Which registered agent? Compare how they charge and what they include (2026)
A registered agent is a commodity until the fine print: one charges the same every year, another discounts the first year, another bills by the quarter. Mainstay Filing is our best overall pick: $149 a year, flat, with mail scanning and reminders. Here is how the rest differ.
- Provider pages read October 2026
- Only what each page states
How each provider charges and what it lists
| Provider | How it charges | What its page lists | Fine print |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | Same price every year | Registered agent in any state, all year; Mail and legal-document scanning and forwarding; Compliance reminders and stored documents | $149 a year, same at renewal |
| Northwest Registered Agent | Same price every year | Its address on public filings; scans of state and legal mail; up to 5 pieces of other business mail scanned free a year; domain, website, email and phone line | Its page says the price has not gone up in 20 years. $100/yr per state for five or more states. |
| ZenBusiness | Introductory price, higher at renewal | Document receipt, scanning and upload to a dashboard; email notifications | $99 plus state fees for the first year, then $199/yr. |
| Bizee | Same price every year | Compliance notifications; its address on the public record | Standalone price. The first year is free when you form your company through Bizee. |
| LegalZoom | Same price every year | Alerts when mail arrives; documents scanned and uploaded; annual report reminders | Price for first-time agent customers. Auto-renews at the purchase rate; LegalZoom says the renewal rate is subject to change. |
| Harbor Compliance | Introductory price, higher at renewal | Documents delivered to a client portal; annual report reminders | $99 for the first year for new customers, then $159/yr. Prepaying two or three years keeps $99/yr for those years. |
| InCorp Services | Same price every year | Same-day electronic service of process; compliance calendar; entity monitoring | As low as $87/yr if you prepay five years. |
| Registered Agents Inc | Same price every year | Business address, annual report filing and same-day document scans, per its order page | None stated |
| Standard Filings | Same price every year | Not itemized on its page | Its page says $199/yr in any state. |
| Swyft Filings | Billed quarterly | Not itemized on its page | Billed $149 per quarter, which is $596 a year. |
| MyUSACorporation | Same price every year | Not itemized on its page | Payable in advance, per its page. |
| ResidentAgents.com | Same price every year | Service of process received and scanned the same business day | Its page says the price is the same in all 50 states, with no setup fee. |
| MyCompanyWorks | “Starting at” price; renewal not published | Documents scanned to an account dashboard; filing reminders | Listed as "starting at" $119/yr. |
| doola | Same price every year | Alerts for legal documents and government notices | None stated |
| MyLLC | Same price every year | Not itemized on its page | As low as $87/yr if you prepay five years. |
| CorpNet | Same price every year | Not itemized on its page | None stated |
| IncParadise | Same price every year | Not itemized on its page | Its state page also lists a $40/yr pre-pay special. |
| FreeRegisteredAgent.com | Free first year, then a renewal price | Compliance alerts, per its Illinois page | First year free, then $129/yr. Its page says the agent is InCorp. |
| Launch Registered Agent | Introductory price, higher at renewal | Document scanning and upload; client portal; annual report reminders | Annual plan: $34.99 first-year special, then $48.99/yr. |
| RegisteredAgents.com | Same price every year | Online document portal | None stated |
Mainstay Filing
Our rating: 4.9 out of 5
$149 / year, same at renewal
- Registered agent in any state, all year
- Mail and legal-document scanning and forwarding
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Checked October 20, 2026 on the Mainstay Filing registered agent page and checkout.
Compare by state
| State | Agent rule | Can you serve as your own? | Providers compared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Required | See state page | 10 |
| Alaska | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Arizona | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Arkansas | Required | See state page | 6 |
| California | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Colorado | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 8 |
| Connecticut | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Delaware | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 7 |
| Florida | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Georgia | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Hawaii | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Idaho | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Illinois | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Indiana | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Iowa | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Kansas | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 5 |
| Kentucky | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Louisiana | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Maine | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Maryland | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Massachusetts | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Michigan | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Minnesota | Office required | See state page | 10 |
| Mississippi | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Missouri | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Montana | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Nebraska | Required | See state page | 7 |
| Nevada | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 8 |
| New Hampshire | Required | See state page | 9 |
| New Jersey | Required | See state page | 8 |
| New Mexico | Required | See state page | 9 |
| New York | Optional | See state page | 6 |
| North Carolina | Required | See state page | 9 |
| North Dakota | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Ohio | Required | See state page | 9 |
| Oklahoma | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 6 |
| Oregon | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Pennsylvania | Office required | See state page | 8 |
| Rhode Island | Required | See state page | 8 |
| South Carolina | Required | See state page | 9 |
| South Dakota | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 6 |
| Tennessee | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Texas | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Utah | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Vermont | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Virginia | Required | See state page | 8 |
| Washington | Required | Yes, if you qualify | 8 |
| West Virginia | Optional | See state page | 9 |
| Wisconsin | Required | See state page | 6 |
| Wyoming | Required | See state page | 8 |
Guides
Questions
How do I compare registered agents?
Compare how each one charges (flat, introductory, prepay, per state, quarterly), what its own page says is included, and what it costs after year 1. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, charges $149 flat.
What should a registered agent include?
At minimum, an in-state street address and receipt of legal papers. Most also scan and forward mail and send compliance reminders. The matrix shows what each provider’s page lists; where a page lists nothing, we say so instead of guessing.
Do all registered agents cover every state?
Not every provider has a verified price in every state. Each state line-up shows the providers with a published price there.
Is the cheapest agent the best?
Not necessarily. 14 of the 19 providers here charge the same every year; the others change their price after year 1 or sell by prepay, quarter or per state. See pricing models.
Can I change registered agents later?
Yes. You file a change-of-agent form with the state; the state’s fee, if any, is on each state’s line-up.