Committee hears bill to let Maryland businesses use certified mail receiving agencies as official addresses

Delegate Lily Chi presented House Bill 308, which would permit Maryland businesses to use a certified mail receiving agency (CMRA) as the official address on file with the State Department of Assessment and Taxation. "It's very simple," Chi said, explaining a CMRA is a USPS‑certified private mail provider that rents physical mailboxes and scans mail to a virtual mailbox, a service frequently used by small and online businesses.

Proponents told the Economic Matters Committee that the change restores an earlier practice and reduces burdens on entrepreneurs who operate without a brick‑and‑mortar location. "CMRA addresses provide increased reassurances that the person behind the business is legitimate and traceable," Doug Stang of LegalZoom testified, saying LegalZoom formed roughly 6,700 businesses in 2025 and that about 1,000 Maryland businesses currently use CMRA addresses for state registration.

Sponsor testimony noted most other states permit CMRA use and that the fiscal note projects no cost to the Department of Assessment and Taxation; the sponsor said Maryland could gain revenue as more businesses register in‑state if the barrier is removed. Committee members asked whether other states allow CMRA addresses; the sponsor replied that only a small number of states currently prohibit them and that the bill aligns Maryland with the national norm.

The committee concluded the public hearing on HB 308 with no immediate objections on the record and moved to the next item on the docket.