How to Register a Foreign LLC in Kentucky (2026): 4 Steps and the 3 Best Services
The short answer for registering a foreign LLC in Kentucky this year (2026): Mainstay Filing ($199), KY Registered Agent.org ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. The 4 steps below start with whether you need to register at all. State fee: $90.
Read from each company's pricing on November 12, 2026. State fee ($90) not included.
Registering in Kentucky, step by step
Step1
Step 1: Confirm you need to register
An out-of-state LLC that transacts business in Kentucky registers before it starts. If it does business unregistered: An unregistered LLC cannot bring a suit there (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). Every day can cost $2.
Step 2: Get a registered agent with a Kentucky address
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical registered office in Kentucky that matches the agent's business address. A P.O. box is not enough.
Registered foreign LLCs file the annual report ($15), between January 1 and June 30 each year. Tax rule to know: Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue.
What each step costs in Kentucky
Item
Paid to
Price
Foreign registration
The state
$90
Annual report
The state
$15
Yearly minimum tax
The state
$175 a year
A service, if you use one
The service
$199 up front
Three years of state fees
The state
$645
State amounts come from Kentucky's official schedules (see References). The three-year state line adds the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax.
Behind the ranking
What decided it: lesson steps handled, 35% of our rubric.
A foreign LLC already lives in another state, so one provider for both states graded best.
Questions students ask
What does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Kentucky?
$90 for the filing. Add $199 for a service.
Which form do I file to register?
You submit the Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) (Form FBE) to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
An unregistered LLC cannot bring a suit there (KRS 14A.9-020(1)). Every day can cost $2.
What is due after registering?
After registering, the LLC owes the annual report ($15 each time).
Which services are in this lesson?
This lesson grades Mainstay Filing ($199), KY Registered Agent.org ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199).
Which service should handle the registration?
Mainstay Filing first, then KY Registered Agent.org and Kentucky Registered Agent.co; Mainstay Filing leads on lesson steps handled.