Place1
Number one hereMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for expanding companies
Service fee $199 plus state fee; renewal $149/yr
Our mark9.5out of 10
Top of our list: Mainstay Filing, for $199 plus the state's own fee, with your registered agent free for the first year and one price in every state.
Its agent renews at $149 a year after the free first year, and the same price applies in every state you register in.
Alabama Registered Agent.co is $100 less over three years; if price alone decides it for you, start there.
What you get
- Registration prepared and filed
- Your registered agent, free for the first year
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Why pick it
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- Same price in all fifty states
- $199 over the state fee
- Registered agent free for the first year
Less good
- Higher agent renewal ($149)
Place2
Low renewalAlabama Registered Agent.co
2. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for a low Alabama agent renewal
Service fee $199 plus state fee; renewal $99/yr
Our mark9.2out of 10
Alabama Registered Agent.co comes second with the Alabama registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 over the state fee
- $99 a year for the agent after that
Less good
- Covers Alabama only
- EIN help is $99
Place3
Lower renewal than MainstayAL Registered Agent.org
3. AL Registered Agent.org: best for a local Alabama filer
Service fee $199 plus state fee; renewal $99/yr
Our mark8.9out of 10
AL Registered Agent.org comes third with the Alabama registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
Same prices and features as Alabama Registered Agent.co; pick whichever you prefer.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 over the state fee
- $99 a year for the agent after that
Less good
- Covers Alabama only
- EIN help is $99
The 3 picks side by side
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.5 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | Alabama Registered Agent.co | 9.2 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | AL Registered Agent.org | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
Scores are The Founders Review's own editorial scores out of 10, from the criteria on our How we rank page. They are not customer ratings.
Alabama foreign registration service pricing (2026): annual price, renewal price and three-year total
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
|---|
| Alabama Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| AL Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Read from each provider's pricing page on November 12, 2026. These totals leave out Alabama's $150 registration fee.
What decided the ranking
The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For Alabama, what one price covers is what separated first place from second.
Multi-state companies need agents in each state, and one price everywhere outscored Alabama Registered Agent.co.
Our method page lists all five criteria.
Alabama foreign LLC registration: fee, form and office
The filing is the Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) Application for Registration, made with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division for a $150 fee.
After registering, the company files the business privilege tax return, due same date as the federal return.
What the filing asks for
- The exact registered name and the date the company was formed.
- Someone to serve as your registered agent there; every service here does.
- The $150 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the business privilege tax return.
What happens if you skip it
Until it registers, the company cannot sue in Alabama courts (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). Its contracts stay valid (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).
Common Alabama questions
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Alabama?
Yes, if the company transacts business there. Until it registers it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.
How much does foreign registration cost in Alabama?
Budget $150 for the state and $199 for the service.
Do I need a registered agent after registering?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which foreign registration services do you rank here?
Mainstay Filing ($199), Alabama Registered Agent.co ($199) and AL Registered Agent.org ($199), from first to last.
What does a foreign LLC file each year?
The business privilege tax return.
Which foreign registration service is best in Alabama?
On our method, Mainstay Filing: it prepares and files the Alabama registration for $199 and names itself your registered agent, free for year one.
Sources we used
- October 2026 check of Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=10A-1-4.31
- October 2026 check of Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf
- October 2026 check of Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/domesticEntityNameRese
- October 2026 check of Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=10A-1-5.14
- October 2026 check of Alabama registered agent statute: alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/alison/CodeOfAlabama/1975/10A-1-5.31.
- October 2026 check of Alabama Secretary of State, LLC filings: www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities/llcs
- October 2026 check of Foreign LLC Application for Registration: www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/ForeignLLCRegistration
- October 2026 check of Secretary of State Online Services: www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/introduction_input.action
- October 2026 check of Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.01: alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=10A-1-7.01
- October 2026 check of Department of Revenue, business privilege tax notice: www.revenue.alabama.gov/notice-important-changes-to-the-2024-business-
- November 2026 check of Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.21: alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=10A-1-7.21
- Mainstay Filing, Alabama service page (read November 12, 2026)
- Alabama Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)
- AL Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)