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Biz Formation Report

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

Foreign registration report · Louisiana

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Louisiana (2026)

By the Biz Formation Report editorial team

Biz Formation Report ranks foreign registration services in Louisiana for 2026 as Mainstay Filing ($199), LA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Louisiana Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Mainstay Filing earns the top grade: the Louisiana registration is filed for $199, and the registered agent is free in year one, then $149 a year.

No.1

Our top pick in Louisiana

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

Score9.1out of 10
$199 service fee and the state fee on top; the agent is $149 annually from year two

Top grade, Mainstay Filing: $199 added to the state fee in any state, with a year of registered agent service included.

Beyond the free first year, agent service is $149 annually in any state.

Over three years Mainstay costs $100 more than LA Registered Agent.org; our grading treats the broader coverage as worth that.

What you get

  • Registration prepared and filed on your behalf
  • A free first registered agent year
  • Service of process scanned and uploaded within one business day, free

Good

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

Weak spots

  • The agent renews at $149, $50 more than LA Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing review
No.2

Best value here

2. LA Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding Louisiana alone

Score8.7out of 10
$199 service fee and the state fee on top; the agent is $99 annually from year two

Second grade, LA Registered Agent.org: $199 beyond the state fee to register in Louisiana, agent renewing at $99.

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

What you get

  • Filing with the state
  • The first year as your registered agent

Good

  • $199 service fee, state fee added
  • First-year registered agent service is part of the price
  • $99 a year for the agent from year two

Weak spots

  • Serves Louisiana only; the home state still needs its own agent
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit LA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the LA Registered Agent.org review
No.3

Best local option

3. Louisiana Registered Agent.co: best for registering in Louisiana only

Score8.4out of 10
$199 service fee and the state fee on top; the agent is $99 annually from year two

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

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

The two state services, LA Registered Agent.org and Louisiana Registered Agent.co, match on price and features, and the order between them is a narrow call.

What you get

  • Filing with the state
  • The first year as your registered agent

Good

  • Agent at $99 a year after year one
  • Registration costs $199 before the state fee
  • First-year registered agent service is part of the price

Weak spots

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

Summary of the 3 grades

RankProviderGradeService feeYear twoBest fitSite
1Mainstay Filing9.1$199$149/yrCompanies with a presence in several statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2LA Registered Agent.org8.7$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit LA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Louisiana Registered Agent.co8.4$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit Louisiana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each grade out of 10 comes from Biz Formation Report's editors and the weighted criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings are involved.

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

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

All prices were taken from the companies' own websites on November 12, 2026. Louisiana's $185 registration fee is payable on top of each row and is not part of these totals.

What decided the order

Biz Formation Report grades three-year bill and what the money buys at 32% each, leaving 36% for renewal handling, local rules match and pricing openness. In Louisiana, what the money buys settled the order.

Foreign registration always involves two states, and one provider with one price in both graded best on coverage, ahead of LA Registered Agent.org.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Louisiana foreign LLC registration: fee, document and filing office

To register, the outside company submits the Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana, Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 972) to the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, with a state fee of $185. Louisiana also wants certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, dated within 90 days of the filing.

After registration the company owes the annual report ($35), due on or before the anniversary of your qualification.

Documents to have on hand

  • Certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, dated within 90 days of filing.
  • 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 $185 state fee with the filing.
  • The due date of the annual report and its $35 fee, noted in your calendar.

The cost of skipping Louisiana registration

An unregistered foreign LLC has no right to sue in Louisiana courts until it registers (La. R.S. 12:1354(A)). Its contracts remain enforceable (La. R.S. 12:1354(B)). Fees owed for the unregistered period are collected as well.

Louisiana foreign registration service: common questions

Must an LLC from another state register with Louisiana?

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 Louisiana foreign registration cost?

$185 goes to the state and $199 to the service.

Which form handles foreign registration with Louisiana?

The state names the form in the facts above; it is sent to the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division.

Does Louisiana demand proof of good standing from the home state?

Yes. The filing needs certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, issued no more than 90 days ago.

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.

What is the best foreign registration service for Louisiana?

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

Related pages

Source notes

  1. Louisiana Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  2. Louisiana Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  3. Louisiana yearly filing: Annual report, official source (verified October 2026)
  4. Louisiana Secretary of State fee changes effective October 1, 2026 (verified October 2026)
  5. Louisiana registered agent statute (verified October 2026)
  6. Louisiana Secretary of State, forms and fee schedule (verified October 2026)
  7. Form 972, foreign LLC application (verified October 2026)
  8. R.S. 12:1345, application for authority (verified October 2026)
  9. R.S. 12:1354, effect of failing to obtain authority (verified October 2026)
  10. R.S. 12:1350, registered agent (verified October 2026)
  11. Pulled November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Louisiana service page
  12. Pulled November 12, 2026: LA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages
  13. Pulled November 12, 2026: Louisiana Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages