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Just the facts · Michigan

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Michigan (2026), Simply Ranked

Our 2026 favorites for foreign registration services in Michigan are Mainstay Filing ($199), Michigan Registered Agent.co ($199) and MI Registered Agent.org ($199), best first. Plan on $50 for the state and $397 to $497 for services over three years.
From the LLC Plainly editorial team

The gist

What the state charges
$50
Certificate required?
Yes, attach it (30 day limit)
Ongoing
$25, annual statement
Our ranking
Mainstay Filing, Michigan Registered Agent.co then MI Registered Agent.org

Our Michigan picks

Wondering about the order? How we pick explains it.
Our top pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs expanding state by state

First year $199 (state's $50 separate); $149 after

Mainstay Filing is our favorite here, because its $199 fee is the same in every state, and the first resident agent year comes with it.

You'd save $100 over three years with Michigan Registered Agent.co. The catch is it doesn't work outside Michigan.

Expect $149 a year for the resident agent after the first year, wherever you are.

Your money buys

  • The registration filing
  • Fifty states, one fee

The good

  • Registers you for $199
  • Fifty states covered

Trade-offs

  • A pricier agent renewal at $149
Local to Michigan

2. Michigan Registered Agent.co: best for adding just this one state

First year $199 (state's $50 separate); $99 after

Michigan Registered Agent.co comes next since $199 over the state fee gets you registered, and renewals run $99.

Your money buys

  • Registration handled for you
  • First-year agent comes with it

The good

  • Year two onward: $99
  • Registers you for $199 over the state fee
  • The first year of agent service is covered

Trade-offs

  • Your home state needs a different agent
Local to Michigan

3. MI Registered Agent.org: best for a low agent renewal

First year $199 (state's $50 separate); $99 after

MI Registered Agent.org comes next since $199 over the state fee gets you registered, and renewals run $99.

It charges what Michigan Registered Agent.co charges, so the order between them is close.

Your money buys

  • Registration handled for you
  • First-year agent comes with it

The good

  • The first year of agent service is covered
  • Year two onward: $99
  • Registers you for $199 over the state fee

Trade-offs

  • Your home state needs a different agent

How they compare

#CompanyYear oneAfter year oneOver three yearsWhat you get
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497the registration filing; fifty states, one feeVisit the Mainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Michigan Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397registration handled for you; First-year agent comes with itVisit the Michigan Registered Agent.co sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3MI Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397registration handled for you; First-year agent comes with itVisit the MI Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
These are service fees only, from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. The state's fees are the same whoever you pick.

Questions and answers

Who has to register in this state?

You register with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division before your LLC starts doing business in Michigan.

Not registering can cost you it can't bring a lawsuit in Michigan until it registers (MCL 450.5007(1)).

check it at michigan.gov, October 2026

What should I expect to pay to register?

You'd pay the state $50, plus $199 if you use a service.

The state's three-year fees, registration included, add up to $100. check it at legislature.mi.gov, October 2026

Where does the registration go?

The paper is the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies) (Form CSCL/CD 760), and it goes to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division.

Attach certificate of good standing no more than 30 days.

What keeps the registration active?

The state wants a annual statement later on, priced at $25.

The due date reads: February 15.

What put number one on top?

It comes down to work taken off your hands, and Mainstay Filing is best at it.

Five checks set the order: cost across three years (33%), work taken off your hands (31%), prices stated clearly (14%), renewal price (12%) and where it works (10%).

Your home state wants an agent too, and one account for both states is easier.

Our method, in full

Michigan requirements, with sources

WhatThe answerWhere we found it
Application fee$50check it at legislature.mi.gov, October 2026
Home-state certificateYes, attach it, 30 dayscheck it at michigan.gov, October 2026
Annual statement$25check it at michigan.gov, October 2026
State cost over three years$100The rows above, added up
Each figure above links to the state's official page. The final line is our addition of the filing, two reports and any minimum tax, and it leaves out variable costs.

More questions

Do I still need an agent where I formed the LLC?

You do. Two states mean two sets of rules, and a one-state company stops at its border while Mainstay Filing keeps going.

What's the three-year total for each?

Three-year totals are Mainstay Filing, $497; Michigan Registered Agent.co, $397; MI Registered Agent.org, $397, not counting state fees.

Where did you get these numbers?

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

Is hiring help required?

You can skip it. The state's fee is the same whichever way you file.

Do these services handle the filing?

They do. What the state charges is fixed, and only the service fee varies.

Which foreign registration service would you hire in Michigan?

Start with Mainstay Filing, followed by Michigan Registered Agent.co and MI Registered Agent.org.

What we used for this page

  1. Michigan Department of Licensing and (michigan.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  2. Michigan Department of Licensing and (michigan.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  3. Michigan report due date (michigan.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  4. MCL 450.4202 (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  5. Michigan formation fee: Filing fee (michigan.gov), last confirmed September 2026
  6. Michigan formation fee: Filing fee (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed September 2026
  7. Michigan registered agent statute (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  8. LARA limited liability company forms (michigan.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  9. MCL 450.5002, certificate of authority (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  10. MCL 450.5008, activities that are (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  11. MCL 450.5007, consequences of transacting (legislature.mi.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  12. Michigan service page from Mainstay Filing, November 13, 2026
  13. pricing page from Michigan Registered Agent.co, November 13, 2026
  14. pricing page from MI Registered Agent.org, November 13, 2026