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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Chapter 3 · North Dakota

Foreign LLC Registration Chapter, North Dakota (2026): 5 Sections and the 3 Best Services

For registering an LLC formed elsewhere in North Dakota in 2026, this chapter recommends North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and ND Registered Agents.org ($199), ranked from first to last. Registration is covered in 5 sections. The state fee is $135, and the recurring report costs $50.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Chapter summary

State filing fee $135 Source text at sos.nd.gov, October 2026
Home-state certificate Required Attached to the filing
Annual report $50 Annual report
Three years of state fees $235 Registration and reports
Number of sections 5 Taken one at a time

Chapter objectives

  • When registration is required
  • What to file and what it costs
  • The cost of staying registered
  • The recommendations and their reasons

North Dakota: the ranked services

The order rests on five weighted criteria described under how we grade, with three-year cost and paperwork completed on top.

1. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for one more state

Highest ranked
Service $199; renewal $99 a year

North Dakota Registered Agent.co comes first. $199 over the state fee, with year one of the agent covered, then $99 a year.

Cost breaks the tie: three years here total less than at Mainstay Filing.

Price covers

  • The filing is made for you
  • A year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • $199 and the state fee
  • Agent covered in year one
  • $99 a year for the agent afterward

Limitations

  • Limited to one state
Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs that keep expanding

Handles the most paperwork
Service $199; renewal $149 a year

Second place is held by Mainstay Filing, since the first-year agent is included, so the North Dakota registration costs $199 beyond the state fee.

Total three years and it comes to $100 more than North Dakota Registered Agent.co.

Once the included year is used up, expect $149 per year for agent service wherever the LLC registers.

Price covers

  • Filing delivered to the state
  • The registered agent carries no charge in year one
  • Service in all fifty states

Advantages

  • Ready for a later state as well
  • The first agent year is included
  • $199 to register

Limitations

  • Renewal $50 above North Dakota Registered Agent.co's
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. ND Registered Agents.org: best for registering in North Dakota only

Single-state plan
Service $199; renewal $99 a year

ND Registered Agents.org takes third position; $199 over the state fee, with year one of the agent covered, then $99 a year.

It charges exactly what North Dakota Registered Agent.co charges.

Price covers

  • The filing is made for you
  • A year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • $99 a year for the agent afterward
  • $199 and the state fee
  • Agent covered in year one

Limitations

  • Limited to one state
Visit ND Registered Agents.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3 services, side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 North Dakota Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397 Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$149/yr$497 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 ND Registered Agents.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit ND Registered Agents.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Listed prices, consulted November 13, 2026. No row includes the $135 state fee.

Registering with North Dakota, section by section

  1. Section 1

    Determine whether registration is required

    Key term: foreign LLC. It is an LLC formed in a different state, and North Dakota asks it to register before operating here.

    Reference: Source text at sos.nd.gov, October 2026

  2. Section 2

    Order the certificate your home state issues

    The application must include certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.

    Order this last so the certificate is current when you file.

  3. Section 3

    Designate the North Dakota registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a complete physical address in North Dakota. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

    The recommended reading covers this role.

    Reference: Source text at ndlegis.gov, October 2026

  4. Section 4

    The filing to prepare is the Application for a Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company)

    the North Dakota Secretary of State is the office that receives the filing and $135.

    Reference: Source text at sos.nd.gov, October 2026

  5. Section 5

    Prepare for the recurring filing

    To keep the registration in force, file the annual report for $50, November 15.

What each section costs in North Dakota

PurposePayeeAmount
Registration fee Government$135
Annual report Government$50
Service fees (optional) Service$199 for year one
Three-year state total Government$235

Rows for the state rely on North Dakota's published fee schedules (listed in the bibliography below), and each service row uses that company's own price. For three years the state row adds the filing, the report in year two, the report in year three and any minimum tax.

Why North Dakota Registered Agent.co is first

Tuition over three years accounts for 34% of the ranking, and led on it in North Dakota.

North Dakota Registered Agent.co leads the cost criterion at $397 across three years, with Mainstay Filing $100 behind.

Common questions

What is the cost to register a foreign LLC with North Dakota?

$135 as the official fee. The recommended services add $199.

Which form do I file to register?

Complete the form named in section 4 and send it to the North Dakota Secretary of State.

Do I need a certificate from my home state?

Yes: certificate of status, good standing or existence from the home-state filing office.

What is due after registering?

Section 5 covers it: the annual report for $50.

Which services are in this lesson?

North Dakota Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing and ND Registered Agents.org; prices appear in the table above.

Which service should handle the registration?

Choose North Dakota Registered Agent.co: registering with North Dakota through this service costs $199 and includes a year of agent service; renewal is $99. Next are Mainstay Filing and ND Registered Agents.org.

Further reading

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Footnote for North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: see sos.nd.gov (August 2026).
  2. Footnote for North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: see sos.nd.gov (August 2026).
  3. Footnote for North Dakota report due date: see ndlegis.gov (August 2026).
  4. Footnote for North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source: see sos.nd.gov (October 2026).
  5. Footnote for North Dakota registered agent statute: see ndlegis.gov (October 2026).
  6. Footnote for Secretary of State, registered agents: see sos.nd.gov (October 2026).
  7. Footnote for Secretary of State, business services: see sos.nd.gov (October 2026).
  8. Price reference: North Dakota Registered Agent.co, pricing page, November 13, 2026
  9. Price reference: Mainstay Filing, North Dakota service page, November 13, 2026
  10. Price reference: ND Registered Agents.org, pricing page, November 13, 2026