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Plain CharterLLC questions, short answers.

Short answers · Virginia

2 Best Foreign Registration Services in Virginia (2026), Plainly Answered

We'd pick VA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199) in Virginia for 2026, in that order. On top of the $100 state fee, service fees come to $397 to $497 over three years.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Short version

What the state charges
$100
Home-state document?
Yes, needed (365 days old at most)
Ongoing filing
$50, annual registration fee
Our picks, in order
VA Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing

Virginia: our picks

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

1. VA Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state

First year $199, then $99 a year

First choice: VA Registered Agent.org. The reason is simple: the filing costs $199 and the yearly agent renewal is $99.

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

The price covers

  • State registration
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • Registers for $199
  • First agent year in the price
  • Agent renews at $99

What to weigh

  • No coverage outside the state
Visit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Works in any state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for growing companies

First year $199, then $149 a year

Mainstay Filing comes second: it charges $199 on top of the state fee and includes the registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

Over three years it is $100 dearer than VA Registered Agent.org.

After the free year, the registered agent renews at $149 a year.

The price covers

  • State registration
  • Registered agent, free for year one
  • Fifty-state coverage

Upsides

  • One price anywhere
  • Service fee $199
  • Year-one agent included

What to weigh

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

How the picks compare

#ServiceTo startRenewal priceThree yearsYou get
1VA Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397state registration; Year-one agentVisit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497state registration; registered agent, free for year one; Fifty-state coverageVisit Mainstay FilingPartner 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.

Common questions

Who has to register here?

Doing business in Virginia with an LLC from elsewhere means registering first.

Skipping it can mean its own lawsuits are blocked (Va. Code 13.1-1057(A)).

law.lis.virginia.gov (October 2026)

What does registering cost?

Budget $100 for the state and $199 for a service.

By year three the state will have collected $200. scc.virginia.gov (October 2026)

Which document registers the LLC?

What you file: the Application for Certificate of Registration to Transact Business in Virginia as a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC1052). Where: the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk.

Add certified copy of articles of organization and all amendments at most 365 days.

What recurs once registered?

You keep filing the annual registration fee ($50).

Schedule: last day of your registration month.

Why these three?

Three-year cost (35% of our weighting) put VA Registered Agent.org first.

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

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

The criteria in full

Virginia rules at a glance

RuleAnswerCited
Fee to register$100scc.virginia.gov (October 2026)
Home-state documentYes, needed, 365 dayslaw.lis.virginia.gov (October 2026)
Annual registration fee$50law.lis.virginia.gov (October 2026)
State fees, first three years$200Added up from the above
Every amount links to its official source. The three-year line is our own sum of filing, reports and any minimum tax.

Other quick questions

Do I still need an agent in my home state?

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

How do the three-year costs compare?

VA Registered Agent.org $397 and Mainstay Filing $497 (service fees only).

What are the numbers based on?

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

Do I have to use a service?

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

Will these services file it?

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

Which foreign registration service would you pick in Virginia?

First VA Registered Agent.org, then Mainstay Filing.

Official sources and prices

  1. law.lis.virginia.gov (Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, October 2026)
  2. scc.virginia.gov (Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, October 2026)
  3. law.lis.virginia.gov (Va, August 2026)
  4. law.lis.virginia.gov (Virginia formation fee: Filing fee, October 2026)
  5. law.lis.virginia.gov (Virginia registered agent statute, October 2026)
  6. scc.virginia.gov (SCC, foreign limited liability company, October 2026)
  7. scc.virginia.gov (SCC, foreign business entities FAQ, October 2026)
  8. scc.virginia.gov (SCC, foreign registration checklist, October 2026)
  9. law.lis.virginia.gov (Code of Virginia § 13.1-1052, October 2026)
  10. law.lis.virginia.gov (Code of Virginia § 13.1-1059, October 2026)
  11. law.lis.virginia.gov (Code of Virginia § 13.1-1057, October 2026)
  12. law.lis.virginia.gov (Code of Virginia 13.1-1051 to, November 2026)
  13. VA Registered Agent.org pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  14. Mainstay Filing Virginia service page, prices as of November 12, 2026