The short answer
You can be your own Maryland Resident Agent if you have a physical Maryland address and are available during business hours, but it puts your name and home address on public SDAT records and means you must personally receive service of process, including legal notices, in front of clients or family.
The public-record problem
Your Resident Agent's name and physical Maryland address are listed on your public SDAT filing. If you serve as your own agent, your personal address is published for anyone to find. A third-party Resident Agent keeps a professional address on the record instead.
The availability problem
Maryland requires the Resident Agent to be available at the listed address during normal business hours to receive official correspondence and service of process. If you travel, meet clients, or work from another location, you risk missing a time-sensitive legal notice.
The discretion problem
Service of process, a lawsuit or official notice, is delivered in person. If you are your own agent, that delivery happens wherever you are, including your office in front of clients or your home in front of family. A professional agent receives it discreetly and forwards it to you.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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