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Plain CharterLLC questions, short answers.

No legalese · Pennsylvania

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

We'd pick Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and PA Registered Agent.org ($199) in Pennsylvania for 2026, in that order. The state's registration fee is $250 with any of them; service fees reach $397 to $497 over three years.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Quick answer

Registration fee
$250
Proof from home state?
No
After registering
$7, annual report
Our order
Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then PA Registered Agent.org

Pennsylvania: our picks

Our order, explained on how we choose.
1First choice

1. Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co: best for a budget registration

First year $199, then $99 a year

First choice: Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co. The reason is simple: you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

It beats Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, the factor we weigh most.

The price covers

  • Your foreign filing
  • Agent service for year one

Upsides

  • Agent free for year one
  • Then $99 yearly
  • $199 over the state fee

What to weigh

  • One-state service
Visit Pennsylvania Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2All fifty states

2. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in several states

First year $199, then $149 a year

Mainstay Filing ranks second, because you pay $199 to register and nothing for the registered agent until year two.

Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co saves $100 over three years, enough to rank above it.

Year two on, plan on $149 a year for the registered agent.

The price covers

  • Your foreign filing
  • Fifty-state coverage

Upsides

  • One price anywhere
  • $199 to register

What to weigh

  • Agent renews at $149, $50 over Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3One-state plan

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

First year $199, then $99 a year

Our number 3 is PA Registered Agent.org, since you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

Same published prices as Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co; pick whichever you prefer.

The price covers

  • Your foreign filing
  • Agent service for year one

Upsides

  • $199 over the state fee
  • Then $99 yearly
  • Agent free for year one

What to weigh

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

Prices together

#ServiceFirst yearYear two onOver three yearsCovers
1Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397your foreign filing; agent service for year oneVisit Pennsylvania Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497your foreign filing; Fifty-state coverageVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3PA Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397your foreign filing; agent service for year oneVisit PA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Company prices on November 12, 2026, before state fees.

The plain answers

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

Before it does business in Pennsylvania, an LLC formed elsewhere registers with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

The cost of not registering: no lawsuits as plaintiff (15 Pa.C.S. 411(b)).

source: pa.gov, October 2026

What will it cost to register?

On your own, $250. With a service, add $199.

By year three the state will have collected $264. source: pa.gov, October 2026

What is the application called?

The Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations accepts the Foreign Registration Statement (DSCB:15-412) from LLCs formed elsewhere.

The state does not ask for a certificate from the home state.

What comes due after registering?

The annual report, at $7.

When: September 30.

How was the order decided?

It comes down to three-year cost, where Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co is strongest.

Three-year cost counts for 35% and what the price takes off your plate for 30%; the other three criteria are smaller.

On cost, Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co wins at $397 for three years, a $100 saving against Mainstay Filing.

The criteria in full

The official requirements

WhatDetailCited
Registration filing$250source: pa.gov, October 2026
Home-state certificateNosource: pa.gov, October 2026
Annual report$7source: pa.gov, October 2026
State total, years 1 to 3$264Total of these fees
Every amount links to its official source. The three-year line is our own sum of filing, reports and any minimum tax.

People also ask

Do I still need an agent in my home state?

Yes, each state follows its own rule. A one-state service covers only this state.

What do the picks cost over three years?

Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co $397, Mainstay Filing $497 and PA Registered Agent.org $397, before state fees.

What are the numbers based on?

State fees from Pennsylvania's official sources, cited next to each figure; service prices from each company's own pricing.

Is a service required by law?

Not required. Services charge for doing the paperwork for you.

Can a service file the registration for me?

All the picks on this page file it; state fees are identical.

Which foreign registration service would you pick in Pennsylvania?

We rank Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co first on three-year cost, with Mainstay Filing and PA Registered Agent.org behind it.

Sources for this page

  1. pa.gov (Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau, August 2026)
  2. pa.gov (Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau, August 2026)
  3. pa.gov (15 Pa.C.S. § 8821, August 2026)
  4. pa.gov (Pennsylvania formation fee: Filing fee, October 2026)
  5. legis.state.pa.us (Pennsylvania registered agent statute, October 2026)
  6. pa.gov (Pennsylvania DOS, foreign associations, October 2026)
  7. pa.gov (Foreign Registration Statement, DSCB:15-412, October 2026)
  8. pa.gov (Commercial registered office providers, October 2026)
  9. legis.state.pa.us (15 Pa.C.S. 411, registration to, November 2026)
  10. pa.gov (Pennsylvania Department of State, general, November 2026)
  11. Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  12. Mainstay Filing Pennsylvania service page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  13. PA Registered Agent.org pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026