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Founder Primer

LLC paperwork, boiled down for founders.

Nationwide picks

3 Best Foreign Registration Services (2026)

Ranked best first for 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199), LA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Rhode Island Registered Agent.co ($199). Mainstay Filing leads because $199 on top of each state's own fee, with the first agent year included.
From the Founder Primer desk

The services we recommend

The order comes from the five weighted criteria.

First choice $199 plus the state fee, then $149/yr

1. Mainstay Filing: best for first-timers anywhere

Mainstay Filing is our pick for most founders: $199 on top of each state's own fee, with the first agent year included.

It sits $100 above LA Registered Agent.org across three years, and it is the only pick that goes to any state.

Inside the price
  • The registration is filed for you
  • No agent fee in year one
  • One service fee in every state
In its favor
  • One $199 price in every state
  • Year two: $149
Against it
  • Not the smallest bill in one state
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Louisiana pick $199 plus the state fee, then $99/yr

2. LA Registered Agent.org: best for Louisiana businesses

Second is LA Registered Agent.org: a Louisiana registration at $199 plus state fees.

It serves Louisiana and no other state, so a second state needs a second provider.

Inside the price
  • The Louisiana registration, filed for you
  • Agent service in Louisiana for one year
In its favor
  • A $99 renewal
  • Year two: $99
Against it
  • Louisiana only
  • It does not file your report
Visit LA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Rhode Island pick $199 plus the state fee, then $99/yr

3. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: best for Rhode Island businesses

Third is Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: a Rhode Island registration at $199 plus state fees.

It serves Rhode Island and no other state, so a second state needs a second provider.

Inside the price
  • The Rhode Island registration, filed for you
  • Agent service in Rhode Island for one year
In its favor
  • A $99 renewal
  • Year two: $99
Against it
  • Rhode Island only
  • It does not file your report
Visit Rhode Island Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare the services

# 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 LA Registered Agent.org $199 $99/yr $397 Visit LA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Rhode Island Registered Agent.co $199 $99/yr $397 Visit Rhode Island Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Read November 13, 2026. Add your state's fee to every row.

How to choose

Line up the three-year totals beside what each price handles: the filing, the agent and the yearly report. Growth plans point toward a provider that works everywhere.

How the order is set

Three-year cost and to-dos cleared carry the most weight, with renewal, state fit and price clarity after. If the reader could be in any state, one price everywhere is worth more than a lower price in one. For a company at home in Louisiana, LA Registered Agent.org costs less; for one in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Registered Agent.co does.

Your state's page

Each state page walks through registering a foreign LLC move by move, with that state's official fees and our picks there. Registering in another state: all 50 states.

Foreign Registration FAQ

What are the best foreign registration services in 2026?

Our 2026 list: Mainstay Filing, LA Registered Agent.org and Rhode Island Registered Agent.co.

What does a foreign registration service cost?

$199 to $199 before state fees on this list.

Can one service cover every state?

Only Mainstay Filing, of the services listed; each state service stays inside its own state.

Why are one-state services on a national list?

For a one-state company, the local plan can come out cheaper. LA Registered Agent.org is our pick for Louisiana businesses; Rhode Island Registered Agent.co for Rhode Island businesses.

How did you grade them?

Five criteria, laid out on the how-we-grade page.

Where do I learn the steps for my state?

Choose your state on the overview for the exact moves.

Other lists

Sources, so you can check us

  1. Mainstay Filing pricing page as of November 13, 2026
  2. LA Registered Agent.org pricing page as of November 13, 2026
  3. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co pricing page as of November 13, 2026