3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Maryland (2026) and the Facts Behind Them
The 2026 order for foreign registration services in Maryland is Mainstay Filing ($199), MD Registered Agent.org ($199) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199). Every pick pays Maryland $100; service fees run $397 to $497 across three years.
LLC Q and A editorial team ·
Quick answers
Fee to the state
$100
Certificate required?
Required (60 days max age)
After registering
$300, Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1
Our pick
Mainstay Filing, MD Registered Agent.org then Maryland Registered Agent.co
Maryland: ranked picks
Prices come from each company's own page. See the method.
1#1 pick
1. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in several states
Register for $199; agent renews at $149
Reason for Mainstay Filing at the top: you pay $199 plus Maryland's fee, nothing for the resident agent in year one, then $149 a year.
MD Registered Agent.org saves $100 over three years if the LLC never leaves Maryland.
No resident agent fee in year one; $149 a year from year two.
State fees reach $700 over three years, counting any recurring report. mgaleg.maryland.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Which form, filed where?
Registration goes through the Limited Liability Company Registration (For non-Maryland Limited Liability Company), handled by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division.
Attach written proof of existence from the home state, equivalent to a certificate of good standing issued in the last 60 days.
Any recurring filing?
A recurring Business Entity Annual Report and Personal Property Return, Form 1, at $300.
Deadline per the state: April 15.
What decided #1?
Chores removed from your list (26%) goes to Mainstay Filing.
Five criteria: three-year price (36%), chores removed from your list (26%), price shown up front (15%), year-two bill (12%) and states served (11%).
MD Registered Agent.org covers Maryland only; the home state needs someone else.
To verify the total: filing fee, two later reports, minimum tax if one applies. Costs without a set amount are excluded.
Also asked
Is an agent needed at home too?
Yes, in most cases. A company active in every state, such as Mainstay Filing, can cover home and this state together.
Three-year cost of each?
Mainstay Filing will run $497, MD Registered Agent.org will run $397, Maryland Registered Agent.co will run $397, with state fees on top.
Are the fees official?
State fees cite their official page; service prices come from the company's own site.
Do I have to hire one?
No law requires a service; it is a paid convenience.
Does a service file it?
All of them do; only the service fee differs.
Which foreign registration service should I use in Maryland?
Mainstay Filing: registration is $199 and the resident agent costs nothing until year two. Behind it: MD Registered Agent.org and Maryland Registered Agent.co.
Source list
Reference line for Maryland State Department of Assessments, drawn from dat.maryland.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland State Department of Assessments, drawn from dat.maryland.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland report due date, drawn from dat.maryland.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Md, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, drawn from egov.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland registered agent statute, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Maryland Business Express, drawn from egov.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1002, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1009, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1007, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Reference line for Tax-Property § 11-101, annual report, drawn from mgaleg.maryland.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
Mainstay Filing Maryland service page, read November 13, 2026
MD Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
Maryland Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026