price in all 50 states plus DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Service of process is received and scanned the same business day.

Can I switch my Maryland resident agent to ResidentAgents.com?

Yes. Order online and we prepare the change of agent filing for you; the state's filing fee is shown on this page.