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Formation Facts

What the state wants, and what it costs.

LLC cost guide · Maryland

Maryland LLC Fees (2026): What the State Charges and the 3 Best LLC Services

You have three solid choices when starting a limited liability company in Maryland in 2026, and we rank them MD Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Maryland Registered Agent.co ($199). In Maryland you pay $100 to file, and the Business Entity Annual Report adds $300 every year. That adds up to a rank of 44th out of 50 over three years.
Briefing by the Formation Facts team

Maryland: the quick briefing

44th

in the three-year state fee comparison

The smaller the number, the less you pay. Go to the national comparison

  • Fee the state takes at filing

    $100

    egov.maryland.gov; we confirmed it in October 2026

  • Business Entity Annual Report

    $300 / yr

    Deadline, as the state states it: April 15. dat.maryland.gov; we confirmed it in August 2026

  • What the state collects in 3 years

    $700

    Formation, then two more years of reports

Who we recommend in Maryland

Every criterion and weight is on the method page.

Best overall

1. MD Registered Agent.org: best for Maryland LLCs on a shoestring

$199 plus the state fee; the agent then costs $99 a year from year 2

MD Registered Agent.org ranks first for you since formation costs $199 above the state fee, and the agent is $99 from year 2.

Its three-year fees are lower than Mainstay Filing's, and cost is 33% of our score, the biggest weight we use.

You send in the Business Entity Annual Report on your own, every year.

What your money gets you

  • Takes care of the formation paperwork
  • First year of agent service

What works

  • Agent covered in year 1
  • A formation fee of $199
  • A $99 renewal

What to weigh

  • The Business Entity Annual Report lands on your desk each time it is due
  • It charges $99 for the EIN application
Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

All-in-one

2. Mainstay Filing: best for owners who would rather not file the annual report themselves

$199 a year

Mainstay Filing takes second place because $199 a year gets you filed, gets you a resident agent and gets your annual report sent in.

A $200 gap to MD Registered Agent.org over three years is what keeps it out of first place.

It files the Business Entity Annual Report for you every year, and the $300 state fee is charged at cost.

What your money gets you

  • Prepares your formation papers and files them
  • Acts as your resident agent all year
  • Prepares and files your annual report
  • Applies for your EIN
  • You pay the state fee at cost

What works

  • A flat $199 a year
  • Still $199 next year
  • Your EIN application is included

What to weigh

  • Its renewal is $100 above MD Registered Agent.org's
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Maryland specialist

3. Maryland Registered Agent.co: best for LLCs that only operate in Maryland

$199 plus the state fee; the agent then costs $99 a year from year 2

Maryland Registered Agent.co takes third place because formation costs $199 above the state fee, and the agent is $99 from year 2.

You send in the Business Entity Annual Report on your own, every year.

You pay the same here as at MD Registered Agent.org.

What your money gets you

  • Takes care of the formation paperwork
  • First year of agent service

What works

  • Agent covered in year 1
  • A formation fee of $199
  • A $99 renewal

What to weigh

  • The Business Entity Annual Report lands on your desk each time it is due
  • It charges $99 for the EIN application
Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The 3 picks compared

RankWhoYou pay in year 1Then per yearTheir fees across 3 years
1MD Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit MD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Maryland Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Maryland Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
All prices come from the companies' own pages, as they stood on November 13, 2026. You will also owe the $100 state fee on every row.

State and provider fees by year

Pick how many years you want to total and which provider you would use. What the state takes is built from its own schedule: $100 when you form, then the Business Entity Annual Report from year 2.
Choosing MD Registered Agent.org means paying $1,097 over 3 years, made up of $700 for the state and $397 for the service.

How Maryland compares with the states near it in the ranking

RankStateThree-year state fees
42ndNorth Carolina$525
43rdKentucky$595
44thMaryland$700
45thTennessee$900
46thDelaware$910
The whole comparison lives at LLC costs by state, lowest bills first.

The Maryland formation fee and the form you need

You will pay $100, and you file the Articles of Organization with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). Each provider below bills it at what the state charges. The state tells filers to expect Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.

Your Maryland LLC's good standing and the Business Entity Annual Report

Maryland expects the Business Entity Annual Report every year and charges $300 for it, with the due date given as April 15.

Why the first pick is first

MD Registered Agent.org wins on price over three years, which counts 33%, and Mainstay Filing is next.

MD Registered Agent.org charges $397 in fees over three years, which is $200 under Mainstay Filing.

Maryland LLC service questions

How much will Maryland charge me to form an LLC?

The state fee is $100. Provider fees come to $199.

What will I pay for the Maryland Business Entity Annual Report?

You pay $300, every year, and the deadline reads April 15.

Is Maryland a low-cost state for LLCs?

Maryland ranks 44th of 50 on three-year state fees, at $700. Rank 1 is the lowest total.

How long will the state take to process my LLC?

The published turnaround is Non-expedited review in the second calendar month after submission.

Will I need a resident agent in Maryland?

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

Which LLC service should I choose?

Go with MD Registered Agent.org: you pay $199 plus the state fee, with your first agent year included, then $99 a year. After that: Mainstay Filing and Maryland Registered Agent.co.

Other briefings

Where this briefing comes from

  1. Our figures on Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation come from dat.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  2. Our figures on Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation come from dat.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  3. Our figures on Maryland report due date come from dat.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  4. Our figures on Md come from mgaleg.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  5. Our figures on Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from mgaleg.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  6. Our figures on Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from egov.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  7. Our figures on Maryland registered agent statute come from mgaleg.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  8. Our figures on N.C come from sosnc.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  9. Our figures on North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from sosnc.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  10. Our figures on North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from sosnc.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  11. Our figures on North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State come from sosnc.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  12. Our figures on North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State come from sosnc.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  13. Our figures on KRS 275.025 come from apps.legislature.ky.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  14. Our figures on Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from sos.ky.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  15. Our figures on Kentucky Secretary of State come from sos.ky.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  16. Our figures on Kentucky Secretary of State come from sos.ky.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  17. Our figures on Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official come from revenue.ky.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  18. Our figures on Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from sos.tn.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  19. Our figures on Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services come from tnbear.tn.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  20. Our figures on Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services come from sos.tn.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  21. Our figures on Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source come from sos.tn.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  22. Our figures on 6 Del come from delcode.delaware.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was August 2026.
  23. Our figures on Delaware formation fee: Filing fee, official source come from delcode.delaware.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  24. Our figures on Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source come from corp.delaware.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  25. Our figures on Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source come from corp.delaware.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  26. Our figures on Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source come from legis.delaware.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  27. Our figures on Processing, official source come from egov.maryland.gov. The last time we confirmed that page was October 2026.
  28. You can see pricing page for MD Registered Agent.org on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
  29. You can see Maryland service page for Mainstay Filing on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
  30. You can see pricing page for Maryland Registered Agent.co on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026