Skip to content
Statewise Business The state fee almanac for LLCs, sourced line by line.

Foreign LLC guide · Alabama

Alabama Foreign LLCs (2026): Registration Fees and the 3 Best Services

For foreign LLC registration in Alabama this year (2026), the order is Mainstay Filing ($199), Alabama Registered Agent.co ($199) and AL Registered Agent.org ($199). Alabama's fee for a foreign LLC is $150, which is 13th of 50.

Entry by the Statewise Business almanac desk ·

Alabama figures on file

13thacross 50 states, foreign LLC feesCounted up from the least expensive; equal totals share a place. The complete table
Foreign registration fee
$150sos.alabama.gov (read October 2026)
Report each cycle
NoneBusiness privilege tax return
State fees over three years
$150Three-year model for a foreign LLC

Alabama shortlist

Three-year service fees and filings covered count most; the methodology gives all five weights.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for an expanding company

Rank one$199 to register, $149 yearly after

Mainstay Filing is where the almanac starts: it files the Alabama registration at $199 beyond the state's fee, with year one of agent service thrown in.

The premium over Alabama Registered Agent.co is $100 across three years, and more of the state's paperwork gets handled for it.

Agent service after the free year: $149 a year in any state.

In the price

  • The registration filing, handled for you
  • The registered agent role costs nothing in year one
  • All fifty states served

Strengths

  • Year-one agent at no cost
  • A $199 service fee
  • One fee anywhere

Weak points

  • A higher agent renewal ($149)
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for a small yearly agent cost

Alabama specialist$199 to register, $99 yearly after

Rank 2, Alabama Registered Agent.co: the Alabama registration at $199 with a year of agent service, then $99 yearly.

In the price

  • A filing with the state office
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • $199 and the state fee
  • $99 a year for the agent afterward
  • A year of agent service is included

Weak points

  • Serves Alabama alone
Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. AL Registered Agent.org: best for Alabama registrations

Alabama specialist$199 to register, $99 yearly after

Rank 3, AL Registered Agent.org: the Alabama registration at $199 with a year of agent service, then $99 yearly.

On price it ties with Alabama Registered Agent.co.

In the price

  • A filing with the state office
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • $199 and the state fee
  • A year of agent service is included
  • $99 a year for the agent afterward

Weak points

  • Serves Alabama alone
Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Alabama picks in one table

#EntryYear-one priceYears two onService fees over three years
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Alabama Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3AL Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Every price here was read on November 12, 2026. No row includes the $150 state fee.

Work out the total

Registration fee $150, added to the service's prices.
$647 is the 3 years total with Mainstay Filing, split $150 state and $497 service.

Alabama among its neighbors in the rank

PositionStateThree-year foreign LLC fees
11thIowa$130
12thIndiana$137
13thAlabama$150
13thArizona$150
13thColorado$150
All fifty rows: Foreign LLC fees by state.

Alabama foreign LLC registration fee and form (official)

The Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division takes the Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) Application for Registration and a $150 fee from foreign LLCs.

Then the company owes the business privilege tax return, same date as the federal return.

Checklist before filing

  • Home-state legal name and formation date.
  • A registered agent with a Alabama street address (each service above can serve).
  • Budget for the $150 state fee.

The price of not registering

Until it registers, the LLC cannot file a lawsuit in the state (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). The company's contracts are not voided (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).

Basis for the order

Of the five criteria, requirements covered (28%) is where Mainstay Filing pulled ahead of Alabama Registered Agent.co in Alabama.

Registering here means two states at once, and one provider for both outscored Alabama Registered Agent.co.

Alabama foreign registration service questions

What does a foreign LLC pay to register in Alabama?

$150 in state fees. A service adds $199.

What is the foreign registration form in Alabama?

Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) Application for Registration, filed with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division.

What does a foreign LLC owe each year?

It files the business privilege tax return.

What happens if the LLC operates there unregistered?

Until it registers, the LLC cannot file a lawsuit in the state (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(a)). The company's contracts are not voided (Ala. Code 10A-1-7.21(b)).

Does a foreign LLC need a registered agent in Alabama?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Who should handle the registration?

Mainstay Filing leads, then Alabama Registered Agent.co and AL Registered Agent.org. The lead comes down to requirements covered.

Keep reading

Citations for this entry

  1. Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source, from alison.legislature.state.al.us, last read October 2026
  2. Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source, from sos.alabama.gov, last read October 2026
  3. Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source, from sos.alabama.gov, last read October 2026
  4. Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source, from alison.legislature.state.al.us, last read October 2026
  5. Alabama registered agent statute, from alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, last read October 2026
  6. Alabama Secretary of State, LLC filings, from sos.alabama.gov, last read October 2026
  7. Foreign LLC Application for Registration, from sos.alabama.gov, last read October 2026
  8. Secretary of State Online Services, from alabamainteractive.org, last read October 2026
  9. Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.01, from alison.legislature.state.al.us, last read October 2026
  10. Department of Revenue, business privilege tax notice, from revenue.alabama.gov, last read October 2026
  11. Code of Alabama, section 10A-1-7.21, from alison.legislature.state.al.us, last read November 2026
  12. Iowa Secretary of State, business entity forms and, from sos.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  13. LLC Foreign Registration Statement, Form 635_0010, from sos.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  14. Iowa Code 489.902, registration requirement, from legis.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  15. Iowa Code 489.905, activities that do not count, from legis.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  16. Iowa Code 489.212, biennial report, from legis.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  17. Iowa Secretary of State, certificate of existence, from sos.iowa.gov, last read October 2026
  18. Indiana Secretary of State business forms, from in.gov, last read October 2026
  19. Indiana Code 23-0.5-5, registration of foreign entities, from iga.in.gov, last read October 2026
  20. Indiana Code 23-0.5-9, fees, from iga.in.gov, last read October 2026
  21. Indiana Code 23-0.5-4, registered agents, from iga.in.gov, last read October 2026
  22. INBiz Business Entity Report, from inbiz.in.gov, last read October 2026
  23. Arizona Corporation Commission, LLC forms, from azcc.gov, last read October 2026
  24. Form L025 instructions, from azcc.gov, last read October 2026
  25. Commission LLC fee schedule, from azcc.gov, last read October 2026
  26. A.R.S. 29-3903, registration of foreign LLC, from azleg.gov, last read October 2026
  27. A.R.S. 29-3905, activities that are not doing business, from azleg.gov, last read October 2026
  28. Arizona Corporation Commission FAQs, from azcc.gov, last read October 2026
  29. Colorado Secretary of State, foreign entity FAQ, from coloradosos.gov, last read October 2026
  30. Sample Statement of Foreign Entity Authority, from coloradosos.gov, last read October 2026
  31. Secretary of State business fee schedule, from coloradosos.gov, last read October 2026
  32. Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 7, from content.leg.colorado.gov, last read October 2026
  33. Registered agent requirements effective July 1, 2025, from coloradosos.gov, last read October 2026
  34. Periodic report FAQ, from coloradosos.gov, last read October 2026
  35. On November 12, 2026 we recorded the Alabama service page of Mainstay Filing
  36. On November 12, 2026 we recorded the pricing page of Alabama Registered Agent.co
  37. On November 12, 2026 we recorded the pricing page of AL Registered Agent.org