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Plain answers · Minnesota

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

Our 2026 answer for Minnesota: Minnesota Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and MN Registered Agent.org ($199), best first. Minnesota takes $185 to register, and the services cost $397 to $497 across three years.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Answer in brief

State fee to register
$185
Home-state document?
None asked
After registering
No charge, annual renewal
Who we'd use
Minnesota Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then MN Registered Agent.org

Our Minnesota list

Ranked by how we choose: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
1We'd start here

1. Minnesota Registered Agent.co: best for a lean registration

$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

Start with Minnesota Registered Agent.co: you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

Lower three-year cost than Mainstay Filing puts it first for a company staying in Minnesota.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

  • Then $99 yearly
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • First agent year in the price

What to weigh

  • A second provider for the home state
Visit Minnesota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Most included

2. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs adding states

$199 plus the state fee, then $149 a year

Our number 2 is Mainstay Filing, since the registration costs $199 plus state fees, with the registered agent free for year one.

Three years cost $100 more than Minnesota Registered Agent.co.

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

The price covers

  • State registration
  • Registered agent, first year free
  • Available in all fifty states

Upsides

  • One price anywhere
  • $199 plus Minnesota's fee
  • Agent included for year one

What to weigh

  • $50 a year more for the agent
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3In-state

3. MN Registered Agent.org: best for a second in-state filer

$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

Pick number 3, MN Registered Agent.org, makes the list because you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

Its prices match Minnesota Registered Agent.co exactly, so either is a sound choice.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

  • Then $99 yearly
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • First agent year in the price

What to weigh

  • A second provider for the home state
Visit MN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare at a glance

#PickYear 1Later years3-year costYou get
1Minnesota Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; agent included, year oneVisit Minnesota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497state registration; registered agent, first year free; available in all fifty statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3MN Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; agent included, year oneVisit MN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as published on November 12, 2026. The state's own fees are listed in the requirements below.

What owners ask

When does an out-of-state LLC have to register here?

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

Without it: the courts stay closed to its claims (Minn. Stat. 322C.0808, subd. 1).

source: revisor.mn.gov, October 2026

What does registering cost?

The state charges $185; a service adds $199.

Three years of state fees, registration included: $185. source: sos.mn.gov, October 2026

Where is the filing sent?

What you file: the Foreign Limited Liability Company Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Minnesota. Where: the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services.

You do not attach a certificate from the home state.

What does staying registered cost?

You keep filing the annual renewal (no fee).

When it is due: December 31.

How was the order decided?

Minnesota Registered Agent.co leads on three-year cost, which weighs 35% in our order.

Most of our weighting sits on three-year cost and what the price takes off your plate.

Minnesota Registered Agent.co costs $397 over three years, $100 less than Mainstay Filing.

Read our criteria

The official requirements

WhatAnswerFrom
State filing fee$185source: sos.mn.gov, October 2026
Certificate from home stateNone askedsource: revisor.mn.gov, October 2026
State total, years 1 to 3$185Total of these fees
The three-year line adds the filing fee, the reports in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Costs without a fixed amount, such as newspaper publication, are left out.

FAQ

Does the home state still need an agent?

Usually, yes. One national provider can serve both; a local one cannot.

Over three years, what does each charge?

Minnesota Registered Agent.co $397, Mainstay Filing $497 and MN Registered Agent.org $397 (service fees only).

What sources do you use?

Official Minnesota sources for state fees, company price pages for service fees.

Does the state require a service?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Can a service file the registration for me?

Yes, every pick files it, and the state fee does not change.

What is the best foreign registration service for Minnesota?

Minnesota Registered Agent.co tops our list because it charges $199 plus the state fee, agent included for year one, then $99 a year; Mainstay Filing and MN Registered Agent.org come next.

Cited sources

  1. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota yearly filing: Recurring filing, October 2026)
  2. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota yearly filing: Recurring filing, October 2026)
  3. sos.state.mn.us (Minnesota report due date, August 2026)
  4. revisor.mn.gov (Minn, August 2026)
  5. sos.mn.gov (Minnesota formation fee: Filing fee, October 2026)
  6. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota registered agent statute, October 2026)
  7. sos.mn.gov (Minnesota Secretary of State, foreign, October 2026)
  8. sos.mn.gov (Foreign LLC certificate of authority, October 2026)
  9. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota Statutes § 322C.0802, certificate, October 2026)
  10. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota Statutes § 322C.0803, activities, October 2026)
  11. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota Statutes § 322C.0808, consequences, October 2026)
  12. Minnesota Registered Agent.co: pricing page, read November 12, 2026
  13. Mainstay Filing: Minnesota service page, read November 12, 2026
  14. MN Registered Agent.org: pricing page, read November 12, 2026