State reply · North Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in North Dakota (2026) and the Facts Behind Them

North Dakota 2026 ranking of LLC formation services: Mainstay Filing ($199), North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and ND Registered Agents.org ($199). Costs in brief: $135 to the state, $397 to $597 to a service across three years.

LLC Q and A editorial team · Last updated November 13, 2026

Quick answers

State filing fee: $135, once
After that: $50 annually
Registered agent: Yes, by statute
Our pick: Mainstay Filing, North Dakota Registered Agent.co then ND Registered Agents.org

North Dakota ranking

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

1Top pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for skipping the annual report

$199 a year, $135 to the state

Mainstay Filing ranks first since $199 a year pays for formation, the registered agent and every annual report, then renews at $199.

Not the lowest bill: North Dakota Registered Agent.co is $200 less over three years, with more of the paperwork left to you.

Annual report filing is included. The state's $50 is the only addition, at cost.

Price covers

Formation filed with the state
Registered agent for a year
Annual report filed
EIN application filed
State fees passed through, no markup

For

$199/yr covers filing, agent and report
Renewal holds at $199
EIN application included

Against

North Dakota Registered Agent.co renews $100 lower

Open Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2North Dakota only

2. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a one-state LLC

$199 plus state fee, then $99/yr

Second: North Dakota Registered Agent.co, because $199 forms the LLC and the agent renews at $99.

You still handle the annual report yourself.

Price covers

North Dakota formation filing
First-year agent included

For

Agent renews at $99
Formation fee $199
First agent year comes with it

Against

You prepare the annual report
EIN not included ($99)

Open North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3North Dakota only

3. ND Registered Agents.org: best for another local option

$199 plus state fee, then $99/yr

Third: ND Registered Agents.org, because $199 forms the LLC and the agent renews at $99.

You still handle the annual report yourself.

Same published prices as North Dakota Registered Agent.co, so the order between them is close.

Price covers

North Dakota formation filing
First-year agent included

For

Agent renews at $99
Formation fee $199
First agent year comes with it

Against

You prepare the annual report
EIN not included ($99)

Open ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Comparison

#	Service	First year	Per year after	3-year cost	Includes
1	Mainstay Filing	$199	$199/yr	$597	formation filed with the state; registered agent for a year; annual report filed	Open Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2	North Dakota Registered Agent.co	$199	$99/yr	$397	North Dakota formation filing; First-year agent included	Open North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3	ND Registered Agents.org	$199	$99/yr	$397	North Dakota formation filing; First-year agent included	Open ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices as of November 13, 2026. State fees are in the checklist below.

Key questions

Cost to form an LLC here?

$135 to the state, plus $199 if a service files in year one.

With the recurring report, state fees total $235 over three years. sos.nd.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Which form, filed where?

The North Dakota Secretary of State is where the Articles of Organization goes.

Law: N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20. sos.nd.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

A registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: a North Dakota resident, or an entity registered with the Secretary of State that has a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own agent.

ndlegis.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

What is due after formation?

Owed each year: the annual report, $50. Mark November 15 on the calendar as your deadline.

Late fee: $50.

sos.nd.gov (August 2026) is the source of record

Can I do it myself?

Yes; your three-year bill would be the state's $235.

A service adds $397 to $597 over three years; with Mainstay Filing the reports are in that price.

What decided #1?

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%).

A filed annual report outweighs a small saving.

The five criteria

North Dakota: formation requirements, sourced

Item	Detail	Official page
Fee to form	$135	sos.nd.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Registered agent	Yes, by statute	ndlegis.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Annual report	$50 every year	sos.nd.gov (August 2026) is the source of record
State fees, 3 years	$235	Total of the rows above

To verify the total: filing fee, two later reports, minimum tax if one applies. Costs without a set amount are excluded.

Also asked

Who files the EIN application?

Mainstay Filing includes it. Others charge: North Dakota Registered Agent.co $99; ND Registered Agents.org $99.

What if the report is late?

$50.

What do the picks cost over three years?

Totals over three years: Mainstay Filing at $597, North Dakota Registered Agent.co at $397, ND Registered Agents.org at $397, services only.

Where do the numbers come from?

Official North Dakota sources for the state side, published prices for the service side.

Is a service required?

No law requires a service; it is a paid convenience.

Best LLC service in North Dakota?

Rank Mainstay Filing ahead of North Dakota Registered Agent.co and ND Registered Agents.org.

Source list

Q and A source note covering North Dakota Secretary of State, found at sos.nd.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
Q and A source note covering North Dakota Secretary of State, found at sos.nd.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
Q and A source note covering North Dakota report due date, found at ndlegis.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
Q and A source note covering North Dakota formation fee: Filing, found at sos.nd.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
Q and A source note covering North Dakota registered agent statute, found at ndlegis.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
Mainstay Filing North Dakota service page, read November 13, 2026
North Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026
ND Registered Agents.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026