Place1
Number one hereMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in every state
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $149
Our mark9.1out of 10
Top of our list: Mainstay Filing, for it prepares and files the Michigan registration for $199 and names itself your resident agent, free for year one.
The agent renews at $149, the same price wherever the company registers.
It costs $100 more than Michigan Registered Agent.co across three years, which the wider coverage justifies on our method.
What you get
- Registration prepared and filed
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Why pick it
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- $199 plus Michigan's filing fee
- Same price in all fifty states
Less good
- Agent renews at $149, $50 more than Michigan Registered Agent.co
Place2
Best local optionMichigan Registered Agent.co
2. Michigan Registered Agent.co: best for Michigan registration on a budget
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.8out of 10
Michigan Registered Agent.co ranks second: $199 plus the state fee with a year of resident agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
What you get
- The registration filing
- A year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- $199 + state fee
- Agent renews at $99
- A year of resident agent service included
Less good
- No help outside Michigan
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Place3
Best for a Michigan-only companyMI Registered Agent.org
3. MI Registered Agent.org: best for a local Michigan filer
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.5out of 10
Third: MI Registered Agent.org, for $199 plus the state fee with a year of resident agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
It mirrors Michigan Registered Agent.co on price and features; either works.
What you get
- The registration filing
- A year of resident agent service
Why pick it
- Agent renews at $99
- A year of resident agent service included
- $199 + state fee
Less good
- No help outside Michigan
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Shortlist at a glance
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.1 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | Michigan Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Michigan Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | MI Registered Agent.org | 8.5 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit MI Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
The scores are ours: editorial marks out of 10 built from the weighted criteria on How we rank, not ratings from customers.
Michigan pricing for 2026: what each service costs
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
|---|
| Michigan Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| MI Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Prices from each company's own pricing pages, read November 12, 2026. Add the $50 state fee to every row; it is not in these totals.
What decided the ranking
Our method scores three-year cost (30%) and what one price covers (30%) most heavily, then renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity. Here the order came down to what one price covers.
Foreign registration means at least two states, so one provider for both scored highest on coverage, ahead of Michigan Registered Agent.co.
Our method page lists all five criteria.
Michigan foreign LLC registration (2026)
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division takes the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies) (Form CSCL/CD 760) and a $50 state fee. Michigan also wants certificate of good standing, dated within 30 days.
After registering, the company files the annual statement ($25), due February 15.
Your checklist
- Certificate of good standing, issued no more than 30 days before you file.
- The company's home-state name and formation date.
- Someone to serve as your resident agent there; every service here does.
- The $50 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the annual statement and its $25 fee.
What happens if you skip it
Michigan courts are closed to an unregistered foreign LLC's lawsuits (MCL 450.5007(1)). Its contracts stay valid (MCL 450.5007(3)).
What Michigan founders ask
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Michigan?
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 Michigan?
Budget $50 for the state and $199 for the service.
Which form does the state use?
The Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies) (Form CSCL/CD 760), filed with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of good standing, dated within 30 days of filing.
Do I need a resident agent after registering?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which foreign registration service is best in Michigan?
We rank Mainstay Filing first for $199 over the state fee, the first resident agent year included, then $149 a year.
Sources and dates
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/limited-liability-co/fill (Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division), last confirmed August 2026
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/michigan-business-roadmap (Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division), last confirmed August 2026
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps (Michigan report due date), last confirmed August 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4202 (MCL 450.4202), last confirmed August 2026
- www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/Folder6/Filing_Fee (Michigan formation fee: Filing fee, official source), last confirmed September 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-5101 (Michigan formation fee: Filing fee, official source), last confirmed September 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4207 (Michigan registered agent statute), last confirmed October 2026
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/forms/limited-liability-c (LARA limited liability company forms), last confirmed October 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-5002 (MCL 450.5002, certificate of authority), last confirmed October 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-5008 (MCL 450.5008, activities that are not transacting business), last confirmed October 2026
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-5007 (MCL 450.5007, consequences of transacting business without a certificate), last confirmed October 2026
- Mainstay Filing Michigan service page, read on November 12, 2026
- Michigan Registered Agent.co pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026
- MI Registered Agent.org pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026