Registered agent required
Yes
delcode.delaware.gov, checked October 2026
Registered agent guide · Delaware
Delaware Registered Agents (2026): State Rules, Fees and the 3 Best Agents
For a registered agent in Delaware in 2026, we recommend DE Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), in that order. Delaware law calls for a registered agent on every LLC. State charges that recur come to $400 per year (47th of 50).
What Delaware charges
47th
of 50 by what the state bills in a year
Rankings begin with the smallest bill. Compare the other states
Annual LLC Tax
$400 / yr
The state sets the deadline as annual alternative-entity tax due on or before June 1. legis.delaware.gov, checked October 2026
State charges, per year
$400
The state's charges in a normal year
Our Delaware shortlist
How the order came about: three-year service charges first, then coverage, renewal, Delaware fit and fee labeling (methodology).
1. DE Registered Agent.org: best for a modest agent budget
$99 annually, no change at renewal
First on the list is DE Registered Agent.org, since a plan for Delaware alone at $99 a year, with a renewal price of $99.
The three-year service bill is smaller than Mainstay Filing's, which is our heaviest criterion.
What the price buys
- The registered office is an address inside the state
- Legal papers served on the company are scanned and posted for you
In its favor
- Each year it bills less than Mainstay Filing
- $99 annually
Against it
- Limited to Delaware; elsewhere you need a separate agent
- Does not cover the Annual LLC Tax
2. Mainstay Filing: best for owners who plan to expand
$149 annually, no change at renewal
Mainstay Filing comes next: $149 a year with no increase at renewal, valid in every state.
Over three years its service fees are $150 higher than DE Registered Agent.org's, and cost weighs 34% of the score.
What the price buys
- A street address to serve as your registered office
- Anything served on the company is scanned and sent to you that business day, free of charge
- The first three letters from government agencies each year are scanned at no charge
- Also open to nonprofits, partnerships and corporations, not only LLCs
In its favor
- $149 a year with no increase
- Covers all fifty states
Against it
- A yearly premium of $50 over DE Registered Agent.org
- The agent plan does not file reports
3. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for an office address inside the state
$99 annually, no change at renewal
Delaware Registered Agent.ai comes after that: a plan for Delaware alone at $99 a year, with a renewal price of $99.
Price for price, it equals DE Registered Agent.org.
What the price buys
- The registered office is an address inside the state
- Legal papers served on the company are scanned and posted for you
In its favor
- Each year it bills less than Mainstay Filing
- $99 annually
Against it
- Limited to Delaware; elsewhere you need a separate agent
- Does not cover the Annual LLC Tax
The 3 picks at a glance
| No. | Service | Yearly price | Renews at | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DE Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit DE Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Delaware Registered Agent.ai | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Company price pages, copied November 12, 2026. Changing agents does not change the state fees.
Agent and state charges, by year
Each agent's price is combined with the state charges that repeat (the Annual LLC Tax from year two). Formation fees are not in the total.
Delaware next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 44th | Tennessee | $300 |
| 46th | Nevada | $350 |
| 47th | Delaware | $400 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $450 |
| 49th | Massachusetts | $500 |
The complete ranking applies one method to all fifty states.
The registered agent requirement in Delaware
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Delaware. An entity agent keeps a business office there that is generally open; an individual agent has to be generally present there. A virtual office or mail-forwarding service alone does not qualify.
Persons the state allows: The LLC itself, a Delaware resident, or a business entity formed in Delaware or authorized to do business there. Legal basis: 6 Del. C. § 18-104.
What Delaware bills each year
The Annual LLC Tax is due every year at a cost of $400 (deadline annual alternative-entity tax due on or before June 1). A late filing costs $200 more. Notices about it go to your registered agent.
How we ordered the Delaware picks
In Delaware the deciding criterion was three-year service charge, at 34% of the total.
At $297 for three years, $150 less than Mainstay Filing, DE Registered Agent.org wins on cost.
Delaware: common questions
Does every Delaware LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who may act as the registered agent for Delaware LLCs?
The LLC itself, a Delaware resident, or a business entity formed in Delaware or authorized to do business there.
What is the yearly price of registered agent service for Delaware?
The agents on this page charge $99 to $149 a year.
What does the state itself charge an LLC each year?
About $400 a year by our yearly measure, which comes from the Annual LLC Tax ($400 every year).
Which registered agents are recommended on this page?
DE Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), with the best one first.
Which registered agent is the best choice?
DE Registered Agent.org first, then Mainstay Filing and Delaware Registered Agent.ai. What separates DE Registered Agent.org is three-year service charge.
Sources for this chapter
- corp.delaware.gov supplies Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source, last opened October 2026
- corp.delaware.gov supplies Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source, last opened October 2026
- legis.delaware.gov supplies Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source, last opened October 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov supplies Delaware report due date, last opened August 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov supplies 6 Del, last opened August 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov supplies Delaware registered agent statute, last opened October 2026
- tnbear.tn.gov supplies Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services, last opened August 2026
- sos.tn.gov supplies Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services, last opened August 2026
- sos.tn.gov supplies Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, last opened October 2026
- nvsos.gov supplies Nevada yearly filing: Annual list + license: fees, last opened October 2026
- docs.sos.ri.gov supplies Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division, last opened August 2026
- sos.ri.gov supplies Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division, last opened August 2026
- tax.ri.gov supplies Rhode Island other cost, last opened October 2026
- sec.state.ma.us supplies Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, last opened August 2026
- malegislature.gov supplies Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, last opened August 2026
- DE Registered Agent.org lists its pricing page; we copied it November 12, 2026
- Mainstay Filing lists its Delaware service page; we copied it November 12, 2026
- Delaware Registered Agent.ai lists its pricing page; we copied it November 12, 2026