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Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
Launchwise Review

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Launch guide · New York · foreign registration

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in New York (2026)

Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
For a 2026 launch in New York, Launchwise Review grades foreign registration services this way: NY Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and New York Registered Agent.ai ($199). NY Registered Agent.org earns the top grade here: it registers the company in New York for $199, first agent year included, then $99 a year.
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Top pick on this page

1. NY Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only New York

Service $199, state fee extra; the agent then costs $99 each year

Our mark 9.4 out of 10

Top grade, NY Registered Agent.org: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into New York, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

It beats Mainstay Filing where launch budgets feel it most, the three-year total.

In the price

  • New York registration filed for you
  • A first year as your agent for service of process

Pros

  • Second-year agent price: $99
  • Registers the company for $199, state fee extra
  • Free agent for service of process service in year one

Less good

  • New York only; the home state needs its own agent
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the NY Registered Agent.org launch review
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Best for multi-state companies

2. Mainstay Filing: best for founders working in several states

Pay $199 plus the state fee ($449 in total at checkout), then $149 a year for the agent

Our mark 8.9 out of 10

Next up is Mainstay Filing: the New York registration costs $199, the first agent for service of process year is free, and later years are $149.

Your first year as agent is free; each year after that is $149, wherever you register.

NY Registered Agent.org is $100 lower across three years, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

In the price

  • Your foreign registration, handled
  • Your agent for service of process free for the first year
  • Papers served on the company scanned and uploaded the same business day, no charge

Pros

  • One price in every state
  • Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day, free
  • Agent for service of process service is free the first year
  • $199 for the service, with the state fee added

Less good

  • The agent costs $149 a year after year one, $50 above NY Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing launch review
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Best value here

3. New York Registered Agent.ai: best for New York registrations only

Service $199, state fee extra; the agent then costs $99 each year

Our mark 8.6 out of 10

Rounding out the list is New York Registered Agent.ai: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into New York, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

New York Registered Agent.ai copies NY Registered Agent.org on price and features, so the pair is close to level.

In the price

  • New York registration filed for you
  • One year of agent for service of process service to begin with

Pros

  • Year-one agent for service of process duty is covered
  • Second-year agent price: $99
  • Registers the company for $199, state fee extra

Less good

  • New York only; the home state needs its own agent
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit New York Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the New York Registered Agent.ai launch review

The 3 grades at a glance

Place Company Launch grade Service price Second year Best fit Go
1 NY Registered Agent.org 9.4 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 8.9 $199 $149/yr Founders opening a second state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 New York Registered Agent.ai 8.6 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit New York Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
The 10-point grades are editorial, built from the criteria on How we rank. They are not customer ratings.

New York foreign registration service cost in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Three years, total Agent covered, year one
NY Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Mainstay Filing $199 $149 $149 $497 Free
New York Registered Agent.ai $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Prices were copied from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Add New York's $250 registration fee to any row; it is not in the totals.

What drove the grades

What made the call in New York was cost to launch and stay. The grading method sets cost to launch and stay at 26%, launch paperwork handled at 26% and renewal behavior, state match and price transparency at 48% combined.

NY Registered Agent.org comes to $397 over three years, $100 under Mainstay Filing. Both include year one, so the renewal price broke the tie.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Opening in New York as a foreign LLC: fee, form and office

Your registration goes to the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, on the Application for Authority of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form DOS-1361-f-a). Budget $250 for the state. Have certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing) in hand too, dated within 365 days of filing; New York asks for it.

Calendar item for later: the biennial statement at $9, due every two years, in the month the application was filed.

Before you file, get these together

  • Certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing), issued within 365 days of your filing date.
  • Your company's exact legal name and the date it was formed at home.
  • A agent for service of process with a street address in the state; every company graded on this page can serve.
  • The $250 state fee, ready to pay with the filing.
  • A calendar reminder for the biennial statement and its $9 fee.

Quick answers about New York foreign registration services

When does an LLC from elsewhere have to register in New York?

Once it does business there.

What should I budget to bring an existing LLC into New York?

The state fee is $250; add a service fee of $199.

Which form brings a foreign LLC into New York?

Ask the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations for the Application for Authority of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form DOS-1361-f-a).

Do I need a document from my home state first?

Yes, order certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing) and file within 365 days of its date.

Does the foreign LLC still need a agent for service of process?

The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional.

Which service is the best way to register a foreign LLC in New York?

NY Registered Agent.org, because $199 plus the state fee, year-one agent for service of process service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

Keep reading

Sources and dates

  1. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code, dated August 2026
  2. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code, dated August 2026
  3. New York report due date, dated August 2026
  4. NY Limited Liability Company Law § 203, dated August 2026
  5. New York formation fee: Filing fee, official source, dated October 2026
  6. New York registered agent statute, dated October 2026
  7. Department of State, Application for Authority, dated October 2026
  8. LLC Law § 802, application for authority, dated October 2026
  9. LLC Law § 808, consequences of doing business without authority, dated October 2026
  10. Department of State, Certificate of Publication, dated October 2026
  11. From NY Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026
  12. From Mainstay Filing: New York service page, copied November 12, 2026
  13. From New York Registered Agent.ai: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026