How to Register a Foreign LLC in Michigan (2026): 5 Steps and the 3 Best Services
We would send a new founder in Michigan to Michigan Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and MI Registered Agent.org ($199) for registering a foreign LLC in 2026, in that order. The lesson follows in 5 steps; the state's filing fee is $50, and each report after that is $25.
Published prices, read November 12, 2026. State fee ($50) not included.
Registering in Michigan, step by step
Step1
Step 1: Confirm you need to register
If your LLC was formed outside Michigan and does business there, it needs a foreign registration first. What happens if you skip it: No lawsuits as plaintiff before registering (MCL 450.5007(1)). The company's contracts remain enforceable (MCL 450.5007(3)).
Official source: As listed on michigan.gov in October 2026
Step2
Step 2: Order a certificate from your home state
Include certificate of good standing, at most 30 days.
TipOrder it once the rest of the filing is ready.
Step3
Step 3: Line up a Michigan resident agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Michigan, which does not have to be the place of business. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Step 4: File the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies)
This filing, the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies) (Form CSCL/CD 760), costs $50 at the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division.
The recurring filing is the annual statement, $25, February 15.
Step-by-step costs
Item
Who you pay
Amount
The registration step
State
$50
Annual statement
State
$25
Optional service
Your service
$199 year one
Three years of state fees
State
$100
State amounts come from Michigan'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.
A founder paying Michigan Registered Agent.co spends $397 by the end of year three, keeping $100 that Mainstay Filing would cost.
Questions students ask
What does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Michigan?
$50 at the state office. Services on this page charge $199 more.
Which form do I file to register?
You submit the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan (for foreign limited liability companies) (Form CSCL/CD 760) to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of good standing, issued within 30 days of filing.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
No lawsuits as plaintiff before registering (MCL 450.5007(1)). The company's contracts remain enforceable (MCL 450.5007(3)).
What is due after registering?
Step 5 covers it: the annual statement for $25.
Which service should handle the registration?
We'd go with Michigan Registered Agent.co, because a $199 service fee and $99 a year for the agent in Michigan. Then Mainstay Filing and MI Registered Agent.org.