Step-by-step guide · Massachusetts

3 Best LLC Services in Massachusetts (2026), Step by Step

In Massachusetts for 2026, compare Massachusetts Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and MA Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked best first. Expect the state fee of $500 plus $397 to $597 in service fees over three years.

Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team Checked and updated November 13, 2026

Do this first

Cost to file: $500, once, up front
Later years: $500 annually
Resident agent: Required
Our shortlist: Massachusetts Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then MA Registered Agent.org

Massachusetts picks, best first

Ranked best first using the checks described on the method page.

#1 Top pick

1. Massachusetts Registered Agent.co: best for a lean launch

Year one $199; later years $99

Start with Massachusetts Registered Agent.co in Massachusetts: its $99 renewal brings three years to $397.

Cost decides this one, since the three-year bill is lower than at Mainstay Filing.

Put the Limited Liability Company Annual Report on your own calendar.

Checklist: what is included

State filing completed
No agent charge in year one

What works

Forms the LLC for $199 plus the state fee
A modest renewal of $99
A free agent year at the start

Gaps

The Limited Liability Company Annual Report stays on your checklist
Add $99 for EIN help

Visit Massachusetts Registered Agent.co to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

#2 National coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for staying out of the paperwork

$199 a year, with the $500 state fee added

Mainstay Filing is second, because none of the others files the annual report for you, and here it comes with $199 a year.

Check the gap: it costs $200 more than Massachusetts Registered Agent.co over three years, and cost carries the most weight.

Filing the Limited Liability Company Annual Report is part of the service, and only the state's $500 is added.

Checklist: what is included

LLC formation filed with the state
Resident agent all year
Annual report filed on time
EIN request filed
State fee with no markup

What works

You pay $199 again next year
EIN application included in the price
Covers filing, agent and report for $199 a year

Gaps

Costs $100 extra each year after the first

Visit Mainstay Filing to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

#3 In-state option

3. MA Registered Agent.org: best for owners who do their own reports

Year one $199; later years $99

MA Registered Agent.org is third, because its $99 renewal brings three years to $397.

Put the Limited Liability Company Annual Report on your own calendar.

Price for price it ties with Massachusetts Registered Agent.co.

Checklist: what is included

State filing completed
No agent charge in year one

What works

A free agent year at the start
Forms the LLC for $199 plus the state fee
A modest renewal of $99

Gaps

The Limited Liability Company Annual Report stays on your checklist
Add $99 for EIN help

Visit MA Registered Agent.org to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The table

#	Pick	First-year price	Yearly after	Three-year cost	What is covered
1	Massachusetts Registered Agent.co	$199	$99/yr	$397	state filing completed; no agent charge in year one	Visit Massachusetts Registered Agent.co to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2	Mainstay Filing	$199	$199/yr	$597	LLC formation filed with the state; resident agent all year; annual report filed on time	Visit Mainstay Filing to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3	MA Registered Agent.org	$199	$99/yr	$397	state filing completed; no agent charge in year one	Visit MA Registered Agent.org to begin Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Company prices from November 13, 2026, before state fees.

Step by step

What does the state charge, and what does a service add?

Plan on $500 to the state and $199 to a service in the first year.

Counting the recurring report, the state's own fees reach $1,500 by year three. verify at sec.state.ma.us, as of October 2026

What exactly do I submit?

Submit the Limited Liability Company Certificate of Organization to the Massachusetts Secretary of State and wait for approval.

Legal basis: M.G.L. c. 156C, sec. 12. verify at sec.state.ma.us, as of October 2026

Is naming a resident agent a legal duty?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

A Massachusetts resident, a Massachusetts corporation, or a corporation from another state authorized to do business in Massachusetts. State regulations (950 CMR 112.13) also allow other business entities authorized in Massachusetts.

verify at sec.state.ma.us, as of October 2026

What do I do after the LLC is formed?

Put the Limited Liability Company Annual Report on your calendar ($500, annual). Be ready for the state's deadline: on or before the anniversary date of filing of the certificate of organization; calendar it now.

verify at malegislature.gov, as of August 2026

Do I have to hire anyone?

Nothing stops you from filing yourself. Then your three-year cost is $1,500 in state fees.

Expect to pay $397 to $597 over three years if you hire.

What put the first pick on top?

Massachusetts Registered Agent.co is strongest on total for three years, and that decides it.

64% of the score comes from total for three years and filing jobs included.

Compare the totals: Massachusetts Registered Agent.co runs $397 for three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing.

How we rank

What Massachusetts requires to form an LLC

Step	What to know	Verify
LLC filing fee	$500	verify at sec.state.ma.us, as of October 2026
Resident agent	Required	verify at sec.state.ma.us, as of October 2026
Limited Liability Company Annual Report	$500 every year	verify at malegislature.gov, as of August 2026
Paid to the state by year three	$1,500	Added from the rows

Last row = filing fee + report in year two + report in year three + minimum tax, if any. Variable costs are described in the text, not added.

Also asked

Does the price cover the EIN?

It is free at Mainstay Filing. The remaining picks charge $99 (Massachusetts Registered Agent.co), $99 (MA Registered Agent.org).

Over three years, what does each charge?

Totals to compare: Massachusetts Registered Agent.co at $397, Mainstay Filing at $597, MA Registered Agent.org at $397, with state fees on top.

Are the fees official?

Official Massachusetts documents supply the state fees, and the companies' own pricing pages supply the service fees. Both carry dates on this page.

Does the state require a service?

Nothing requires a service. Consider it a paid convenience.

Yearly state costs?

Which one do you recommend in Massachusetts?

Choose Massachusetts Registered Agent.co first, then compare Mainstay Filing and MA Registered Agent.org.

Where each fact comes from

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: confirmed August 2026 using sec.state.ma.us
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: confirmed August 2026 using malegislature.gov
M.G.L. c. 156C, sec. 12: confirmed August 2026 using sec.state.ma.us
Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee: confirmed October 2026 using sec.state.ma.us
Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee: confirmed October 2026 using sec.state.ma.us
Massachusetts registered agent statute: confirmed October 2026 using sec.state.ma.us
Pricing from the Massachusetts Registered Agent.co pricing page, November 13, 2026
Pricing from the Mainstay Filing Massachusetts service page, November 13, 2026
Pricing from the MA Registered Agent.org pricing page, November 13, 2026