Massachusetts: key figures
49th
on the 50-state list for foreign LLCs
Fee the state takes at registration
$500
Report you must file again
$500
Foreign LLC annual report
Paper from the home state
90 days
It must have been issued within
What the state collects in 3 years
$1,500
The first filing and two years of upkeep
What we would pick in Massachusetts
Every criterion and weight is on the
method page.
Ranked first
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a third or fourth state down the road
$199 to register, then $149 a year
Our first choice is Mainstay Filing. $199 plus state fees covers the registration, and the resident agent costs nothing in year 1.
Massachusetts Registered Agent.co is $100 lower over three years, but this provider takes more of the state paperwork off your plate, and that is what moves it up.
The free year gives way to $149 a year in every state.
What your money gets you
- Prepares your registration and files it
- One price wherever you file
What works
- The same price in every state
- $199 on top of Massachusetts's fee
What to weigh
- The agent renews at $149, which is $50 above Massachusetts Registered Agent.co
Massachusetts specialist
2. Massachusetts Registered Agent.co: best for adding only Massachusetts
$199 to register, then $99 a year
Next comes Massachusetts Registered Agent.co, because you pay $199 plus the state fee, and your first agent year is included, then $99 a year for the agent.
What your money gets you
- Prepares and submits your registration
- A year of agent service
What works
- The agent renews at $99
- $199 above the state fee
- A year of agent service is in the price
What to weigh
- No help beyond this state
Massachusetts specialist
3. MA Registered Agent.org: best for Massachusetts registrations
$199 to register, then $99 a year
Last on the list is MA Registered Agent.org, because you pay $199 plus the state fee, and your first agent year is included, then $99 a year for the agent.
On price it is exactly level with Massachusetts Registered Agent.co.
What your money gets you
- Prepares and submits your registration
- A year of agent service
What works
- $199 above the state fee
- The agent renews at $99
- A year of agent service is in the price
What to weigh
- No help beyond this state
Massachusetts picks in one table
Each company's own price page was open in front of us on November 13, 2026. The $500 state fee is not part of any row.
Registration and upkeep by year
The registration fee is $500, with a $500 report from year 2, and provider fees are added on top.
How Massachusetts compares with the states near it in the ranking
Massachusetts foreign registration: the fee, the form and the office
The Foreign Limited Liability Company Application for Registration (General Laws Chapter 156C, Section 48) plus $500 is what the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division wants from an LLC formed in another state. Your application must come with certificate of legal existence or good standing, dated within 90 days.
After you register, you must file the Foreign LLC annual report ($500), anniversary of registration.
Your checklist
- Certificate of legal existence or good standing, not older than 90 days.
- Your LLC's legal name and formation date in the home state.
- Somebody to serve as a resident agent in the state, and each of our picks offers this.
- Money set aside for the $500 state charge.
If your LLC never registers
If your LLC could ever need to sue there, register first (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)). Your contracts stay valid (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)).
Why Mainstay Filing comes first
Mainstay Filing wins on upkeep the price covers, which counts 26%, and Massachusetts Registered Agent.co is next.
With two states involved, the provider that works in each moved ahead of Massachusetts Registered Agent.co.
Massachusetts FAQ
How much will it cost to register my out-of-state LLC with Massachusetts?
$500 in state fees. Our picks add $199.
Which form do I use to register an out-of-state LLC with Massachusetts?
Use the Foreign Limited Liability Company Application for Registration (General Laws Chapter 156C, Section 48) and send it to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division.
Does the state want a certificate from my home state?
Yes, you need certificate of legal existence or good standing, dated within 90 days of your filing.
Will my foreign LLC have to file anything every year?
Yes, you file the Foreign LLC annual report and pay $500.
What happens if my LLC does business there without registering?
If your LLC could ever need to sue there, register first (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)). Your contracts stay valid (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)).
Must I appoint a resident agent when registering in Massachusetts?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which service should I choose to register a foreign LLC?
Mainstay Filing comes first and Massachusetts Registered Agent.co and MA Registered Agent.org follow. What separates them is upkeep the price covers.
Where this briefing comes from
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, open malegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about M.G.L. c. 156C, sec. 12, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, official source, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, official source, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts registered agent statute, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Massachusetts Corporations Division, foreign LLC page, open sec.state.ma.us; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about G.L. c. 156C § 48, foreign LLC registration, open malegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about G.L. c. 156C § 54, failure to register, open malegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about G.L. c. 156D § 15.01, transacting business, open malegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Tennessee Secretary of State, business forms and fees, open sos.tn.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign, open sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Tennessee Secretary of State, business FAQs, open sos.tn.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation, open sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286, open publications.tnsosfiles.com; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Foreign LLC registration form, open corpfiles.delaware.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter IX, open delcode.delaware.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter XI, open delcode.delaware.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Division of Corporations fee schedule, August 2026, open corpfiles.delaware.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Alternative entity annual tax instructions, open corp.delaware.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Form 450, Application for Registration, open docs.sos.ri.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Business Services fee schedule, open docs.sos.ri.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about R.I, open webserver.rilegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about R.I, open webserver.rilegislature.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Form 452, Certificate of Cancellation, open docs.sos.ri.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Rhode Island other cost, open tax.ri.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms, open sos.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Form LLC-5, open bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Corporations Code section 17708.03, open leginfo.legislature.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135, open leginfo.legislature.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements, open ftb.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of what we say about California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and, open ftb.ca.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
- You can see Massachusetts service page for Mainstay Filing on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
- You can see pricing page for Massachusetts Registered Agent.co on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
- You can see pricing page for MA Registered Agent.org on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026