Every limited liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered agent. Even after you identify your initial registered agent in your formation paperwork, filed on your own or through a MD LLC service, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in Maryland.
Your registered agent could be moving out of state, or they could be a former co-owner or employee who no longer works for your organization. Maybe you want to switch from an individual registered agent to a professional service that operates in all 50 states, or perhaps you’re simply unsatisfied with your current registered agent’s service.
Whatever the reason may be, each state allows you to change your registered agent at any time, and in most states the process is both simple and inexpensive. Let’s dive into the specifics of how to change your LLC’s registered agent in Maryland.
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4 Steps to Change Your Maryland Registered Agent
Thankfully, changing your registered agent in Maryland isn’t a terribly complicated process. If you know the steps to follow, it’s a cinch:
1.) Gather contact information for both your old and new agents:
This might seem like fairly basic information, but the state requires you to gather the names and addresses for both your former registered agent and your new one. If you don’t have this information immediately on hand, you’ll need to get it before proceeding.
2.) Obtain the proper forms:
In Maryland, you can use two options to file this change. If you want, you can file the Articles of Amendment to update the registered agent. But this is a more complicated and more expensive ($100) form. Our recommendation is to use the simpler form, a Resolution to Change Principal Office or Resident Agent, to officially file this change. That form is much simpler, and it costs less. Alternatively, you can file the form online instead.
3.) Obtain the signature of your new registered agent:
If you’re filing a paper form, you’ll need to obtain your registered agent’s signature in-person. That signature will demonstrate that your agent has agreed to serve your business. Signatures for the online version work a bit different.
4.) Submit the completed form to the Department of Assessments and Taxation:
If you’re filing a paper form, you’ll need to slip it into an envelope and send it to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. The address is listed on the form. If you’re filing online, it’s as simple as hitting the “submit” button. But either way you file the form, you’ll need to include payment for the $25 filing fee.
That’s all there is to it! Once the state receives and processes your documents, you’ll have yourself a new registered agent.
Important Maryland Registered Agent Do’s and Don’ts
Want to make your registered agent switch a perfect success? If you follow the steps above, you’ll be off to a great start. But there are a few other things to keep in mind to keep things running smoothly—before, during, and after the switch.
DO follow state regulations when appointing a new agent.
When it all comes down to it, the state of Maryland isn’t incredibly picky about who can be your registered agent, but they still have some rules they want you to follow. If you want to read the official statutes, you can find them here. But you’re probably pretty busy (and legalese can be overwhelming!), so here are the essentials:
- Can be an individual resident of the state
- OR an LLC or corporation authorized to do business in the state
- Must be 18 years or older
- Maintain a physical address in the state (not a P.O. box)
- Be present at that address to accept service of process during regular business hours
As long as you meet those requirements, you can pick just about anyone to serve as your own registered agent.
DO pick the right agent for your business goals
Before you opt to serve as your own registered agent or hire a registered agent service, you’ll want to consider the right agent for your unique needs. After all, agents aren’t “one-size-fits-all.” Some businesses might benefit from having the owner or an employee serving as their own agent. Others might opt to have a local, Maryland-dedicated registered agent service. And lots of LLCs in MD choose to work with a national service that covers businesses in all 50 states.
There’s not really a wrong answer here. Well, the only wrong answer is not hiring one. That would put you in non-compliance. That said, you should think about your long-term vision for your business when picking a registered agent.
For example, if you want to expand into other states later on, you should pick a service that covers multiple states. That way, you wouldn’t have to hire another service when you joined a new state. You’d just have your pre-existing agent serve you in that state, too.
DON’T confuse your filing options
In some states, you’re limited to filing just one form, one way. But Maryland gives you a few different options. You can pick the option that works best for you. No matter which method you pick—online or by mail, with the simple Resolution or the Articles of Amendment—you should stick with what you pick. You’d hate to get halfway through only to change your mind and have to start over.
Additionally, keep in mind that how you file your forms affects how quickly your documents are processed. The state promises to process most documents within 4 to 6 weeks. But that only applies as soon as they receive those documents. Naturally, then, online filings will be processed a bit quicker than mail-order ones.
DON’T forget to keep both your new and old registered agent in the loop
This might seem like a common courtesy, but when you switch registered agents, you should chat with both (unless, of course, you’re serving as your own agent). Obviously, you’ll talk with your new agent to let them know you’ll require their services. Plus, you’ll have to get his or her signature, too.
But be sure to touch base with your previous agent, too. This is especially important if you’re paying someone to serve as your registered agent. You’ll want to wrap up any payment obligations, including canceling any automatic payments you’ve set up. And even if a friend or family member was acting as your agent for free, you should let him or her know your plans to avoid any confusion.
Getting Help: Hiring a Registered Agent Service
A registered agent service is a company that specializes in being a registered agent for a wide variety of businesses across the country, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the role.
Most professional registered agent services operate on a national basis, meaning there’s no restrictions on which states you can operate your business in. They also tend to charge affordable rates, as you can find several registered agent services that charge around $10/month or even less for this service. In addition, most of these companies will also offer to handle the process of changing a registered agent for you.
If you’re interested, compare options like Zen Business, LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent to see which is ideal for you.
Conclusion
Since the registered agent is such a vital part of any business, it’s crucial to get it right whenever you decide to switch agents. We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered agent in Maryland. If you’d like more assistance, there are plenty of business services online that can help with changing your agent or even filing an LLC. And, as always, we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!