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Founder Primer

LLC paperwork, boiled down for founders.

Primer 3 · Alabama

Foreign LLC Registration in Alabama (2026): 4 Moves and the 3 Best Services

If you are hiring for registering an LLC from another state in Alabama in 2026, we rank Mainstay Filing ($199), Alabama Registered Agent.co ($199) and AL Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. 4 moves and a $150 state fee.
From the Founder Primer desk

Need to know

Fee at the state
$150
sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026
Upkeep filing
None
Business privilege tax return
State cost, years 1 to 3
$150
No service fees counted
Moves in this primer
4
In order

What you get

  • When an LLC from elsewhere must register in Alabama
  • How the filing is made
  • What follows registration
  • The services we rank

Our picks for Alabama

Marked on the scoring page: three-year cost (27%), to-dos cleared (38%), renewal, fit with Alabama's rules and readable pricing.

Start with this $199 plus the $150 state fee, then $149 a year

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second state and more

Mainstay Filing gets the top mark in Alabama: service fee $199, plus Alabama's fee; the agent is $149 a year from year two.

Three years run $100 higher than Alabama Registered Agent.co, and more of the work gets done.

Once the free year ends, expect $149 a year for the agent whichever state it covers.

Inside the price
  • The filing is made for you
  • Registered agent free in year one
  • One fee in any state
In its favor
  • No agent fee in year one
  • Ready for another state
  • $199 over Alabama's fee
Against it
  • Renewal $50 over Alabama Registered Agent.co's
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Alabama specialist $199 plus the $150 state fee, then $99 a year

2. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for a low yearly agent cost

Second place is Alabama Registered Agent.co, because $199 plus state fees to register; the agent is paid through year one.

Inside the price
  • The filing is made for you
  • One year of agent service
In its favor
  • First agent year costs nothing extra
  • A low $99 renewal
  • $199 to register
Against it
  • No help in other states
Visit Alabama Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Alabama specialist $199 plus the $150 state fee, then $99 a year

3. AL Registered Agent.org: best for a local filer

Third place is AL Registered Agent.org, because $199 plus state fees to register; the agent is paid through year one.

On price it ties with Alabama Registered Agent.co.

Inside the price
  • The filing is made for you
  • One year of agent service
In its favor
  • $199 to register
  • A low $99 renewal
  • First agent year costs nothing extra
Against it
  • No help in other states
Visit AL Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3 services side by side

# Service First year From year two Three-year total
1 Mainstay Filing $199 $149/yr $497 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Alabama Registered Agent.co $199 $99/yr $397 Visit Alabama Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 AL Registered Agent.org $199 $99/yr $397 Visit AL Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. Every row owes the $150 state fee as well.

The moves

  1. Move 1

    Does the rule reach your LLC?

    An LLC formed in another state registers with Alabama before doing business there. What skipping it does: Alabama courts shut the door on unregistered LLCs as plaintiffs (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). The agreements are not voided (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).

    Where this comes from: revenue.alabama.gov, read October 2026

  2. Move 2

    Name the Alabama registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a street address in Alabama where papers can be handed to the agent. P.O. boxes are not accepted, and an agent cannot work only through a virtual office or a mail-forwarding service.

    The services above supply one.

    Where this comes from: alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026

  3. Move 3

    Finish and lodge the Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) Application for Registration

    the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division wants the filing above and $150.

    Where this comes from: sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026

  4. Move 4

    After registration

    Next up: the business privilege tax return, same date as the federal return.

The cost of this primer

What Recipient Amount
Foreign registration State agency $150
Optional service The service $199 up front
State fees, years one to three State agency $150

Filing plus the reports in years two and three plus any minimum tax: that is the state's three-year total. Sources are listed below.

How the marks came out

edged out on to-dos the price takes off you, worth 38%.

Registering touches two states, and one provider for both moved ahead of Alabama Registered Agent.co.

Alabama questions

What does an LLC from elsewhere pay to register in Alabama?

$150 in state fees. A service adds $199.

Which form do I file to register?

Fill in the form named in move 4 and send it to the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division.

What if the LLC does business there without registering?

Alabama courts shut the door on unregistered LLCs as plaintiffs (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). The agreements are not voided (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).

What is due after registering?

Next is the business privilege tax return.

Which services are in this lesson?

This primer scores Mainstay Filing, Alabama Registered Agent.co and AL Registered Agent.org.

Which service should handle the registration?

Mainstay Filing, since $199 plus state fees to register, with the registered agent free for the first year. Then Alabama Registered Agent.co and AL Registered Agent.org.

See also

Sources, so you can check us

  1. Backup for the Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source section: alison.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026.
  2. Backup for the Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source section: sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026.
  3. Backup for the Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source section: sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026.
  4. Backup for the Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source section: alison.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026.
  5. Backup for the Alabama registered agent statute section: alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026.
  6. Backup for the Alabama Secretary of State, LLC filings section: sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026.
  7. Backup for the Foreign LLC Application for Registration section: sos.alabama.gov, read October 2026.
  8. Backup for the Secretary of State Online Services section: alabamainteractive.org, read October 2026.
  9. Backup for the Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.01 section: alison.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026.
  10. Backup for the Department of Revenue, business privilege tax notice section: revenue.alabama.gov, read October 2026.
  11. Backup for the Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.21 section: alison.legislature.state.al.us, read November 2026.
  12. Mainstay Filing Alabama service page as of November 13, 2026
  13. Alabama Registered Agent.co pricing page as of November 13, 2026
  14. AL Registered Agent.org pricing page as of November 13, 2026