3 Best Foreign Registration Services in North Dakota (2026) and What to Check
Your 2026 shortlist for foreign registration services in North Dakota reads Mainstay Filing ($199), North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and ND Registered Agents.org ($199), in our order. Plan on $135 for the state and $397 to $497 in service fees across three years.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team
Four facts to know
Fee at the state
$135
Home-state certificate needed?
Yes, it is required
Later on
$50, annual report
Where to start
Mainstay Filing, North Dakota Registered Agent.co then ND Registered Agents.org
North Dakota: the ranking
Prices come from each company's own page. Read how we rank for the method.
#1Number 1
1. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states
Pay $199 to register and $149 for the agent after
Why Mainstay Filing first? Because the fee is $199 in every state, and the registered agent is included for the first year.
Over three years this costs $100 more than North Dakota Registered Agent.co, and the extra pays for service in every state.
There is no registered agent fee in year one; from year two it is $149 a year.
Company prices from November 13, 2026, before state fees.
Work through these
At what point is registration required?
An out-of-state LLC signs up with the North Dakota Secretary of State first and begins business in North Dakota afterward.
sos.nd.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
How much should I budget to register?
$135 to the state, $199 to a service.
Three-year state fees: $235. sos.nd.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Where does the registration go?
You need one form, the Application for a Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company), and the North Dakota Secretary of State is where it goes.
The filing needs certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.
Is there a filing that repeats?
Annual report, at a cost of $50.
The schedule says November 15.
What decided the ranking?
Filing jobs included, at 27%, puts Mainstay Filing first.
The two heavy checks are total for three years (37%) and filing jobs included (27%); three lighter checks follow.
An out-of-state LLC already runs in two states, so a provider that serves both is the practical pick.
sos.nd.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Certificate from your home state
Yes, it is required
sos.nd.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Annual report
$50
sos.nd.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
What the state collects in three years
$235
Rows above, added up
To check the three-year number, add the formation filing, the next two reports and any minimum tax; costs with no fixed price are not counted.
FAQ
Does the home state need its own agent?
You do: two states mean two sets of rules, and one-state services stop at the border while Mainstay Filing does not.
Three years in, what has each cost?
Three-year costs: Mainstay Filing, $497; North Dakota Registered Agent.co, $397; ND Registered Agents.org, $397, with state fees on top.
Are the fees official?
Every state fee links to its official page, and every service price is read from the company's own site.
Do I have to use a service?
Nothing requires a service. Consider it a paid convenience.
Is filing part of the service?
Yes, filing is part of what these companies sell, and the state fee does not move.
Who ranks first in North Dakota?
Mainstay Filing, because you pay $199 plus North Dakota's fee, get a free first registered agent year and then pay $149 a year. Then North Dakota Registered Agent.co and ND Registered Agents.org.
References
North Dakota Secretary of State: confirmed August 2026 using sos.nd.gov
North Dakota Secretary of State: confirmed August 2026 using sos.nd.gov
North Dakota report due date: confirmed August 2026 using ndlegis.gov
North Dakota formation fee: Filing: confirmed October 2026 using sos.nd.gov
North Dakota registered agent statute: confirmed October 2026 using ndlegis.gov
Secretary of State, registered agents: confirmed October 2026 using sos.nd.gov
Secretary of State, business services: confirmed October 2026 using sos.nd.gov
Mainstay Filing North Dakota service page, read November 13, 2026
North Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026
ND Registered Agents.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026