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Biz Formation Report

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Foreign registration report · Kentucky

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Kentucky (2026)

By the Biz Formation Report editorial team

Biz Formation Report ranks foreign registration services in Kentucky for 2026 as Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and KY Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Kentucky Registered Agent.co earns the top grade: $199 plus the state fee, one year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

No.1

Top pick on this page

1. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for companies adding Kentucky alone

Score9.1out of 10
$199 service fee and the state fee on top; the agent is $99 annually from year two

Top grade, Kentucky Registered Agent.co: the Kentucky registration for $199 with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

It beats Mainstay Filing on three-year cost.

What you get

  • Foreign registration done for you
  • The first year as your registered agent

Good

  • A $199 registration price, state fee extra
  • Year-one registered agent service is covered
  • Agent renewal of $99

Weak spots

  • Serves Kentucky only; the home state still needs its own agent
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Kentucky Registered Agent.co review
No.2

Same price in every state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in several states

Score8.6out of 10
$199 plus the state fee ($289 due at checkout), then $149 a year for the agent from year two

Second grade, Mainstay Filing: $199 plus the state's fee, with the registered agent free for year one and one price in every state.

The agent is free in year one, then costs $149 a year, whatever state the company registers in.

Kentucky Registered Agent.co is $100 cheaper across three years, and that difference lowers Mainstay Filing's cost grade.

What you get

  • Registration prepared and filed on your behalf
  • A free first registered agent year
  • Papers served on the company scanned and uploaded the same business day, at no cost

Good

  • Registered agent at no cost in year one
  • One price across all fifty states
  • $199 service fee plus the state's fee
  • Served papers scanned within the same business day, free

Weak spots

  • The agent renews at $149, $50 more than Kentucky Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing review
No.3

Best for a Kentucky-only company

3. KY Registered Agent.org: best for registering in Kentucky only

Score8.5out of 10
A $199 service fee and the state fee, then the agent at $99

Third grade, KY Registered Agent.org: the Kentucky registration for $199 with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

KY Registered Agent.org matches Kentucky Registered Agent.co on price and plan features, leaving very little between them.

What you get

  • Foreign registration done for you
  • Registered agent service for year one

Good

  • The first year as your registered agent is included
  • $199 for registration, plus the state fee
  • Agent renewal of $99

Weak spots

  • Serves Kentucky only; the home state still needs its own agent
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the KY Registered Agent.org review

Summary of the 3 grades

RankProviderGradeService feeYear twoBest fitSite
1Kentucky Registered Agent.co9.1$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing8.6$199$149/yrCompanies with a presence in several statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3KY Registered Agent.org8.5$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Our editors set each grade out of 10 from the weighted criteria on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything here.

Kentucky foreign registration service prices, 2026: year one, renewal and three-year outlay

ProviderYear 1Year 2Year 3Three-year outlayYear-one agent covered
Kentucky Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Free
KY Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397Included

All prices were taken from the companies' own websites on November 12, 2026. Kentucky's $90 registration fee is payable on top of each row and is not part of these totals.

What decided the order

Three-year bill was the deciding factor in Kentucky. The method gives three-year bill and what the money buys 32% each and splits 36% across renewal handling, local rules match and pricing openness.

Total outlay with Kentucky Registered Agent.co over three years: $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first agent year, so the renewal price set the order.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Kentucky foreign LLC registration: fee, document and filing office

To register, the outside company submits the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE) to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings, with a state fee of $90.

After registration the company owes the annual report ($15), due between January 1 and June 30 each year.

Documents to have on hand

  • The legal name as recorded in the home state, and the date of formation.
  • An in-state registered agent; any provider in this report can serve.
  • Payment of the $90 state fee with the filing.
  • The due date of the annual report and its $15 fee, noted in your calendar.

The cost of skipping Kentucky registration

An unregistered foreign LLC has no right to sue in Kentucky courts until it registers (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). Daily penalties of $2 may apply.

Kentucky foreign registration service: common questions

Must an LLC from another state register with Kentucky?

Yes, as soon as it transacts business there. Until then it has no standing to bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.

How much does Kentucky foreign registration cost?

$90 goes to the state and $199 to the service.

Which form handles foreign registration with Kentucky?

The state names the form in the facts above; it is sent to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.

Is a registered agent still needed after foreign registration?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state has to remain on file.

Which foreign registration services does this report rank?

Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and KY Registered Agent.org ($199), in descending order of grade.

What is the best foreign registration service for Kentucky?

Kentucky Registered Agent.co: $199 beyond the state fee to register in Kentucky, agent renewing at $99.

More from us

Source notes

  1. Kentucky Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  2. Kentucky Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  3. Kentucky report due date (verified August 2026)
  4. KRS 275.025 (verified August 2026)
  5. Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source (verified October 2026)
  6. Kentucky registered agent statute (verified October 2026)
  7. Kentucky Secretary of State, business filings (verified October 2026)
  8. Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (verified October 2026)
  9. KRS 14A.9-020, consequences of transacting business without authority (verified October 2026)
  10. KRS 14A.9-010, authority to transact business required (verified October 2026)
  11. Pulled November 12, 2026: Kentucky Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages
  12. Pulled November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Kentucky service page
  13. Pulled November 12, 2026: KY Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages