Foreign registration charge
$135
sos.nd.gov, checked October 2026
Foreign LLC guide · North Dakota
Registering an Out-of-State LLC in North Dakota (2026): Fees and the 3 Best Services
If you are registering a foreign LLC for North Dakota this year (2026), begin with Mainstay Filing ($199), ND Registered Agents.org ($199) and North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), working down the list. Bringing a foreign LLC into North Dakota means paying $135 first and $50 on each yearly report; the state is 21st of 50 on this measure.
North Dakota state charges at a glance
21st
of 50 by what a foreign LLC pays the state
Rankings begin with the smallest bill. Fifty states in one table
Report, per cycle
$50
Annual report
Home-state certificate
Required
Submitted with the application
State charges, years one to three
$235
Only the state's charges across three years
The North Dakota picks
How the order came about: three-year service charges first, then coverage, renewal, North Dakota fit and fee labeling (methodology).
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a third or fourth state later
$199 plus the $135 state fee, then $149 yearly
First on the list is Mainstay Filing, since the North Dakota registration is filed for $199 beyond the state's charge, with the first agent year included.
Three years of service fees come to $100 more than ND Registered Agents.org; for that the price takes in more of the state's paperwork.
From year two the agent costs $149 a year, whichever state you register in.
What the price buys
- Your registration is prepared and filed
- No charge for the registered agent in the first year
- Fees do not vary by state
In its favor
- $199 plus the state fee
- Covers all fifty states
- Twelve months of agent service cost nothing
Against it
- $50 more each year for the agent
2. ND Registered Agents.org: best for a thrifty North Dakota filing
$199 plus the $135 state fee, then $99 yearly
ND Registered Agents.org comes next: the North Dakota registration at $199 and a year of agent service, then $99 each year.
What the price buys
- Registration paperwork taken care of
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 to register
- $99 a year from year two
- You do not pay an agent fee during year one
Against it
- A different agent has to cover the home state
3. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for registering with North Dakota alone
$199 plus the $135 state fee, then $99 yearly
North Dakota Registered Agent.co comes after that: the North Dakota registration at $199 and a year of agent service, then $99 each year.
On price it is level with ND Registered Agents.org.
What the price buys
- Registration paperwork taken care of
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 to register
- $99 a year from year two
- You do not pay an agent fee during year one
Against it
- A different agent has to cover the home state
The picks in numbers
| No. | Service | First-year fee | From year two | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | ND Registered Agents.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | North Dakota Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Company price pages, copied November 12, 2026. The state's $135 is not counted in the table.
Add it up
The registration fee is $135, with the $50 report from year two; the service's prices are added to it.
North Dakota next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Three-year foreign LLC fees |
|---|---|---|
| 19th | Kansas | $205 |
| 20th | Wisconsin | $230 |
| 21st | North Dakota | $235 |
| 22nd | New Jersey | $250 |
| 23rd | Louisiana | $255 |
The full table is at Foreign LLC fees by state, with the smallest bills first.
The North Dakota filing for LLCs formed elsewhere
An LLC formed in another state files the Application for a Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company) with the North Dakota Secretary of State and pays $135. The state wants certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
From then on it owes the annual report ($50), November 15.
What to gather first
- Certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
- The home-state legal name and the date of formation.
- A registered agent based in the state; each of our picks offers the service.
- Funds to cover the $135 state charge.
How we ordered the North Dakota picks
Paperwork the price takes on decided first place in North Dakota. It counts for 26% of the score; the remaining criteria are three-year service charge, year-two price, match to the state's calendar, fee labeling.
The company already has a home state; covering it and North Dakota with one provider scored highest.
North Dakota FAQ
What fee does a foreign LLC pay to register with North Dakota?
$135 for the filing. A service adds $199 to the bill.
Which form does North Dakota use to register a foreign LLC?
Application for a Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company), submitted to the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Does the home state have to issue a certificate?
Yes. certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
Does a foreign LLC owe anything every year?
Yes, the annual report, at $50.
Does North Dakota require a registered agent of a foreign LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who should register my foreign LLC?
We would pick Mainstay Filing (a $199 service fee in whichever state you choose, plus a free first year of agent service), followed by ND Registered Agents.org and North Dakota Registered Agent.co.
Sources for this chapter
- For North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division, see sos.nd.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division, see sos.nd.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Dakota report due date, see ndlegis.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sos.nd.gov (opened October 2026)
- For North Dakota registered agent statute, see ndlegis.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Secretary of State, registered agents, see sos.nd.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Secretary of State, business services, see sos.nd.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Kansas Secretary of State, register a business, see sos.ks.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form FA, foreign business application, see sos.ks.gov (opened October 2026)
- For K.S.A. 17-7932, activities that are not doing business, see ksrevisor.gov (opened October 2026)
- For K.S.A. 17-76,126, effect of failing to register, see ksrevisor.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Kansas Secretary of State, information reports, see sos.ks.gov (opened October 2026)
- For DFI Form 521, foreign registration statement for an, see dfi.wi.gov (opened October 2026)
- For DFI fees, see dfi.wi.gov (opened October 2026)
- For DFI file online, see dfi.wi.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Wis, see docs.legis.wisconsin.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Wis, see docs.legis.wisconsin.gov (opened October 2026)
- For DFI Form 524, withdrawal of registration, see dfi.wi.gov (opened October 2026)
- For NJ Division of Revenue, Business Formation service, see njportal.com (opened October 2026)
- For NJ Division of Revenue, fee schedule, see nj.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Public Records Filing for New Business Entity, see nj.gov (opened October 2026)
- For New Jersey Revised Uniform LLC Act, see pub.njleg.gov (opened October 2026)
- For NJ Annual Reports and Change Services, see njportal.com (opened October 2026)
- For Louisiana Secretary of State, forms and fee schedule, see sos.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form 972, foreign LLC application, see sos.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Fee schedule effective October 1, 2026, see static.sos.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- For R.S. 12:1345, application for authority, see legis.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- For R.S. 12:1354, effect of failing to obtain authority, see legis.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- For R.S. 12:1350, registered agent, see legis.la.gov (opened October 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, North Dakota service page, on the company's page November 12, 2026
- ND Registered Agents.org, pricing page, on the company's page November 12, 2026
- North Dakota Registered Agent.co, pricing page, on the company's page November 12, 2026