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Your questions · North Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in North Dakota (2026), Answered

In 2026, we rank ND Registered Agents.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order, as the LLC formation services for North Dakota. Of the total, $135 is the state's set filing fee and $397 to $597 is three years of service.
By the LLC Answered editorial team

Answer in four lines

Short reply
Charged by the state
$135, not recurring
Every year after
$50 once every twelve months
Registered agent
Yes, it is required
Best first
ND Registered Agents.org, Mainstay Filing then North Dakota Registered Agent.co

Who to hire in North Dakota

The scoring is explained on this page.

#1 Number 1

1. ND Registered Agents.org: best for a lean launch

$199 at the start, then $99 yearly

ND Registered Agents.org comes first, as the opening cost is $199, first agent year included, followed by $99 annually.

Cost decides it: three years here total less than at Mainstay Filing.

Set aside time for the annual report; it is not included.

What is bundled

  • State filing done
  • First-year agent

Pluses

  • No agent charge for year one
  • Forms the LLC for $199
  • Low $99 renewal

Downsides

  • The annual report is yours to file
  • EIN not included ($99)
#2 Any state you add

2. Mainstay Filing: best for knowing next year's bill ahead of time

$199 yearly ($334 due at signup with the state fee)

Mainstay Filing comes next since it is alone on this list in filing the annual report for you, and that comes inside $199 a year.

ND Registered Agents.org is $200 less across three years, enough to rank higher.

It files the annual report for you and bills the state's $50 at cost.

What is bundled

  • State filing handled
  • Registered agent the whole year
  • Annual report looked after by Mainstay
  • EIN filed for you
  • State fees billed as charged

Pluses

  • $199 a year, everything listed
  • EIN handled
  • $199 at renewal

Downsides

  • Renews $100 higher than ND Registered Agents.org
#3 For North Dakota

3. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a second in-state filer

$199 at the start, then $99 yearly

Why North Dakota Registered Agent.co third? Simply put, the opening cost is $199, first agent year included, followed by $99 annually.

Set aside time for the annual report; it is not included.

Price for price it ties ND Registered Agents.org.

What is bundled

  • State filing done
  • First-year agent

Pluses

  • Low $99 renewal
  • Forms the LLC for $199
  • No agent charge for year one

Downsides

  • The annual report is yours to file
  • EIN not included ($99)

Prices side by side

#WhoFirst yearLater yearsThree-year costPrice buys
1 ND Registered Agents.org $199$99/yr$397state filing done; First-year agent View ND Registered Agents.org plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597state filing handled; registered agent the whole year; Annual report looked after by Mainstay View Mainstay Filing plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 North Dakota Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397state filing done; First-year agent View North Dakota Registered Agent.co plans Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Read November 13, 2026 from company pricing; three years = year one plus two renewals.

The questions, one by one

How much should I put aside?

$135 for the state, plus $199 if you hire.

Three years of state fees come to $235. sos.nd.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

Which form creates an LLC, and who gets it?

The North Dakota Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization; its approval is what forms the company.

Statute behind it: N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20. sos.nd.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

Am I obliged to name a registered agent?

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

A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: a North Dakota resident, or an entity registered with the Secretary of State that has a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own agent.

ndlegis.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site

What keeps the LLC in good standing?

Chiefly the annual report, once annually. The fee is $50. The state's deadline reads: November 15, so note it early.

Late filers are charged $50.

sos.nd.gov, last confirmed August 2026, official site

Am I allowed to skip the service?

It is allowed, and the state alone would charge $235 across three years.

That $397 to $597 over three years is the price of having someone else handle it.

Why this order?

Because of three-year price (36% of the weight): ND Registered Agents.org is best there.

We weigh three-year price first and paperwork covered second, then three smaller tests.

ND Registered Agents.org wins on cost at $397, saving $200 against Mainstay Filing.

How we decide

North Dakota rules at a glance

QuestionAnswerCited at
Cost to file the LLC $135sos.nd.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site
Registered agent Yes, it is requiredndlegis.gov, last confirmed October 2026, official site
Annual report $50 every yearsos.nd.gov, last confirmed August 2026, official site
State fees, first three years $235Rows above, added

To get the three-year number we add the formation filing, two later reports and any minimum tax, and we do not count costs without a fixed price.

Also asked

What does the EIN cost?

Mainstay Filing includes the EIN application. For the others the extra charge is: ND Registered Agents.org $99; North Dakota Registered Agent.co $99.

What happens if I file the report late?

$50, on top of the report fee.

What is the three-year bill for each?

Totals: ND Registered Agents.org at $397, Mainstay Filing at $597, North Dakota Registered Agent.co at $397 (services only).

How do you know these fees?

State side: North Dakota's published fee schedules and forms. Service side: the prices each company lists.

Is a service mandatory?

No. What you pay a service covers the labor and the agent role, not anything the state demands.

Who ranks first in North Dakota?

ND Registered Agents.org leads because a three-year total of $397 results from its $99 renewal; Mainstay Filing and North Dakota Registered Agent.co come next.

Related pages

Where each fact comes from

  1. On record: North Dakota Secretary of State, sos.nd.gov, current as of August 2026
  2. On record: North Dakota Secretary of State, sos.nd.gov, current as of August 2026
  3. On record: North Dakota report due date, ndlegis.gov, current as of August 2026
  4. On record: North Dakota formation fee: Filing, sos.nd.gov, current as of October 2026
  5. On record: North Dakota registered agent statute, ndlegis.gov, current as of October 2026
  6. Prices on the ND Registered Agents.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  7. Prices on the Mainstay Filing North Dakota service page, read November 13, 2026
  8. Prices on the North Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026