Maryland Resident Agent Service
Every LLC formed in Maryland is required to have a resident agent. It's not optional — the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) mandates it from the moment you file your formation documents, and the requirement stays in effect for as long as the LLC exists.
What a Resident Agent Does
A resident agent is the person or company designated to receive legal and official documents on behalf of your LLC. This includes:
- Service of process — if your LLC is sued, the lawsuit papers are delivered to your resident agent
- State correspondence — notices, compliance reminders, and administrative communications from the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)
- Tax notices — state tax documents and filings directed to your LLC
- Annual report reminders — notifications about upcoming filing deadlines
The resident agent address goes on the public record with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). Anyone can look it up.
Maryland Resident Agent Requirements
Maryland law sets specific rules for who can serve as a resident agent:
- Required; no PO boxes or virtual offices
- Regular business hours, 9 AM–5 PM
Who qualifies: Individuals must be 18+ Maryland residents. Business entities must be authorized in Maryland. The entity cannot be its own RA
The resident agent address must be a physical street address in Maryland — PO boxes alone typically don't qualify. The resident agent must be available at that address during normal business hours to accept delivery of documents.
Can You Be Your Own Resident Agent?
Maryland does not let you serve as your own resident agent in the traditional sense — the state sets specific rules about who can act in that role. A professional resident agent satisfies those requirements while also keeping your address off public records.
Downsides of Self-Appointing
Even in states that allow self-appointment, acting as your own resident agent creates real problems:
- Your home address becomes public record — anyone can find it through the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)'s business database
- You must be physically present — during all normal business hours, at the registered address. No vacations, no extended lunches, no conferences.
- Process servers visit in person — a stranger shows up at your address (potentially your home) to hand you papers
- Missed service has consequences — if you're not available and service of process fails, the lawsuit can proceed without your knowledge
- Junk mail and solicitations — your address on public record attracts marketers and scammers
Our Resident Agent Service
We provide professional resident agent service for Maryland LLCs. Here's what that includes:
- Maryland street address on your LLC filings — keeps your personal address off public record
- Same-day document scanning and forwarding — when legal documents arrive, we scan and send them to you immediately
- Compliance reminders — we notify you ahead of Maryland filing deadlines so nothing slips
- Online document portal — access all your forwarded documents anytime
- Reliable availability — we're at the registered address during all required business hours, every business day
Pricing
Your first year of resident agent service is included when you form your LLC through us ($199 formation package). After the first year, ongoing resident agent service is $99/year.
If you already have a Maryland LLC and just need resident agent service, you can sign up for $99/year directly.
Why This Matters
The resident agent requirement exists to ensure your LLC can always be reached for legal and official purposes. Using a professional service means:
- Your personal address stays private
- Documents get handled immediately — no delays, no missed deadlines
- You stay in compliance with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) without thinking about it
- If you're ever sued, you find out right away instead of when it's too late