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Module 3 · Vermont

How to Register a Foreign LLC in Vermont (2026): 5 Steps and the 3 Best Services

Here is the 2026 answer for registering a foreign LLC in Vermont: Mainstay Filing ($199), VT Registered Agent.org ($199) and Vermont Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked in that order. Then 5 steps, from the first check to the yearly upkeep (state fee $155).

The Founder Classroom teaching team ·

The short version

Registration fee
$155Per sos.vermont.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Certificate needed
90 daysNo older than this
Annual filing
$170Annual report
Three years of state fees
$495Registration, reports and any minimum tax
How many steps
5Numbered below

By the end you will know

  • When registration is required
  • The form and the fee
  • The recurring filing
  • Who we would hire to file

Teacher's pick

Who we'd use in Vermont

How we graded: five criteria, with three-year cost and steps handled counting most.
Our pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider in both states

$199 plus fees; $149 a year later

Start with Mainstay Filing: a $199 service fee plus Vermont's own fee, then $149 yearly for the agent.

The three-year premium over VT Registered Agent.org is $100, which the 35% steps-handled weight covers.

After the free first year the agent is $149 a year in any state.

What you get

  • Filing with the state
  • Registered agent free for year one
  • All fifty states

What we like

  • $199 over the state fee
  • Year one agent included
  • Any state at one fee

Watch out for

  • Higher agent renewal ($149)
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Local choice

2. VT Registered Agent.org: best for adding just Vermont

$199 plus fees; $99 a year later

In second, VT Registered Agent.org: $199 over the state fee to register, $99 yearly after.

What you get

  • Your filing, done
  • A year of agent service

What we like

  • Free first agent year
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • Low $99 renewal

Watch out for

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit VT Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Local choice

3. Vermont Registered Agent.co: best for registering only in Vermont

$199 plus fees; $99 a year later

In third, Vermont Registered Agent.co: $199 over the state fee to register, $99 yearly after.

Same published prices as VT Registered Agent.org.

What you get

  • Your filing, done
  • A year of agent service

What we like

  • Low $99 renewal
  • Free first agent year
  • $199 plus the state fee

Watch out for

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit Vermont Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The 3 picks side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2VT Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit VT Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Vermont Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Vermont Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Published prices, read November 12, 2026. Add Vermont's $155 registration fee to each row.

The steps

  1. Step 1: Check that registration applies

    The rule: an LLC from another state registers before doing business in Vermont. Skipping it has consequences: No lawsuits as plaintiff before registering (11 V.S.A. 4119(a)(1)). Contracts it already signed stay valid (11 V.S.A. 4119(b)). Every day can cost $50.

    Official source: Per legislature.vermont.gov, last confirmed October 2026

  2. Step 2: Order the home-state document

    Include certificate of existence (certificate of good standing), not more than 90 days.

    TipOrder it last so it is still recent when you file.

  3. Step 3: Get a registered agent with a Vermont address

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a street address in Vermont. P.O. boxes and virtual addresses are not accepted.

    TipEach of our picks includes the registered agent.

    Official source: Per legislature.vermont.gov, last confirmed October 2026

  4. Step 4: Send in the Application for certificate of authority

    The Vermont Secretary of State, Business Services Division takes the Application for certificate of authority and the $155 fee.

    Official source: Per sos.vermont.gov, last confirmed October 2026

  5. Step 5: Keep the registration active

    Next comes the annual report at $170, within three months after your fiscal year ends.

The cost of this lesson

WhatPayeePrice
The registration stepState office$155
Annual reportState office$170
Help from a serviceThe service$199 first year
State fees for three yearsState office$495
The state rows are official figures; the service row uses each company's published price. The three-year total leaves service fees out.

Why Mainstay Filing comes first

What decided it: lesson steps handled, 35% of our rubric.

Covering several states beat VT Registered Agent.org's lower renewal.

Questions students ask

What does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Vermont?

$155 in state fees. A service adds $199.

Which form do I file to register?

The Vermont Secretary of State, Business Services Division takes the Application for certificate of authority.

Do I need a certificate from my home state?

Yes: certificate of existence (certificate of good standing), issued within 90 days of filing.

What if the LLC does business there without registering?

No lawsuits as plaintiff before registering (11 V.S.A. 4119(a)(1)). Contracts it already signed stay valid (11 V.S.A. 4119(b)). Every day can cost $50.

What is due after registering?

Plan for the annual report, which costs $170.

Which service should handle the registration?

In order: Mainstay Filing, VT Registered Agent.org and Vermont Registered Agent.co. Mainstay Filing comes first because registration for $199 plus state fees and a free first year as a registered agent.

See also

Reading list: official sources

  1. Vermont Secretary of State fee schedule, Annual Report, published at sos.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  2. Vermont report due date, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of August 2026
  3. Vermont formation fee: Filing fee, official source, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  4. Vermont registered agent statute, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  5. Vermont Secretary of State, foreign registration, published at sos.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  6. 11 V.S.A. § 4112, application for certificate of, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  7. 11 V.S.A. § 4113, activities that are not, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  8. 11 V.S.A. § 4033, annual report, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of October 2026
  9. 11 V.S.A. 4119, effect of failure to obtain, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of November 2026
  10. 11A V.S.A. 15.02, consequences of transacting business without, published at legislature.vermont.gov, as of November 2026
  11. Prices from Mainstay Filing's Vermont service page, November 12, 2026
  12. Prices from VT Registered Agent.org's pricing page, November 12, 2026
  13. Prices from Vermont Registered Agent.co's pricing page, November 12, 2026