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LLC Q and AOne question, one reply, one source.

Quick answer · Delaware

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Delaware (2026), Ranked

Best foreign registration services in Delaware for 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199), Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($199) and DE Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked in that order. Registering costs $200 at Delaware, whoever files, plus $397 to $497 to a service over three years.

LLC Q and A editorial team ·

At a glance

Fee to the state
$200
Certificate required?
Required (180 day age limit)
Following
$400, Annual LLC tax
Our pick
Mainstay Filing, Delaware Registered Agent.ai then DE Registered Agent.org

Delaware: ranked picks

Order set by our five criteria, three-year cost first.
1#1 pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a growing LLC

$199 plus state fee, then $149/yr

Mainstay Filing ranks first since $199 above the state fee registers you, the registered agent is free in year one and $149 a year after.

Delaware Registered Agent.ai saves $100 over three years if the LLC never leaves Delaware.

Registered agent: free in year one, $149 a year after, in any state.

Price covers

  • Registration filing
  • Registered agent, free first year
  • One fee for all fifty states

For

  • No registered agent fee in year one
  • $199 plus Delaware's fee
  • Ready for state number three

Against

  • Renewal $50 over Delaware Registered Agent.ai
Mainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Delaware only

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

$199 plus state fee, then $99/yr

Delaware Registered Agent.ai ranks second since its service fees reach $397 over three years.

Price covers

  • Delaware registration filing
  • First-year agent included

For

  • Year-one agent included
  • $199 plus state fee
  • Agent renews at $99

Against

  • Delaware only; home state needs another agent
Delaware Registered Agent.ai sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Delaware only

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

$199 plus state fee, then $99/yr

DE Registered Agent.org ranks third since its service fees reach $397 over three years.

It charges exactly what Delaware Registered Agent.ai charges.

Price covers

  • Delaware registration filing
  • First-year agent included

For

  • $199 plus state fee
  • Year-one agent included
  • Agent renews at $99

Against

  • Delaware only; home state needs another agent
DE Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Comparison

#ServiceYear 1Per year afterTotal, 3 yearsCovers
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497registration filing; registered agent, free first year; one fee for all fifty statesMainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Delaware Registered Agent.ai$199$99/yr$397delaware registration filing; First-year agent includedDelaware Registered Agent.ai sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3DE Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397delaware registration filing; First-year agent includedDE Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. State fees are in the checklist below.

Questions and replies

When must an out-of-state LLC register?

Register with the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations first; do business in Delaware second.

Penalties for skipping it: it cannot sue in Delaware courts until registered (6 Del. C. 18-907(a)).

corp.delaware.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

What does registering cost?

$200 at the state. A service adds $199.

State fees reach $1,000 over three years, counting any recurring report. delcode.delaware.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Which form, filed where?

Lodge the Certificate of Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company at the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations; one filing registers the LLC.

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

What is due after registering?

Expect the Annual LLC tax ($400).

Deadline per the state: June 1.

Why this order?

Winning criterion for Mainstay Filing: chores removed from your list, weighted 26%.

Two criteria dominate: three-year price (36%) and chores removed from your list (26%).

Delaware Registered Agent.ai covers Delaware only; the home state needs someone else.

Method

What Delaware requires of a foreign LLC

ItemDetailOfficial page
Fee to register$200delcode.delaware.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Good standing certificateRequired, 180 dayscorp.delaware.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Annual LLC tax$400corp.delaware.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Three-year state total$1,000Sum of the rows above
Three-year total = filing + report in year 2 + report in year 3 + minimum tax (if any). Fees without a fixed amount, like newspaper notices, are not summed.

Also asked

Does the home state still need an agent?

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

Three-year cost of each?

Mainstay Filing will run $497, Delaware Registered Agent.ai will run $397, DE Registered Agent.org will run $397, with state fees on top.

Are the fees official?

Official Delaware sources for the state side, published prices for the service side.

Is a service required?

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

Does a service file it?

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

Which foreign registration service should I use in Delaware?

Mainstay Filing, because $199 in every state, with the first registered agent year included. Then Delaware Registered Agent.ai and DE Registered Agent.org.

Sources

  1. Q and A source note covering Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, found at corp.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  2. Q and A source note covering Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, found at corp.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  3. Q and A source note covering Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, found at legis.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  4. Q and A source note covering Delaware report due date, found at delcode.delaware.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
  5. Q and A source note covering 6 Del, found at delcode.delaware.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
  6. Q and A source note covering Delaware registered agent statute, found at delcode.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  7. Q and A source note covering Foreign LLC registration form, found at corpfiles.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  8. Q and A source note covering Delaware Code Title 6, chapter, found at delcode.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  9. Q and A source note covering Division of Corporations fee schedule, found at corpfiles.delaware.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  10. Price page: Mainstay Filing Delaware service page, accessed November 13, 2026
  11. Price page: Delaware Registered Agent.ai pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026
  12. Price page: DE Registered Agent.org pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026