Foreign LLC Registration in Kentucky (2026): 4 Moves and the 3 Best Services
Best picks for registering an LLC from another state in Kentucky in 2026, in order: Mainstay Filing ($199), Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199) and KY Registered Agent.org ($199). Kentucky wants $90 from a foreign LLC. 4 moves show the rest.
Company prices as listed on November 13, 2026. No row includes the $90 state fee.
The Kentucky registration, in order
Move 1
Decide if the LLC must register in Kentucky
Operating here through an LLC formed elsewhere means foreign registration. Skip registration and: Kentucky courts shut the door on unregistered LLCs as plaintiffs (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). Fines of $2.
Where this comes from:sos.ky.gov, read October 2026
Move 2
Name the Kentucky registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical registered office in Kentucky that matches the agent's business address. A P.O. box is not enough.
Finish and lodge the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity)
The registration is the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE) plus $90, addressed to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.
Next up: the annual report, $15, between January 1 and June 30 each year. A tax rule applies: Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue.
What each move costs in Kentucky
Cost item
Goes to
Price
Filing to register
Paid to the state
$90
Annual report
Paid to the state
$15
Minimum tax, annual
Paid to the state
$175 a year
A service, if you hire one
Service
$199 up front
State fees, years one to three
Paid to the state
$645
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.
Why Mainstay Filing is first
To-dos the price takes off you is 38% of the mark, and it is where moved ahead in Kentucky.
With the LLC active in two states, reach settled the order.
What founders ask
How much is Kentucky's fee for an out-of-state LLC?
$90 in state fees. The services here charge $199 extra.
Which form do I file to register?
Use the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE); the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings receives it.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
Kentucky courts shut the door on unregistered LLCs as plaintiffs (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). Fines of $2.
What is due after registering?
Plan for the annual report, which costs $15.
Which services are in this lesson?
Mainstay Filing, Kentucky Registered Agent.co and KY Registered Agent.org; prices are in the table above.
Which service should handle the registration?
Pick Mainstay Filing: service fee $199, plus Kentucky's fee; the agent is $149 a year from year two. Behind it: Kentucky Registered Agent.co and KY Registered Agent.org.