Foreign registration ratings · Alabama
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Alabama (2026)
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in more than one state
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $149 a year after that
Mainstay Filing is rated first: the Alabama registration costs $199, and the registered agent is free for year one and $149 a year after.
The agent line is $149 a year from year two, identical across states, after a free first year.
On three-year sums Mainstay is $100 above AL Registered Agent.org; the wider coverage justifies that gap in the rating.
What you get
- The registration, prepared and filed for you
- A free first year of registered agent service
- Same-business-day scan and upload for any service of process, no fee
Pros
- The same amount in all fifty states
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
- Registered agent, no charge in year one
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over AL Registered Agent.org
2. AL Registered Agent.org: best for adding Alabama and nothing else
$199 for the service, plus state fees, then $99 a year for the agent
AL Registered Agent.org is rated second: $199 on top of the state fee to register in Alabama, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
What you get
- Filing with the state
- The first year as your registered agent
Pros
- First-year registered agent service is included
- $99 a year for the agent after year one
- $199 service fee and the registration fee
Trade-offs
- Alabama only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
3. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for Alabama registrations only
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
Alabama Registered Agent.co is rated third: $199 on top of the state fee to register in Alabama, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
On amounts and features alone, AL Registered Agent.org and Alabama Registered Agent.co are the same, which makes the order between them a close call.
What you get
- Filing with the state
- A year of registered agent service at the start
Pros
- $199 service fee and the registration fee
- Agent line of $99 from year two
- The first registered agent year is covered
Trade-offs
- Alabama only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.3 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies that register in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | AL Registered Agent.org | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Alabama Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Alabama foreign registration service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Agent paid for year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
| AL Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| Alabama Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
What decided the order
Formation Rated puts 27% on cost over years one to three, 27% on inclusions per price and the other 46% on renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. In Alabama the order came down to inclusions per price.
A foreign registration involves two states, and one provider with one amount in both rated highest on coverage, ahead of AL Registered Agent.org.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
Alabama foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging the Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) Application for Registration with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division; the state amount is $150.
Registration adds one recurring line: the business privilege tax return, due same date as the federal return.
Have these ready
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state registered agent; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $150 to the state, paid with the filing.
- The date of the business privilege tax return on your calendar.
What skipping Alabama registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in Alabama courts until it registers (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). Contracts it signs remain valid (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).
Alabama foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in Alabama?
Yes, once it does business there. An unregistered company cannot bring suit in the state's courts.
What are the costs of foreign registration in Alabama?
$150 to the state plus $199 to the service.
Must a registered agent stay on file after registering?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on record.
Which foreign registration services are rated on this page?
Mainstay Filing ($199), AL Registered Agent.org ($199) and Alabama Registered Agent.co ($199), highest rated first.
What recurring item does a registered foreign LLC carry?
The business privilege tax return.
Which foreign registration service holds the top rating in Alabama?
Mainstay Filing, as $199 plus state fees in any state, first-year registered agent service included.
Source lines
- Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Alabama registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
- Alabama Secretary of State, LLC filings (ledger date October 2026)
- Foreign LLC Application for Registration (ledger date October 2026)
- Secretary of State Online Services (ledger date October 2026)
- Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.01 (ledger date October 2026)
- Department of Revenue, business privilege tax notice (ledger date October 2026)
- Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.21 (ledger date November 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, Alabama service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- AL Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Alabama Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026