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Filing Verdict

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

Foreign registration verdict · Kentucky

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Kentucky (2026)

Filing Verdict's 2026 verdict on foreign registration services in Kentucky: KY Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. KY Registered Agent.org takes first place: the Kentucky registration for $199 with the first agent year included, then $99 a year.
The Filing Verdict editorial team
Our top pick in Kentucky
Spot 1

1. KY Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only Kentucky

$199 service fee, state fee added; $99 a year from year two

9.2Editorial score
out of 10

KY Registered Agent.org wins here: $199 over the state fee to register in Kentucky, with the agent renewing at $99.

The plan gives the company an in-state street address as its registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned to your online account.

The three-year total beats Mainstay Filing's, and that cost advantage carries real weight in our method.

What you get

  • Kentucky registration filed for you
  • One year of registered agent service

What we like

  • Service fee $199, state fee extra
  • Year-two agent cost of $99
  • The first registered agent year is included

Cons

  • Covers Kentucky only; your home state needs its own agent
  • The EIN application is billed separately ($99)
Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full KY Registered Agent.org verdict
One price, any state
Spot 2

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

$199 on top of the state fee ($289 due at checkout); the agent is $149 a year from year two

9.0Editorial score
out of 10

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

The agent renews at $149 a year after the free first year, in this state or any other.

Over three years KY Registered Agent.org is $100 cheaper, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

What you get

  • The registration filing, done for you
  • First-year registered agent service, free
  • Same-business-day scan and upload of served papers, no charge

What we like

  • Service fee of $199, plus the state's fee
  • One price in all fifty states
  • Same-business-day scans of served papers, free
  • Registered agent service free in year one

Cons

  • After year one its agent runs $149 a year, $50 above KY Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Mainstay Filing verdict
Lower renewal than Mainstay
Spot 3

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for Kentucky registrations only

Service fee $199, state fee extra; agent $99 yearly after year one

8.8Editorial score
out of 10

Third place goes to Kentucky Registered Agent.co: $199 over the state fee to register in Kentucky, with the agent renewing at $99.

The plan gives the company an in-state street address as its registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned to your online account.

On price and features KY Registered Agent.org and Kentucky Registered Agent.co match line for line, which makes this a close call between safe choices.

What you get

  • Kentucky registration filed for you
  • A year of registered agent service up front

What we like

  • Files the registration for $199 plus fees
  • First-year registered agent service comes with it
  • Year-two agent cost of $99

Cons

  • Covers Kentucky only; your home state needs its own agent
  • The EIN application is billed separately ($99)
Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Kentucky Registered Agent.co verdict

The 3 verdicts at a glance

No.ServiceVerdict scoreService feeYear twoBest forVisit
1KY Registered Agent.org9.2$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal here Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.0$199$149/yrCompanies registered in several states Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Kentucky Registered Agent.co8.8$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal here Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
The marks out of 10 are editorial: Filing Verdict sets them from the criteria on How we rank, and customers do not rate anything here.

Kentucky foreign registration service prices for 2026: year one, renewals and three years

ServiceYear 1Year 2Year 3Total, 3 yearsAgent covered in year one
KY Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Free
Kentucky Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397Included
Prices were read from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Kentucky's $90 registration fee goes on top of every row and is not counted in these totals.

Why this order

Filing Verdict gives total over three years and paperwork the price handles 35% each, and renewal behavior, match to the state and up-front pricing split the rest. In Kentucky the order was settled by total over three years.

KY Registered Agent.org totals $397 over three years, $100 under Mainstay Filing. Year one is covered by both services, so the renewal price decided the order.

The full list of criteria and weights is on How we rank.

Kentucky foreign LLC registration: the fee, the form and the filing office

The company registers with the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings by filing the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE). The state fee is $90.

Afterwards the company files the annual report ($15), due between January 1 and June 30 each year.

Before you file: a checklist

  • The exact legal name from the home state, and the date the company was formed there.
  • A registered agent with a street address in the state; each service on this page can act in that role.
  • The $90 state fee, paid with the filing.
  • A calendar entry for the annual report and its $15 fee.

What skipping Kentucky registration can cost

Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC cannot bring suit in Kentucky courts (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). A penalty of $2 per day can apply.

Kentucky foreign registration service: questions answered

Does Kentucky require an out-of-state LLC to register?

Yes, once it transacts business there. Until it registers, it cannot bring suit in the state's courts.

What does foreign registration cost in Kentucky?

The state fee is $90, and the service fee is $199.

Which form does Kentucky use for foreign registration?

Use the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE), filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.

Is a registered agent required once I have registered?

Yes. The company still needs a registered agent here, with a street address in the state.

Which foreign registration services are ranked on this page?

KY Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), from first place to last.

Which foreign registration service is the best pick in Kentucky?

KY Registered Agent.org, because $199 plus the state fee, with a year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

Related pages

Sources and dates

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