Best registered agent by state
Our pick in every state is Mainstay Filing. It is $149 a year, the same at renewal, and available in all 50 states. Each state page adds the agent rules there and the alternatives with their prices.
Mainstay Filing
$149 a year for the agent
- Same price at renewal
- Service of process is scanned and uploaded the same business day at no fee
- The first three government mailings a year are scanned free; after that a per-piece fee applies
- Or $199 a year with formation and the annual report
Mainstay Filing pricing, FAQ and services pages, read October 25, 2026.
Pick your state
| State | Agent needed? | Providers priced | Year-1 price range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Required | 10 | $0 to $249 |
| Alaska | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Arizona | Required | 8 | $99 to $596 |
| Arkansas | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| California | Required | 8 | $0 to $249 |
| Colorado | Required | 8 | $99 to $596 |
| Connecticut | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Delaware | Required | 7 | $89 to $249 |
| Florida | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| Georgia | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Hawaii | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Idaho | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Illinois | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| Indiana | Required | 8 | $99 to $249 |
| Iowa | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Kansas | Required | 5 | $99 to $249 |
| Kentucky | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Louisiana | Required | 8 | $99 to $249 |
| Maine | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| Maryland | Required | 7 | $99 to $596 |
| Massachusetts | Required | 7 | $89 to $249 |
| Michigan | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Minnesota | Office required | 10 | $0 to $249 |
| Mississippi | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| Missouri | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| Montana | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Nebraska | Required | 7 | $99 to $249 |
| Nevada | Required | 8 | $99 to $596 |
| New Hampshire | Required | 9 | $99 to $249 |
| New Jersey | Required | 8 | $99 to $596 |
| New Mexico | Required | 9 | $99 to $596 |
| New York | Optional | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| North Carolina | Required | 9 | $0 to $249 |
| North Dakota | Required | 9 | $99 to $596 |
| Ohio | Required | 9 | $89 to $596 |
| Oklahoma | Required | 6 | $0 to $249 |
| Oregon | Required | 8 | $99 to $297 |
| Pennsylvania | Office required | 8 | $89 to $596 |
| Rhode Island | Required | 8 | $99 to $249 |
| South Carolina | Required | 9 | $99 to $249 |
| South Dakota | Required | 6 | $89 to $249 |
| Tennessee | Required | 8 | $89 to $596 |
| Texas | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Utah | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Vermont | Required | 6 | $99 to $249 |
| Virginia | Required | 8 | $0 to $249 |
| Washington | Required | 8 | $0 to $249 |
| West Virginia | Optional | 9 | $99 to $249 |
| Wisconsin | Required | 6 | $99 to $596 |
| Wyoming | Required | 8 | $0 to $249 |
How we choose
Four tests, in order: the price at renewal, whether one provider covers the state, how fast legal papers reach you, and how plainly the provider states its limits. The full criteria, and what an agent does and does not do.
What is the best registered agent service?
For most companies Mainstay Filing: $149 a year for the agent alone, the same at renewal, or $199 a year with formation and the annual report. Cheaper plans exist; the state pages show them with their renewal prices.
Do I need a registered agent in every state?
Almost every state requires one on record, with a few exceptions such as New York, West Virginia, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, which use a different rule. Each state page has the rule and statute.
Can I be my own registered agent?
In many states, yes, if you have a street address there and are available in business hours. The address then goes on the public record, and a missed service of process can end in a default judgment.