Foreign registration ratings · Louisiana
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Louisiana (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: $199 plus state fees in any state, first-year registered agent service included.
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 Louisiana Registered Agent.co; 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 scanning of served papers, at no cost
Pros
- The same amount in all fifty states
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
- Registered agent, no charge in year one
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over Louisiana Registered Agent.co
2. Louisiana Registered Agent.co: best for adding Louisiana and nothing else
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
Louisiana Registered Agent.co is rated second: the Louisiana registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 yearly.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
What you get
- Louisiana registration filed for you
- The first year as your registered agent
Pros
- $99 a year for the agent after year one
- The first registered agent year is covered
- Registration line of $199, plus the state's fee
Trade-offs
- Louisiana only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
3. LA Registered Agent.org: best for Louisiana registrations only
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
LA Registered Agent.org is rated third: the Louisiana registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 yearly.
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, Louisiana Registered Agent.co and LA Registered Agent.org are the same, which makes the order between them a close call.
What you get
- Louisiana registration filed for you
- The first year as your registered agent
Pros
- The first registered agent year is covered
- $199 service fee and the registration fee
- Agent line of $99 from year two
Trade-offs
- Louisiana 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 | Louisiana Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit Louisiana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | LA Registered Agent.org | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit LA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Louisiana 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 |
| Louisiana Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| LA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
Why the order looks like this
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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana Registered Agent.co.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
Louisiana foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging the Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana, Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 972) with the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division; the state amount is $185. Louisiana also needs certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, issued inside 90 days of the filing.
Registration adds one recurring line: the annual report ($35), due on or before the anniversary of your qualification.
Have these ready
- Certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, issued within 90 days before the filing.
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state registered agent; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $185 to the state, paid with the filing.
- The date of the annual report and its $35 fee on your calendar.
What skipping Louisiana registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in Louisiana courts until it registers (La. R.S. 12:1354(A)). Contracts it signs remain valid (La. R.S. 12:1354(B)). Fees for the unregistered years are also owed.
Louisiana foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in Louisiana?
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 Louisiana?
$185 to the state plus $199 to the service.
What form does Louisiana use to register a foreign LLC?
the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division handles it; the form's exact title is on the facts line above.
Must the filing include a home-state certificate for Louisiana?
Yes: certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, with an issue date within 90 days.
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 service holds the top rating in Louisiana?
Mainstay Filing, as $199 on top of the state's fee, with year one as registered agent free and the same amount in every state.
Source lines
- Louisiana Secretary of State (ledger date August 2026)
- Louisiana Secretary of State (ledger date August 2026)
- Louisiana yearly filing: Annual report, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Louisiana Secretary of State fee changes effective October 1, 2026 (ledger date October 2026)
- Louisiana registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
- Louisiana Secretary of State, forms and fee schedule (ledger date October 2026)
- Form 972, foreign LLC application (ledger date October 2026)
- R.S. 12:1345, application for authority (ledger date October 2026)
- R.S. 12:1354, effect of failing to obtain authority (ledger date October 2026)
- R.S. 12:1350, registered agent (ledger date October 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, Louisiana service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Louisiana Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- LA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026