Place1
Our top pickMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in more than one state
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $149
Our mark9.2out of 10
We put Mainstay Filing first: one $199 service fee to register here or anywhere else, with year one of agent service included.
After year one the agent is $149 a year, in this state or any other.
It costs $100 more than DE Registered Agent.org across three years, which the wider coverage justifies on our method.
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
- $199 + the Delaware fee
- Registered agent free for the first year
- Same price in all fifty states
Less good
- Agent renews at $149, $50 more than DE Registered Agent.org
Place2
Low renewalDE Registered Agent.org
2. DE Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only Delaware
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.8out of 10
Second: DE Registered Agent.org, for the Delaware registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
You get a Delaware street address for the registered office, and served papers are scanned to your account.
What you get
- Delaware registration filed for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $99 yearly from year two
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 to register
Less good
- Covers Delaware only
- EIN help is $99
Place3
Best for a Delaware-only companyDelaware Registered Agent.ai
3. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for a local Delaware filer
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.6out of 10
Number 3 is Delaware Registered Agent.ai: the Delaware registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
You get a Delaware street address for the registered office, and served papers are scanned to your account.
It mirrors DE Registered Agent.org on price and features; either works.
What you get
- Delaware registration filed for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $99 yearly from year two
- $199 to register
- A year of registered agent service included
Less good
- Covers Delaware only
- EIN help is $99
3 picks compared
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.2 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | DE Registered Agent.org | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit DE Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | Delaware Registered Agent.ai | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The Founders Review sets these scores itself from the five criteria on our method page; they are not user ratings.
2026 prices: year one, renewal and three-year total cost
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
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| DE Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| Delaware Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. Delaware's registration fee ($200) is paid on top with every service and is left out of these totals.
What decided the ranking
The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For Delaware, what one price covers is what separated first place from second.
DE Registered Agent.org renews for less, but one provider in every state scored higher on coverage.
See How we rank for every criterion and weight.
How foreign registration works in Delaware
The Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations takes the Certificate of Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company and a $200 state fee. Delaware also wants certificate of existence from the jurisdiction of formation, dated within 180 days.
After registering, the company files the Annual LLC tax ($400), due June 1.
Your checklist
- Certificate of existence from the jurisdiction of formation, issued no more than 180 days before you file.
- The company's exact legal name as it appears in its home state, plus its formation date.
- A registered agent in Delaware; each service on this page acts as one.
- The $200 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the Annual LLC tax and its $400 fee.
Risks of skipping registration
No lawsuits in state court until the company registers (6 Del. C. 18-907(a)). Its contracts stay valid (6 Del. C. 18-907(b)).
Delaware foreign registration service FAQ
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Delaware?
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 Delaware?
The state fee is $200. The services we rank add $199 to prepare and file it.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence from the jurisdiction of formation, dated within 180 days of filing.
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), DE Registered Agent.org ($199) and Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($199), in that order on this page.
Which foreign registration service is best in Delaware?
We rank Mainstay Filing first for the Delaware registration for $199 plus state fees and a free first year as your registered agent.
Sources and dates
- corp.delaware.gov/alt-entitytaxinstructions (Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- corp.delaware.gov/paytaxes (Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GetPdfDocument?fileAttachmentId=653 (Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov/title6/c018/sc11/index.html (Delaware report due date), last confirmed August 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov/title6/c018/sc02/index.html (6 Del. C. § 18-201), last confirmed August 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov/title6/c018/sc01/index.html (Delaware registered agent statute), last confirmed October 2026
- corpfiles.delaware.gov/LLC_Forms/Foreign%20LLC.pdf (Foreign LLC registration form), last confirmed October 2026
- delcode.delaware.gov/title6/c018/sc09/index.html (Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter IX), last confirmed October 2026
- corpfiles.delaware.gov/Fee_Schedule/AugustFee2026.pdf (Division of Corporations fee schedule, August 2026), last confirmed October 2026
- Delaware service page of Mainstay Filing, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of DE Registered Agent.org, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of Delaware Registered Agent.ai, read November 12, 2026