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Plain English · Kentucky

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Kentucky (2026), Plainly Answered

For foreign registration services in Kentucky, our 2026 order is Mainstay Filing ($199), KY Registered Agent.org ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199). On top of the $90 state fee, service fees come to $397 to $497 over three years.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Short version

Cost to file
$90
Certificate required?
Not required
After registering
$15, annual report
Our order
Mainstay Filing, KY Registered Agent.org then Kentucky Registered Agent.co

Our Kentucky list

Ranked by how we choose: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
1First choice

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second state and a third

$199 plus the $90 state fee; renewal $149

Mainstay Filing is the one we'd hire first in Kentucky, because the registration costs $199 plus state fees, with the registered agent free for year one.

The extra $100 over three years, compared with KY Registered Agent.org, pays for coverage beyond Kentucky.

From year two the registered agent costs $149 a year, in any state.

The price covers

  • The registration filing
  • Registered agent, included for year one
  • Available in all fifty states

Upsides

  • Registered agent free in year one
  • $199 plus Kentucky's fee
  • One price anywhere

What to weigh

  • $50 a year more for the agent
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2One-state plan

2. KY Registered Agent.org: best for a low yearly agent cost

$199 plus the $90 state fee; renewal $99

KY Registered Agent.org comes second: three years of service fees come to $397.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

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

What to weigh

  • One-state service
Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3One-state plan

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for one extra state

$199 plus the $90 state fee; renewal $99

Kentucky Registered Agent.co comes third: three years of service fees come to $397.

Its prices match KY Registered Agent.org exactly, so either is a sound choice.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

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

What to weigh

  • One-state service
Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

How the picks compare

#CompanyFirst yearYear two onBy year threeYou get
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497the registration filing; registered agent, included for year one; available in all fifty statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2KY Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; agent included, year oneVisit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Kentucky Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; agent included, year oneVisit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each company's published prices, November 12, 2026. State fees come on top and do not change by pick.

The plain answers

When is registration required?

If an LLC formed in another state does business in Kentucky, it registers first.

Unregistered, the LLC faces its own lawsuits are blocked (KRS 14A.9-020(1)); per-day fines of $2.

source: sos.ky.gov, October 2026

How much is foreign registration?

$90 in state fees and $199 for a service.

By year three the state will have collected $645. source: apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026

Where is the filing sent?

What you file: the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE). Where: the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.

A home-state certificate is not part of the filing.

What comes due after registering?

The annual report, at $15.

Deadline: Between January 1 and June 30 each year.

What put the first pick first?

Mainstay Filing wins on what the price takes off your plate, our 30% criterion.

The two biggest criteria are three-year cost and what the price takes off your plate, at 35% and 30%.

With two states in play, a provider for every state made the difference over KY Registered Agent.org.

Read our criteria

What Kentucky requires

RequirementAnswerFrom
Registration filing$90source: apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026
Home-state certificateNot requiredsource: sos.ky.gov, October 2026
Annual report$15source: sos.ky.gov, October 2026
State minimum tax$175 a yearsource: revenue.ky.gov, October 2026
State cost over 3 years$645Added up from the above
Filing fee, the reports in years two and three, then any minimum tax: that is the three-year line.

FAQ

Is one agent enough for both states?

Both states have their own rules. Mainstay Filing works in each; a one-state service covers only its state.

Over three years, what does each charge?

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

Are the fees official?

Official schedules for state fees, company pricing for service fees, all dated on this page.

Do I need to hire a service?

No law requires one. A service is a convenience.

Who files the registration?

Yes. Each pick here files it for you; the state fee is the same either way.

What is the best foreign registration service for Kentucky?

Mainstay Filing, because it charges $199 on top of the state fee and includes the registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year. Then KY Registered Agent.org and Kentucky Registered Agent.co.

Official sources and prices

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