Georgia Registered Agent Primer (2026): 6 Moves and the 3 Best Agents
If you are hiring for appointing a registered agent in Georgia in 2026, we rank Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), GA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Georgia Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), in that order. Make the 6 moves below and your registered agent is set up properly.
From the Founder Primer desk
Key facts
Required by law?
Yes
Check it yourself at sos.ga.gov; we read it in October 2026
What our picks charge
$99 to $149 a year
As listed
Annual registration
$60 a year
Check it yourself at sos.ga.gov; we read it in October 2026
Primer moves
6
One at a time
What you will be able to do
The legal requirement
Eligibility and the address test
How the agent gets on record
Our agent picks
The Georgia shortlist
Five weighted criteria set the order (see how we score); three-year cost and to-dos cleared count most.
Top mark$149 a year, flat at renewal
1. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs that may add states
First place goes to Mainstay Filing because $149 a year for an agent that goes wherever the company goes next.
GA Registered Agent.org is $150 cheaper over three years; this one still places higher because it does more of the work.
Inside the price
An in-state office address
Served papers scanned free, the same business day
Three government letters a year scanned at no charge
Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
In its favor
One vendor everywhere
$149 annually
Against it
$50 a year over GA Registered Agent.org
You still file reports yourself
One-state plan$99 a year, flat at renewal
2. GA Registered Agent.org: best for LLCs that stay in Georgia
GA Registered Agent.org lands second: $99 a year, flat at renewal, built for an LLC that stays in the state.
Inside the price
A Georgia address for the registered office
Served documents posted online
In its favor
Less per year than Mainstay Filing
$99 a year, no increase
Against it
Georgia only; other states need their own agent
Annual registration is outside the price
One-state plan$99 a year, flat at renewal
3. Georgia Registered Agent.co: best for another Georgia option
Georgia Registered Agent.co lands third: $99 a year, flat at renewal, built for an LLC that stays in the state.
Its prices match GA Registered Agent.org's, so either one works.
Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. Switching agents leaves state fees unchanged.
The moves
Move 1
The Georgia rule, short
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at sos.ga.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 2
Check eligibility
A Georgia resident, a Georgia corporation or LLC, or a corporation or LLC from another state with authority to do business in Georgia. An entity cannot be its own agent. The rule is in O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209.
Move 3
Pick a compliant address
The address has to be a Georgia street address that is also the agent's business office, and the agent has to be located there. A P.O. box or mail drop cannot be used.
Hire a service and your home address stays out of public view.
Move 4
Self-serve or professional
Our recommended agents charge $99 to $149 a year; serving yourself works for those who qualify.
Move 5
Record the appointment
The Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) carries the agent's name and address. the Georgia Secretary of State also takes change filings from LLCs that swap agents.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at sos.ga.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 6
Keep the details accurate
Georgia sees your agent's details through the annual registration ($60, every year, due April 1), and state notices about it go to the registered agent.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at sos.ga.gov; we read it in October 2026
Agent and state costs
Item
Pay to
Amount
Hiring an agent
The service
$99 to $149 a year
Agent renewal
The service
$99 to $149 a year
Annual registration
State agency
$60 every year
State fees come from the official pages in the sources. Three years means the filing, two years of reports and the minimum tax where one applies.
Why Mainstay Filing is first
edged out on to-dos the price takes off you, worth 38%.
An agent who follows you to any state beat GA Registered Agent.org's lower price.
Short answers
Do Georgia LLCs need a registered agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Often. Run the two tests in moves 2 and 3.
Can I change my registered agent later?
Yes. A switch takes a change filing at the Georgia Secretary of State (move 5).
What does a registered agent cost in Georgia?
Prices here run $99 to $149 a year.
What does the LLC pay the state each year?
$60 every year for the annual registration.
Which registered agent would you choose?
Our order: Mainstay Filing, GA Registered Agent.org and Georgia Registered Agent.co. Mainstay Filing leads because a flat $149 a year, whatever state the LLC is in.