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Kept simple · Kentucky

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

KY Registered Agent.org ($199), Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199): our 2026 order for foreign registration services in Kentucky. The state charges $90 to register. Services cost $397 to $497 over three years.
Charter Simple editors

The short version

Registration fee
$90
Certificate from home?
No
Next
$15, annual report
Ranked first
KY Registered Agent.org, Kentucky Registered Agent.co then Mainstay Filing

Kentucky: the order

Prices come from each company's own page. Method.
1 First

1. KY Registered Agent.org: best for adding only this state

Register for $199. Agent renewal $99

KY Registered Agent.org comes first because it charges $199 with first-year agent service included, then $99 a year.

It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years. Cost carries the most weight.

Includes

  • Kentucky registration filing
  • Agent for year one

Good

  • The first agent year is included
  • Agent renews at $99
  • $199 plus the state fee

Against

  • The home state needs its own agent
2 Kentucky only

2. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for one more state only

Register for $199. Agent renewal $99

Kentucky Registered Agent.co takes second place because it charges $199 with first-year agent service included, then $99 a year.

It charges what KY Registered Agent.org charges.

Includes

  • Kentucky registration filing
  • Agent for year one

Good

  • Agent renews at $99
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • The first agent year is included

Against

  • The home state needs its own agent
3 All fifty states

3. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states

Register for $199. Agent renewal $149

Mainstay Filing ranks third. The registration price does not vary by state ($199), and the registered agent is waived for twelve months.

KY Registered Agent.org is $100 less over three years. That decides the order.

The registered agent is free in year one. After that it is $149 a year, in any state.

Includes

  • The registration filing
  • Registered agent, free in year one
  • The same price anywhere

Good

  • The first agent year is covered
  • The price does not change by state
  • $199 over the state fee

Against

  • Agent renews at $149, $50 above KY Registered Agent.org

Side by side

#CompanyStartRenewalThree yearsIncludes
1 KY Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397kentucky registration filing; agent for year one Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Kentucky Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397kentucky registration filing; agent for year one Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing $199$149/yr$497the registration filing; registered agent, free in year one; the same price anywhere Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, read November 13, 2026. State fees are identical for every pick.

The facts

When must an out-of-state LLC register?

Registration comes first. Business in Kentucky comes second.

Skipping registration can bring Kentucky courts will not hear its claims (KRS 14A.9-020(1)); a daily penalty of $2.

from sos.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short

What does registration cost?

$90 to the state. $199 more if someone files for you.

Over three years state fees reach $645, counting any recurring report and the minimum tax. from apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short

What registers the LLC?

You submit one form, the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE), to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.

This registration is filed without a good standing certificate.

What is due after registering?

Expect the annual report ($15).

Date set by the state: Between January 1 and June 30 each year.

Why this order?

KY Registered Agent.org scores best on three-year cost, which is 38% of the score.

Five checks: three-year cost (38%), work included (27%), readable pricing (13%), renewal steadiness (11%) and state coverage (11%).

Side by side, KY Registered Agent.org saves $100, finishing at $397 for three years.

The five checks

What Kentucky requires to register

ItemDetailConfirm
Fee to register$90from apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short
Home-state certificateNofrom sos.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short
Annual report$15from sos.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short
Minimum tax$175 a yearfrom revenue.ky.gov, October 2026, kept short
State fees, three years$645Sum of the rows above
To check the total, add the filing fee, the next two reports and any minimum tax. Costs without a set amount are not counted.

Questions

Does the home state need its own agent?

Yes. Two states, two sets of rules. Mainstay Filing works in both. One-state services do not.

What do the picks cost over three years?

KY Registered Agent.org is $397, while Kentucky Registered Agent.co is $397, while Mainstay Filing is $497, before state fees.

Where do the figures come from?

Official Kentucky sources for the state side. Published prices for the service side.

Must I use a service?

No. Owners may file directly. A service saves time and can act as agent.

Does a service file it for me?

Yes. Every pick files it, and the state fee is the same for all.

Which ranks first in Kentucky?

KY Registered Agent.org ranks first. Three years of its service fees come to $397. After it, Kentucky Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.

Sources

  1. Entry for Kentucky Secretary of State: read at sos.ky.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
  2. Entry for Kentucky Secretary of State: read at sos.ky.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
  3. Entry for Kentucky report due date: read at apps.legislature.ky.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
  4. Entry for KRS 275.025: read at apps.legislature.ky.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
  5. Entry for Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee: read at sos.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  6. Entry for Kentucky registered agent statute: read at apps.legislature.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  7. Entry for Kentucky Secretary of State, business: read at sos.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  8. Entry for Form FBE, Certificate of Authority: read at web.sos.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  9. Entry for KRS 14A.9-020, consequences of transacting: read at apps.legislature.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  10. Entry for KRS 14A.9-010, authority to transact: read at apps.legislature.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  11. Entry for Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability: read at revenue.ky.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
  12. KY Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  13. Kentucky Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  14. Mainstay Filing Kentucky service page, read November 13, 2026