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Plain and short · Delaware

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Delaware (2026) and What Delaware Requires

Mainstay Filing ($199), Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($199) and DE Registered Agent.org ($199): our 2026 order for foreign registration services in Delaware. Costs: $200 to the state, $397 to $497 to a service across three years.
Charter Simple editors

The short version

State fee to register
$200
Certificate from home?
Yes (180 days old, at most)
After registering
$400, Annual LLC tax
Ranked first
Mainstay Filing, Delaware Registered Agent.ai then DE Registered Agent.org

Delaware: the order

The order follows five checks. Three-year cost comes first, then what the price covers. See method.
1 Ranked first

1. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states

Register for $199. Agent renewal $149

First place: Mainstay Filing, since the registration price does not vary by state ($199), and the registered agent is waived for twelve months.

Delaware Registered Agent.ai costs $100 less over three years. It works only in Delaware.

No registered agent fee in year one, then $149 a year.

Includes

  • The registration filing
  • Registered agent, no charge the first year
  • The same price anywhere

Good

  • $199 plus Delaware's fee
  • The same fee in every state
  • No registered agent fee in year one

Against

  • Renewal is $50 over Delaware Registered Agent.ai
2 Delaware only

2. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for one extra state

Register for $199. Agent renewal $99

Delaware Registered Agent.ai ranks second. Registration costs $199 over the state fee, agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.

Includes

  • Registration, filed
  • Agent for year one

Good

  • Service fee $199
  • The first agent year is included
  • Agent renews at $99

Against

  • Delaware only. The home state needs another agent
3 Delaware only

3. DE Registered Agent.org: best for another local option

Register for $199. Agent renewal $99

DE Registered Agent.org ranks third. Registration costs $199 over the state fee, agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.

Its prices match Delaware Registered Agent.ai exactly. The order between them is close.

Includes

  • Registration, filed
  • Agent for year one

Good

  • Service fee $199
  • Agent renews at $99
  • The first agent year is included

Against

  • Delaware only. The home state needs another agent

Side by side

#CompanyStartAfter year oneTotalIncludes
1 Mainstay Filing $199$149/yr$497the registration filing; registered agent, no charge the first year; the same price anywhere Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Delaware Registered Agent.ai $199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; agent for year one Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 DE Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; agent for year one Visit DE Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, read November 13, 2026. State fees are identical for every pick.

Key questions

When must an out-of-state LLC register?

Before it does business in Delaware. Register with the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations first.

Skipping registration can bring it cannot sue in Delaware courts until it registers (6 Del. C. 18-907(a)).

from corp.delaware.gov, October 2026, kept short

What does registration cost?

Budget $200 for the state and $199 for help.

Three years of state fees, registration included: $1,000. from delcode.delaware.gov, October 2026, kept short

Which form, and where?

You submit one form, the Certificate of Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company, to the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations.

Attach certificate of existence from the jurisdiction of formation issued within the last 180 days.

What is due after registering?

Next comes the Annual LLC tax, at $400.

Date set by the state: June 1.

What put the first pick first?

Mainstay Filing scores best on work included, which is 27% of the score.

65% of the score is three-year cost and work included.

An out-of-state LLC works in two states. The first pick can serve both.

The five checks

Delaware registration rules, sourced

ItemRule or amountSource
Registration fee$200from delcode.delaware.gov, October 2026, kept short
Home-state certificateYes, 180 daysfrom corp.delaware.gov, October 2026, kept short
Annual LLC tax$400from corp.delaware.gov, October 2026, kept short
Three-year state total$1,000The rows above, added
The last row adds the filing fee, the reports in years two and three, and any minimum tax. A cost with no fixed amount, such as a newspaper notice, is left out.

Questions

Do I still need an agent at home?

Yes, in most cases. A provider active in every state, such as Mainstay Filing, can cover home and this state together.

What do the picks cost over three years?

Across three years: Mainstay Filing at $497, Delaware Registered Agent.ai at $397, DE Registered Agent.org at $397, before state fees.

Where do the figures come from?

State fees come from Delaware's official documents. Service prices come from each company's price page. Both are dated here.

Does the law require one?

No law requires a service. It is a paid convenience.

Can I hire someone to register?

All of them do. Only the service fee differs.

Which foreign registration service should I use in Delaware?

Mainstay Filing ranks first. Delaware's fee plus $199 gets you registered, with no registered agent bill until year two. After it, Delaware Registered Agent.ai and DE Registered Agent.org.

References

  1. Charter Simple keeps Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation on file from corp.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  2. Charter Simple keeps Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation on file from corp.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  3. Charter Simple keeps Delaware yearly filing: HB 400 on file from legis.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  4. Charter Simple keeps Delaware report due date on file from delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
  5. Charter Simple keeps 6 Del on file from delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
  6. Charter Simple keeps Delaware registered agent statute on file from delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  7. Charter Simple keeps Foreign LLC registration form on file from corpfiles.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  8. Charter Simple keeps Delaware Code Title 6, chapter on file from delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  9. Charter Simple keeps Division of Corporations fee schedule on file from corpfiles.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  10. Mainstay Filing Delaware service page, read November 13, 2026
  11. Delaware Registered Agent.ai pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  12. DE Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026