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What a second state wants, state by state
North Dakota
Straight talk · North Dakota
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in North Dakota (2026): The Straight Story
For foreign registration services in North Dakota in 2026, we'd rank Mainstay Filing ($199), North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and ND Registered Agents.org ($199), best first. Every option pays North Dakota $135, then services run $397 to $497 over three years.
Straight from the LLC Straight Talk editorial team
Last updated November 13, 2026
Who pays the bills: LLC Straight Talk is reader-supported. We may earn money when you buy through links on this page, and the companies we rank are our partners. Prices come from each company's own pages and official state sources.
Quick facts
The short of it
What the state charges to register
$135
Bring a home-state certificate?
Yes
Afterward
$50, annual report
Who we'd use
Mainstay Filing, North Dakota Registered Agent.co then ND Registered Agents.org
North Dakota: our ranking
Prices come from each company's own page. Here's how we judge .
#1
Who we'd call first
1. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in several states
$199 to register, $149 a year for the agent after
It's $199 to register, with a free first registered agent year and $149 a year from then on. That's why Mainstay Filing is first.
The extra $100 over North Dakota Registered Agent.co across three years pays for coverage outside North Dakota.
You don't pay for the registered agent the first year. From year two, it's $149 annually wherever you registered.
What you get
Registration, start to finish Registered agent, on the house in year one A flat fee in every state
Pluses
Same fee in every state Service fee of $199 No registered agent fee in year one
What's not
North Dakota Registered Agent.co renews its agent $50 lower
#2
North Dakota only
2. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for adding this state and no others
$199 to register, $99 a year for the agent after
North Dakota Registered Agent.co comes in second because add up three years of its service fees and you've got $397.
What you get
Registration filed The first agent year's on them
Pluses
Then $99 yearly $199 to register The first agent year's included
What's not
Your home state needs its own agent
#3
North Dakota only
3. ND Registered Agents.org: best for one added state, and that's it
$199 to register, $99 a year for the agent after
ND Registered Agents.org comes in third because add up three years of its service fees and you've got $397.
Its prices match North Dakota Registered Agent.co exactly, so the order between them's a close call.
What you get
Registration filed The first agent year's on them
Pluses
The first agent year's included $199 to register Then $99 yearly
What's not
Your home state needs its own agent
The numbers
# Who Year one Then Three-year total What you get
1
Mainstay Filing $199 $149/yr $497 Registration, start to finish; registered agent, on the house in year one; A flat fee in every state
Check Mainstay Filing
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2
North Dakota Registered Agent.co $199 $99/yr $397 registration filed; The first agent year's on them
Check North Dakota Registered Agent.co
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3
ND Registered Agents.org $199 $99/yr $397 registration filed; The first agent year's on them
Check ND Registered Agents.org
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's own fees are in the checklist below.
The questions that matter
Does my LLC have to register here?
Before your LLC does business in North Dakota. You register with the North Dakota Secretary of State, then you start working.
What's it cost to register?
The state charges $135, and a service adds $199.
Add three years of state fees, registration included, and you're at $235. go check sos.nd.gov , last confirmed October 2026
What do I owe once I'm registered?
Next up is the annual report, at $50.
Per the state, it's due November 15.
Why this order?
On jobs the price actually covers (30% of the score), Mainstay Filing wins.
Two tests carry most of the weight: money out the door in three years (35%) and jobs the price actually covers (30%).
An out-of-state LLC already works in two states, and the first pick can cover both.
How we judge
North Dakota: the registration checklist
Requirement Detail Check it
Fee to register
$135 go check sos.nd.gov , last confirmed October 2026
Certificate from home
Yes go check sos.nd.gov , last confirmed October 2026
Annual report
$50 go check sos.nd.gov , last confirmed October 2026
What the state collects in three years
$235 The rows above, added up
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.
Words you'll see
Foreign LLC Foreign, to a state, means formed somewhere else. It's got nothing to do with other countries.
Foreign registration The paperwork that adds a state to your LLC, with its own fee and a local agent.
Certificate of good standing A paper from the state that formed your LLC saying the company exists and its filings are current. Plenty of states ask for one when your LLC registers to work there, and many want a recent one.
More questions
Do I still need an agent at home?
You do. Two states, two rule books. One-state services stop at the border, and Mainstay Filing doesn't.
What's the three-year damage for each?
Mainstay Filing will set you back $497, and North Dakota Registered Agent.co will set you back $397, and ND Registered Agents.org will set you back $397, services only.
Where do these numbers come from?
State fees come from North Dakota's official documents, and service fees come from each company's own price page. Both are dated here.
Is a service required?
No. You can file with the state yourself. A service saves you time and can be your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.
Will a service file it for me?
All of them do, so the service fee's the only difference.
What's the best foreign registration service in North Dakota?
Go with Mainstay Filing first, then look at North Dakota Registered Agent.co and ND Registered Agents.org.
Don't take our word for it
Where North Dakota Secretary of State comes from: sos.nd.gov , confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where North Dakota Secretary of State comes from: sos.nd.gov , confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where North Dakota report due date comes from: ndlegis.gov , confirmed August 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where North Dakota formation fee: Filing comes from: sos.nd.gov , confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where North Dakota registered agent statute comes from: ndlegis.gov , confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where Secretary of State, registered agents comes from: sos.nd.gov , confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
Where Secretary of State, business services comes from: sos.nd.gov , confirmed October 2026, and you can go look yourself
The Mainstay Filing North Dakota service page as of November 13, 2026
The North Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page as of November 13, 2026
The ND Registered Agents.org pricing page as of November 13, 2026