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LLC Straight Talk What it costs, what you have to file, who's worth paying.

Here's the deal · New York

3 Best Registered Agents in New York (2026): The Straight Story

If you need registered agents in New York in 2026, here's the order we'd go in: NY Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and New York Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year). Year one's $99 to $149. Three years come to $297 to $447.
Straight from the LLC Straight Talk editorial team

Quick facts

The short of it
Is it required?
Special rule, see below
Statute's word
Agent for service of process
Going rate
$99 to $149 a year
Our pick
NY Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then New York Registered Agent.ai

New York: our ranking

Wondering why this order? We explain it here.

#1 Our top pick

1. NY Registered Agent.org: best for one-state businesses

$99 a year, then $99

NY Registered Agent.org is who we'd use first in New York, because you get an agent in the state for $99 a year.

Price decides this one: three years here come to less than at Mainstay Filing.

What you get

  • A local address on file
  • Legal papers scanned online

Pluses

  • Just $99 a year
  • Smaller yearly bill than the national pick

What's not

  • A second state means a second agent
  • You're stuck filing the biennial statement
#2 Every state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in every state

$149 a year, then $149

Mainstay Filing comes in second because the price doesn't change by state, $149 a year, and renewal is $149.

It ranks lower because three years cost $150 more than NY Registered Agent.org, and price is the biggest test.

What you get

  • A real address in the state, on file
  • Three government letters a year scanned at no cost
  • Not only for LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too

Pluses

  • One price in all fifty states
  • $149 a year, flat at renewal

What's not

  • $50 a year more than NY Registered Agent.org
  • Just the agent role
#3 New York specialist

3. New York Registered Agent.ai: best for another in-state choice

$99 a year, then $99

New York Registered Agent.ai comes in third because you get an agent in the state for $99 a year.

Price for price, it's a tie with NY Registered Agent.org.

What you get

  • A local address on file
  • Legal papers scanned online

Pluses

  • Smaller yearly bill than the national pick
  • Just $99 a year

What's not

  • A second state means a second agent
  • You're stuck filing the biennial statement

The numbers

#CompanyYear oneThenThree-year totalWhat you get
1 NY Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297A local address on file; legal papers scanned online Check NY Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447A real address in the state, on file; three government letters a year scanned at no cost; Not only for LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too Check Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 New York Registered Agent.ai $99$99/yr$297A local address on file; legal papers scanned online Check New York Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Read November 13, 2026. Three years is year one plus two renewals.

The questions that matter

Does the state make me have an agent for service of process?

The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional.

The law: N.Y. LLC Law §§ 301 and 302. go check nysenate.gov, last confirmed October 2026

Who's allowed to serve?

If one is designated: a person who lives in New York or has a business address there, an LLC formed or authorized in New York, or a corporation formed or authorized in New York.

A qualifying owner can serve for free.

What does an agent cost?

You're looking at $99 to $149 a year for the services we'd use, $297 to $447 across three years.

No state fee depends on your choice of agent.

What does an agent actually do?

Court papers and state notices for your company get delivered to its New York address.

What matters is that nothing important sits there unnoticed while you're away. Service of process, decoded

What else does the state bill every year?

The biennial statement is the one you can't forget. It's biennial and runs $9. Per the state, it's due during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years.

go check dos.ny.gov, last confirmed October 2026

What put number one on top?

On money out the door in three years (35% of the score), NY Registered Agent.org wins.

Two tests carry most of the weight: money out the door in three years (35%) and jobs the price actually covers (30%).

Mainstay Filing costs $150 more over three years than NY Registered Agent.org, which comes to $297.

The five tests

New York agent rules, with sources

RequirementThe rule or the numberCheck it
Fee to form $200go check dos.ny.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Agent for service of process Special rule, see belowgo check nysenate.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Biennial statement $9 every two yearsgo check dos.ny.gov, last confirmed October 2026
What the state collects in three years $209Our sum of the rows above

Want to check the total? Add the filing fee, the next two reports and any minimum tax. We don't count costs without a set amount.

Still wondering?

Can I name myself?

You can, and in this state you don't even have to name an agent.

Which addresses count?

New York has no registered-office requirement. The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC and mails a copy of any papers served to the address the company has on file. A designated registered agent's street address goes on the filing.

What do the picks cost over three years?

Over three years you're looking at $297 at NY Registered Agent.org, $447 at Mainstay Filing, $297 at New York Registered Agent.ai

Are the fees official?

Official New York sources back the state side, and posted prices back the service side.

Is a service required?

No law says you need a service. It's a convenience you pay for.

Who should I use for a registered agent in New York?

NY Registered Agent.org is first: the service is $99 a year and puts a street address on file. Then comes Mainstay Filing and New York Registered Agent.ai.

Keep reading

Sources, so you can check

  1. Where New York Department of State comes from: dos.ny.gov, confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
  2. Where New York Department of State comes from: filing.dos.ny.gov, confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
  3. Where New York report due date comes from: nysenate.gov, confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
  4. Where NY Limited Liability Company Law comes from: nysenate.gov, confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
  5. Where New York formation fee: Filing comes from: dos.ny.gov, confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
  6. Where New York registered agent statute comes from: nysenate.gov, confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
  7. NY Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  8. Mainstay Filing New York service page, read November 13, 2026
  9. New York Registered Agent.ai pricing page, read November 13, 2026