Place1
Top pick on this pageVA Registered Agent.org
1. VA Registered Agent.org: best for a low Virginia agent renewal
Service fee $199 plus state fee; renewal $99/yr
Our mark9.6out of 10
VA Registered Agent.org is number one here: $199 plus the state fee with a year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
You get a Virginia street address for the registered office, and served papers are scanned to your account.
It beats Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, the heaviest criterion we score, and matches it on renewal terms.
What you get
- The registration filing
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 to register
- Low $99 agent renewal
Less good
- Covers Virginia only
- $99 extra for the EIN application
Place2
Best for expanding companiesMainstay Filing
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in more than one state
Service fee $199 plus state fee; renewal $149/yr
Our mark9.3out of 10
Mainstay Filing comes second with it prepares and files the Virginia registration for $199 and names itself your registered agent, free for year one.
The agent renews at $149, the same price wherever the company registers.
VA Registered Agent.org undercuts it by $100 over three years, and cost is our heaviest criterion.
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
- Registered agent free for the first year
- Any state, same fee
- Service fee $199 plus state fees
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Less good
- Renewal costs $50 more than VA Registered Agent.org
Our top 2 at a glance
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | VA Registered Agent.org | 9.6 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 9.3 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Each score is our editorial judgment out of 10 (see How we rank), not an average of customer ratings.
Virginia pricing for 2026: what each service costs
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| VA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
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Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. These totals leave out Virginia's $100 registration fee.
How we picked the order
The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For Virginia, three-year cost is what separated first place from second.
VA Registered Agent.org costs $397 over three years, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both include the first agent year, so the renewal price after that decided it.
The full method is on How we rank.
The filing, step by step
Out-of-state companies file the Application for Certificate of Registration to Transact Business in Virginia as a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC1052) with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk; the state charges $100. Virginia also wants certified copy of articles of organization and all amendments, dated within 365 days.
After registering, the company files the annual registration fee ($50), due last day of your registration month.
Your checklist
- Certified copy of articles of organization and all amendments, issued no more than 365 days before you file.
- Legal name and formation date from the home state.
- A registered agent with a street address in the state; every service ranked here names itself in that role.
- The $100 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the annual registration fee and its $50 fee.
If you never register
Until it registers, the company cannot sue in Virginia courts (Va. Code 13.1-1057(A)). Its contracts stay valid (Va. Code 13.1-1057(C)).
Foreign registration services in Virginia: questions
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Virginia?
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 Virginia?
The state charges $100; our picks add $199.
Which form does the state use?
The Application for Certificate of Registration to Transact Business in Virginia as a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC1052), filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certified copy of articles of organization and all amendments, dated within 365 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 service is best in Virginia?
VA Registered Agent.org ranks first on our method: the Virginia registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
Sources and dates
- October 2026 check of Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, official source: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1062
- October 2026 check of Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, official source: www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses/business-faqs/annual-registration-fees
- August 2026 check of Va. Code § 13.1-1010: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1010
- October 2026 check of Virginia formation fee: Filing fee, official source: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1005
- October 2026 check of Virginia registered agent statute: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1015
- October 2026 check of SCC, foreign limited liability company forms and fees: www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses/forms-and-fees/foreign-limited-liabili
- October 2026 check of SCC, foreign business entities FAQ: www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses/business-faqs/foreign-business-entitie
- October 2026 check of SCC, foreign registration checklist: www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses/cis-help/foreign-registration-checklis
- October 2026 check of Code of Virginia § 13.1-1052, application for registration: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1052
- October 2026 check of Code of Virginia § 13.1-1059, activities that are not transacting business: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1059
- October 2026 check of Code of Virginia § 13.1-1057, consequences of transacting business without registration: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/section13.1-1057
- November 2026 check of Code of Virginia 13.1-1051 to 13.1-1059, foreign limited liability companies: law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title13.1/chapter12/article10
- VA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, Virginia service page (read November 12, 2026)