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Massachusetts
Your questions · Massachusetts
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Massachusetts (2026): Who to Hire
The foreign registration services to hire in Massachusetts in 2026 are Mainstay Filing ($199), MA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Massachusetts Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Each pick pays Massachusetts's $500; three years of service run $397 to $497.
By the LLC Answered editorial team
Answers updated November 13, 2026
Our funding: LLC Answered is reader-supported. We may earn money when you buy through links on this page, and the companies we rank are our partners. Prices come from each company's own pages and official state sources.
Short version
Short reply
Registration fee
$500
Certificate of good standing?
Needed (90 days, no older)
What comes next
$500, Foreign LLC annual report
Our ranking
Mainstay Filing, MA Registered Agent.org then Massachusetts Registered Agent.co
The Massachusetts ranking
The scoring is explained on this page .
#1
First choice
1. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states
$199 at the start, then $149 yearly
Mainstay Filing is our answer because the $199 fee is identical everywhere, and the first year of resident agent service comes with it.
Choosing MA Registered Agent.org saves $100 over three years, but only a Massachusetts company can use it.
The resident agent renews at $149 a year in every state.
What is bundled
Registration filing Fifty states, one fee
Pluses
$199 plus Massachusetts's fee The fee is the same in every state
Downsides
Higher agent renewal ($149)
#2
In-state option
2. MA Registered Agent.org: best for a lean registration
$199 at the start, then $99 yearly
MA Registered Agent.org is number 2, because its service fees reach $397 over three years.
What is bundled
State registration done Year-one agent service
Pluses
$99 a year for the agent after No agent charge for year one $199 to register
Downsides
Home state needs a separate agent
#3
In-state option
3. Massachusetts Registered Agent.co: best for one more state only
$199 at the start, then $99 yearly
Massachusetts Registered Agent.co is number 3, because its service fees reach $397 over three years.
The same published prices as MA Registered Agent.org, so choose whichever you prefer.
What is bundled
State registration done Year-one agent service
Pluses
No agent charge for year one $199 to register $99 a year for the agent after
Downsides
Home state needs a separate agent
Compared in a table
# Who Start price Renewal Three-year cost What is covered
1
Mainstay Filing $199 $149/yr $497 registration filing; fifty states, one fee
See Mainstay Filing pricing
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2
MA Registered Agent.org $199 $99/yr $397 state registration done; Year-one agent service
See MA Registered Agent.org pricing
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3
Massachusetts Registered Agent.co $199 $99/yr $397 state registration done; Year-one agent service
See Massachusetts Registered Agent.co pricing
Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. State fees are identical whichever you pick.
The questions, one by one
Does my out-of-state LLC need to register here?
Any LLC formed in another state that wants to do business in Massachusetts registers beforehand.
Without registering, expect its own lawsuits are blocked (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)).
sec.state.ma.us , current in October 2026 per the state
How much should I plan for?
The state's registration fee is $500, and a service costs $199 more.
The state's three-year fees add up to $1,500. sec.state.ma.us , current in October 2026 per the state
Are there ongoing fees?
Foreign LLC annual report: $500.
The deadline, per the state: anniversary of registration.
What put the top pick on top?
Mainstay Filing is strongest on paperwork covered, which counts 29% in our ranking.
Three-year price is worth 36% and paperwork covered 29%, with three smaller tests breaking ties.
An out-of-state LLC already lives in two states, and the first pick can serve both.
Read the process
Massachusetts rules at a glance
Item Answer Where it is from
State filing fee
$500 sec.state.ma.us , current in October 2026 per the state
Good standing proof
Needed, 90 days sec.state.ma.us , current in October 2026 per the state
Foreign LLC annual report
$500 sec.state.ma.us , current in October 2026 per the state
Three-year state total
$1,500 Added from the rows
How the total works: filing + report in year two + report in year three + any minimum tax. Open-ended costs are mentioned in the text only.
Look-up for this page
Foreign LLC What a state calls an LLC from elsewhere that operates within its borders.
Foreign registration An application to a new state by an LLC formed elsewhere, also known as foreign qualification.
Short Q&A
Does my home state still want an agent?
Yes: two states, two sets of rules. One-state services stop at the border; Mainstay Filing does not.
What does each charge over three years?
$497 for Mainstay Filing, $397 for MA Registered Agent.org, $397 for Massachusetts Registered Agent.co, and state fees are separate.
What are your sources?
Fees set by the state come from Massachusetts's own publications; what services charge comes from their published prices.
Do I need outside help?
Not at all. Owners can file with the state directly; a service is there to save you the work and to act as agent.
Do these companies file it?
They do. Your cost from the state is unchanged, and the service fee is the only thing that differs.
Which foreign registration service should I hire in Massachusetts?
Pick Mainstay Filing first, with MA Registered Agent.org and Massachusetts Registered Agent.co behind it.
Proof and sources
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, per sec.state.ma.us , August 2026
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, per malegislature.gov , August 2026
M.G.L. c. 156C, sec. 12, per sec.state.ma.us , August 2026
Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, per sec.state.ma.us , October 2026
Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, per sec.state.ma.us , October 2026
Massachusetts registered agent statute, per sec.state.ma.us , October 2026
Massachusetts Corporations Division, foreign LLC, per sec.state.ma.us , October 2026
G.L. c. 156C § 48, per malegislature.gov , October 2026
G.L. c. 156C § 54, per malegislature.gov , October 2026
G.L. c. 156D § 15.01, per malegislature.gov , October 2026
November 13, 2026 price read: Mainstay Filing Massachusetts service page
November 13, 2026 price read: MA Registered Agent.org pricing page
November 13, 2026 price read: Massachusetts Registered Agent.co pricing page