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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 · Kentucky · LLC service

3 Best LLC Services in Kentucky (2026)

Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
For a 2026 launch in Kentucky, Launchwise Review grades LLC services this way: KY Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199). KY Registered Agent.org earns the top grade here: it forms the LLC in Kentucky for $199 over the state's fee, with the registered agent free for year one, and keeps the agent for $99 a year.
1
Best here

1. KY Registered Agent.org: best for a Kentucky LLC that wants to stay close to home

$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

Our mark 9.4 out of 10

Top grade, KY Registered Agent.org: $199 for formation plus the state fee, then $99 yearly for the agent.

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

The annual report is not in its published price, so that task stays on your list with Kentucky, due every year.

Add up three years and it lands below Mainstay Filing; cost is one of our two biggest criteria.

In the price

  • The formation filing
  • Your registered agent for year one

Pros

  • Keeps your agent for $99 yearly
  • Forms the LLC for $199, state fee extra
  • Free registered agent service in year one

Less good

  • No annual report filing in the price
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the KY Registered Agent.org launch review
2
All-in price

2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report wrapped into one price

$199 yearly, state fee billed on top ($239 at checkout in all)

Our mark 9.1 out of 10

Next up is Mainstay Filing: the Kentucky formation, your registered agent and the annual report are bundled at $199 a year.

When renewal comes, Mainstay prepares and files the annual report so it is off your list. The Kentucky fee is $15 every year, with a on or before June 30 deadline; Mainstay passes the fee along at cost.

KY Registered Agent.org is $200 lower across three years, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

In the price

  • Preparation and filing of the formation document
  • Your registered agent all year
  • Annual report, prepared and filed each cycle
  • Your EIN application, done for you

Pros

  • A single $199 yearly price that covers the annual report
  • Kentucky's fee goes through at cost
  • Renews at $199 without add-ons
  • Your EIN application is included

Less good

  • After year one the agent portion is $100 a year above KY Registered Agent.org's
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing launch review
3
Low renewal

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for a launch that stays in Kentucky

$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

Our mark 8.9 out of 10

Rounding out the list is Kentucky Registered Agent.co: $199 for formation plus the state fee, then $99 yearly for the agent.

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

The annual report is not in its published price, so that task stays on your list with Kentucky, due every year.

Nothing in the published price or features separates KY Registered Agent.org from Kentucky Registered Agent.co; go with whichever you like.

In the price

  • The formation filing
  • Year-one registered agent service

Pros

  • $199 to start the LLC, plus the filing fee
  • Year-one registered agent duty is covered
  • Keeps your agent for $99 yearly

Less good

  • No annual report filing in the price
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Kentucky Registered Agent.co launch review

The 3 grades at a glance

Place Company Launch grade Service price Second year Best fit Go
1 KY Registered Agent.org 9.4 $199 $99/yr A Kentucky launch on a tight budget Visit KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report wrapped into one price Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Kentucky Registered Agent.co 8.9 $199 $99/yr A Kentucky launch on a tight budget Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each grade out of 10 reflects our editors' reading of the weighted criteria on How we rank, not a customer rating.

Kentucky LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Three years, total Files the annual report for you
KY Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes
Kentucky Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Prices were copied from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Add Kentucky's $40 filing fee to any row; it is not in the totals.

The thinking behind the order

Launchwise Review puts 26% on cost to launch and stay and 26% on launch paperwork handled, then spreads 48% over renewal behavior, state match and price transparency. For Kentucky, the call came down to cost to launch and stay.

KY Registered Agent.org comes to $397 over three years, $200 under Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would file the annual report too, but an owner can handle it alone for the state fee, so the lower price took this page.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Launching in Kentucky: the state filing fee and form

Plan on $40 at the Kentucky Secretary of State when you file the Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (Form KLC). Each company below adds that state fee at cost.

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

Your Kentucky LLC after launch: the upkeep list

Next on the list: the annual report, every year, due on or before June 30. Set aside $15 for the state. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Quick answers about Kentucky LLC services

What will it cost to launch an LLC in Kentucky?

The state filing fee is $40; add a service fee of $199.

Which form starts the LLC?

Look for the Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (Form KLC) at the Kentucky Secretary of State.

Is a registered agent required on the Kentucky formation form?

Yes. You name one on the formation form and keep one on file, with a street address in Kentucky.

What stays on the to-do list after the LLC is launched?

The annual report is the recurring item, filed every year with a on or before June 30 deadline and a $15 state charge.

Will the EIN application be handled in this price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. The application runs $99 at KY Registered Agent.org and Kentucky Registered Agent.co. Founders can also get an EIN from the IRS directly, with no fee.

Which service is the best start for a new Kentucky LLC?

KY Registered Agent.org, because Kentucky formation at $199 on top of the state fee, year-one registered agent service included, then $99 a year.

Read next

Sources and dates

  1. Kentucky Secretary of State, dated August 2026
  2. Kentucky Secretary of State, dated August 2026
  3. Kentucky report due date, dated August 2026
  4. KRS 275.025, dated August 2026
  5. Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source, dated October 2026
  6. Kentucky registered agent statute, dated October 2026
  7. Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official source, dated October 2026
  8. From KY Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026
  9. From Mainstay Filing: Kentucky service page, copied November 12, 2026
  10. From Kentucky Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026