{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-1-1301","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Local Government § 1–1301","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.\n(2) “Department” means the State Department of Assessments and\nTaxation.\n(3) “Governing authority” means:\n(i) the governing body of a county or municipality;\n(ii) a board of directors; or\n(iii) any other body that governs an entity to which this section\napplies.\n(b) This section applies to the following governmental entities:\n(1) counties;\n(2) municipalities;\n(3) bicounty or multicounty agencies;\n(4) public authorities;\n(5) special taxing districts; and\n(6) any other political subdivision or unit of a political subdivision of\nthe State.\n(c) Each governmental entity shall have a resident agent who is:\n(1) a resident of the State;\n(2) a Maryland corporation; or\n(3) an officer of the governmental entity.\n(d) A governmental entity shall designate or change its resident agent by\nfiling for record with the Department:\n(1) a certification of the person who the charter of the governmental\nentity authorizes to accept service of process for the governmental entity; or\n(2) absent a charter designation, a certified copy of a resolution of the\ngovernmental entity’s governing authority that authorizes the designation.\n(e) (1) A governmental entity may change the address for its resident\nagent by filing for record with the Department a statement of the change signed by\nthe chair or other principal officer of the governing authority of the governmental\nentity.\n(2) A resident agent whose address changes may notify the\nDepartment by filing for record with the Department a statement of the change\nsigned by or for the resident agent.\n(f) A resident agent may resign by filing a statement of resignation with\nthe Department.\n(g) There is no fee for a filing under this section.\n(h) A designation, change of agent, change of address, or resignation is\neffective as provided in the Corporations and Associations Article for a corporate\nresident agent.\n(i) (1) Service of process on the resident agent of a governmental entity\nconstitutes effective service of process under the Maryland Rules on the\ngovernmental entity in an action brought against the governmental entity.\n(2) Any notice required by law to be served by personal service on the\nresident agent or any other agent or officer of a governmental entity may be served\nin the manner provided by the Maryland Rules that relate to service of process on\ngovernmental entities.\n(3) Service under the Maryland Rules is equivalent to personal\nservice on the resident agent or other agent or officer of a governmental entity.","path":["Article - Local Government"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=glg\u0026section=1-1301","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:58Z","sha256":"abdc79ed157718826490b02d94a4d70b80b29713ed7d4a1d1607398c462728e1","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-1-1209","next":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-1-1302"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}