How to register a foreign LLC: the guide
Registering your LLC in a second state is five steps. This guide gives them in order and shows what each state changes: the form, the fee, whether you need paper from your home state and where to send it. Mainstay Filing is our pick if you would rather not do it yourself.
The five steps, in short
- Check the home state. Make sure the LLC is active there; a few states want a certificate.
- Choose an agent. You need a street address in the new state.
- Fill in the state’s application.
- Pay the state fee.
- Keep up the yearly filing.
Find your state
| State | Fee | Form | Step 1 needed? | File with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $150 | State application | No | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division |
| Alaska | $350 | Form 08-0497 | Yes, order a certificate | Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing |
| Arizona | $150 | Form L025 | Yes, order a certificate | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division |
| Arkansas | $270 | Form FL-01 | Yes, order a certificate | Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services |
| California | $70 | Form LLC-5 | Yes, order a certificate | California Secretary of State, Business Entities |
| Colorado | $100 | State application | No | Colorado Secretary of State, Business Program |
| Connecticut | $120 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division |
| Delaware | $200 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations |
| Florida | $125 | Form CR2E027 | Yes, order a certificate | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), Registration Section |
| Georgia | $235 | Form CD 241 | No | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division |
| Hawaii | $51 | Form FLLC-1 | Yes, order a certificate | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Business Registration Division |
| Idaho | $100 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Idaho Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Illinois | $150 | Form LLC-45.5 | Yes, order a certificate | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division |
| Indiana | $105 | State Form 56369 | Yes, order a certificate | Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Iowa | $100 | Form 635_0010 | Yes, order a certificate | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Kansas | $115 | Form FA | No | Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Kentucky | $90 | Form FBE | No | Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings |
| Louisiana | $185 | Form 972 | Yes, order a certificate | Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division |
| Maine | $250 | Form MLLC-12 | Yes, order a certificate | Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions |
| Maryland | $100 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Charter Division |
| Massachusetts | $500 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Michigan | $50 | Form CSCL/CD 760 | Yes, order a certificate | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division |
| Minnesota | $185 | State application | No | Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Mississippi | $250 | Filing F0200 | Yes, order a certificate | Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Missouri | $105 | Form LLC 4 | Yes, order a certificate | Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division |
| Montana | $70 | State application | No | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Nebraska | $100 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Nevada | $75 | State application | No | Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division |
| New Hampshire | $100 | Form FLLC-1 | No | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division |
| New Jersey | $100 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Department of the Treasury |
| New Mexico | $100 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| New York | $250 | Form DOS-1361-f-a | Yes, order a certificate | New York Department of State, Division of Corporations |
| North Carolina | $250 | Form L-09 | Yes, order a certificate | North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division |
| North Dakota | $135 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | North Dakota Secretary of State |
| Ohio | $99 | Form 617 | No | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Oklahoma | $300 | SOS Form 0081 | Yes, order a certificate | Oklahoma Secretary of State, Business Filing Department |
| Oregon | $275 | Form 110 | No | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division |
| Pennsylvania | $250 | DSCB:15-412 | No | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations |
| Rhode Island | $150 | Form 450 | Yes, order a certificate | Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division |
| South Carolina | $110 | Form F0008 | Yes, order a certificate | South Carolina Secretary of State |
| South Dakota | $750 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | South Dakota Secretary of State |
| Tennessee | $300 | SS-4233 | Yes, order a certificate | Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations |
| Texas | $750 | Form 304 | No | Texas Secretary of State |
| Utah | $59 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code |
| Vermont | $155 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Vermont Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Virginia | $100 | LLC1052 | Yes, order a certificate | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk |
| Washington | $180 | State application | Yes, order a certificate | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division |
| West Virginia | $150 | LLF-1 | Yes, order a certificate | West Virginia Secretary of State, Business & Licensing Division |
| Wisconsin | $100 | Form 521 | No | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services |
| Wyoming | $150 | FLLC-CertificateAuthority | Yes, order a certificate | Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division |
Download: CSV.
Questions
How long is the process?
Five steps in every state. Most of the time goes to the home-state certificate, in the states that want one, and to the state’s processing of the application.
Do I need a home-state certificate?
Only in 36 states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Can someone do the steps for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files the application for $199 plus the state fee, and supplies the registered agent free for the first year.