Mainstay Filing takes the top spot because it charges $199 on top of the state fee, serves as registered agent free for year one and prices every state the same.
When the complimentary year ends, the agent charge becomes $149 a year in any state.
Its three-year total is $100 above ND Registered Agents.org's, and what the price covers justifies that gap for us.
In the price
- The foreign registration handled on your behalf
- Registered agent service is free for the first year
- Free scans of served papers on the same business day
Good
- Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day at no charge
- The same price in each of the fifty states
- No charge for registered agent service in year one
- $199 service fee, with the state's fee added
Watch for
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 above ND Registered Agents.org
ND Registered Agents.org makes the list at number two because $199 above the state fee gets the company registered in North Dakota, and the agent renews at $99.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
In the price
- Foreign registration done for you
- A first year as your registered agent
Good
- The registered agent role is free for the first year
- The agent is $99 a year from year two
- Registers the company for $199 and the state fee
Watch for
- North Dakota only; your home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
North Dakota Registered Agent.co makes the list at number three because $199 above the state fee gets the company registered in North Dakota, and the agent renews at $99.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
The published prices and features of ND Registered Agents.org and North Dakota Registered Agent.co are identical, so the order between them is a coin flip between solid options.
In the price
- Foreign registration done for you
- A first year as your registered agent
Good
- The registered agent role is free for the first year
- Registration costs $199 before the state fee
- The agent is $99 a year from year two
Watch for
- North Dakota only; your home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
The 3 picks side by side
Filing Shortlist sets each score out of 10 itself, using the criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings feed in.
North Dakota foreign registration service pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. The $135 North Dakota registration fee comes on top of each row and is left out of the totals.
How the order came together
On Filing Shortlist's shortlist, three-year price and what the price covers carry 28% each and renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity share the other 44%. In North Dakota, what the price covers made the difference.
Registering in a second state touches two states, and one provider with one price in both scored highest on coverage, ahead of ND Registered Agents.org.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
Registering a foreign LLC in North Dakota: fee, form and office
Registration goes to the North Dakota Secretary of State on the Application for a Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company). The state fee is $135. Along with the form, North Dakota expects certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
Each year after that, the company files the annual report for $50, due November 15.
What to have ready before you file
- Certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
- The company's exact legal name and its formation date in the home state.
- A registered agent at a street address in the state. Every company on this shortlist can be that agent.
- Payment of the $135 state fee with the filing.
- A reminder in your own calendar for the annual report and its $50 fee.
Common questions about North Dakota foreign registration services
Must an LLC from another state register in North Dakota?
It must, once it does business in the state.
What is the full price of a foreign LLC registration in North Dakota?
The state fee is $135, and service fees run $199.
Does North Dakota ask for proof of good standing from home?
It does. The state wants certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
Does a registered foreign LLC still need a registered agent?
Yes. The company keeps a registered agent in the state, at a street address there, for as long as it stays registered.
Which foreign registration services made this shortlist?
Mainstay Filing ($199), ND Registered Agents.org ($199) and North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), listed from the top pick down.
Which service leads the North Dakota foreign registration shortlist?
Mainstay Filing, because $199 prepares the North Dakota registration and the registered agent role costs nothing in year one, then $149 a year.
Where the figures come from
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (checked again August 2026)
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (checked again August 2026)
- North Dakota report due date (checked again August 2026)
- North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked again October 2026)
- North Dakota registered agent statute (checked again October 2026)
- Secretary of State, registered agents (checked again October 2026)
- Secretary of State, business services (checked again October 2026)
- Pulled from Mainstay Filing: North Dakota service page, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from ND Registered Agents.org: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from North Dakota Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026