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Just the facts · Kentucky

3 Best LLC Services in Kentucky (2026), Plainly

We'd line up the LLC formation services in Kentucky for 2026 as Mainstay Filing ($199), Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199) and KY Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Plan on $40 for the state plus $397 to $597 in service fees over three years.
From the LLC Plainly editorial team

The short version

Cost at the state
$40, just once
After that
$15 a year + $175 minimum tax
Registered agent
Required
Our picks
Mainstay Filing, Kentucky Registered Agent.co then KY Registered Agent.org

Who we like in Kentucky

Wondering about the order? How we pick explains it.
Start here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for not having to think about the annual report

Annual price $199, renewal price $199, state fee on top

Mainstay Filing is our favorite here, because for $199 a year it forms your LLC, acts as your registered agent and files the annual report, and it renews at $199.

$200 more than Kentucky Registered Agent.co over three years, with more of the paperwork covered.

You never file the annual report yourself. Kentucky still charges $15, and that's passed through at cost.

Your money buys

  • Your LLC formation, filed
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Annual report handled when it comes due
  • Help getting your EIN
  • You pay the state's fee and nothing added

The good

  • EIN taken care of
  • Pay $199 a year and the filing, agent and report are covered
  • Stays at $199 when you renew

Trade-offs

  • $100 a year more than Kentucky Registered Agent.co once you renew
Kentucky specialist

2. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for a small first-year bill

$199 to start and $99 to keep going each year

Kentucky Registered Agent.co takes second, because year one is $199, and every year after is $99.

You'd handle the annual report separately.

Your money buys

  • Articles filed on your behalf
  • A year of agent service to start

The good

  • Forms your LLC for $199
  • $99 a year from year two
  • Year one of the agent comes with it

Trade-offs

  • It doesn't take the annual report off your hands
  • They charge $99 to apply for your EIN
Kentucky specialist

3. KY Registered Agent.org: best for a second in-state filer

$199 to start and $99 to keep going each year

KY Registered Agent.org takes third, because year one is $199, and every year after is $99.

You'd handle the annual report separately.

Kentucky Registered Agent.co charges the same, which makes this nearly a tie.

Your money buys

  • Articles filed on your behalf
  • A year of agent service to start

The good

  • Forms your LLC for $199
  • Year one of the agent comes with it
  • $99 a year from year two

Trade-offs

  • It doesn't take the annual report off your hands
  • They charge $99 to apply for your EIN

How they compare

#WhoFirst yearRenews atThree-year totalWhat you get
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Your LLC formation, filed; registered agent for twelve months; annual report handled when it comes dueHead to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Kentucky Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397articles filed on your behalf; A year of agent service to startHead to Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3KY Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397articles filed on your behalf; A year of agent service to startHead to KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
We read these prices on November 13, 2026. Three years means year one plus two renewals.

Straight answers

What does an LLC cost in this state?

Expect the state to take $40, plus $199 for a service in the first year.

By year three the state has taken $595 in total. official: sos.ky.gov, October 2026

  • Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue.

Which paper starts the LLC, and where does it go?

The form is the Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (Form KLC), and the office is the Kentucky Secretary of State.

official: sos.ky.gov, October 2026

Could I skip naming a registered agent?

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

A Kentucky resident, or an entity qualified to do business in Kentucky, whose business address is the registered office. The agent signs or files a written acceptance.

official: apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026

What's the upkeep?

One thing keeps recurring, the annual report, each year, costing $15 a time. As the state words it, it's due on or before June 30, and that's easy to forget. There is also a yearly minimum tax.

official: sos.ky.gov, August 2026

Do I have to pay a service at all?

It's allowed, and doing it yourself keeps your three-year cost at the state's $595.

Services bill $397 to $597 over three years for taking this off your hands.

What's behind the ranking?

Mainstay Filing is strongest on work taken off your hands, which counts for 31% of our score.

Together, cost across three years and work taken off your hands make up 64% of the score.

We'd rather you never touch the annual report than save a few dollars.

See how we score

Kentucky requirements, with sources

ItemThe answerCheck it
What you pay to file$40official: sos.ky.gov, October 2026
Registered agentRequiredofficial: apps.legislature.ky.gov, October 2026
Annual report$15 every yearofficial: sos.ky.gov, August 2026
Tax owed yearly$175 a yearofficial: revenue.ky.gov, October 2026
What the state gets in three years$595Our total of the lines above
The last row is our own sum: the filing fee, the reports for years two and three and any minimum tax. Costs with no set price, like a newspaper notice, are left out.

FAQ

Will they apply for my EIN?

You'd pay $99 at Kentucky Registered Agent.co or $99 at KY Registered Agent.org, and nothing extra at Mainstay Filing.

After three years, what have I paid?

Mainstay Filing will cost you $597, Kentucky Registered Agent.co will cost you $397, KY Registered Agent.org will cost you $397 (services only).

Can I check these fees?

The state fees come from Kentucky's own documents, and the service prices come from the companies' sites. We put dates on both.

Do I need to hire a service?

No law says you must hire anyone.

Any yearly state costs?

One thing keeps recurring, the annual report, each year, costing $15 a time. As the state words it, it's due on or before June 30, and that's easy to forget. There is also a yearly minimum tax.

Who tops the list in Kentucky?

Mainstay Filing, because one yearly price, $199, covers the filing, the registered agent and the annual report. After that, Kentucky Registered Agent.co and KY Registered Agent.org.

Check our work

  1. Kentucky Secretary of State (sos.ky.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  2. Kentucky Secretary of State (sos.ky.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  3. Kentucky report due date (apps.legislature.ky.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  4. KRS 275.025 (apps.legislature.ky.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  5. Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee (sos.ky.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  6. Kentucky registered agent statute (apps.legislature.ky.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  7. Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability (revenue.ky.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  8. Mainstay Filing's Kentucky service page, as of November 13, 2026
  9. Kentucky Registered Agent.co's pricing page, as of November 13, 2026
  10. KY Registered Agent.org's pricing page, as of November 13, 2026