Class 3 · Massachusetts
Foreign LLC Registration Class, Massachusetts (2026): 5 Assignments and the 3 Best Services
Read this first
You will leave able to
- When registration is required
- The form and the fee
- What staying registered costs
- Which services we recommend and why
If you want someone else to file
1. MA Registered Agent.org: best for adding just Massachusetts
MA Registered Agent.org earns the top grade in Massachusetts: a service fee of $199 and an agent renewal of $99 a year.
Tuition breaks the tie: three years run cheaper here than at Mainstay Filing.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- One year of agent service is part of the price
Strengths
- A $199 service charge
- A free first agent year
- The agent renews at $99
Weak spots
- A single-state service
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a second state
Mainstay Filing lands in second place: $199 over the state fee, the resident agent free in year one and $149 a year after that.
MA Registered Agent.org undercuts it by $100 over three years, which keeps this one out of first.
From year two you pay $149 a year for the agent, wherever you register.
Covered by the tuition
- Registration is filed for you
- A service for all fifty states
Strengths
- $199 on top of Massachusetts's fee
- One price anywhere
Weak spots
- A pricier agent renewal ($149)
3. Massachusetts Registered Agent.co: best for registering only in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Registered Agent.co lands in third place: a service fee of $199 and an agent renewal of $99 a year.
Its prices match MA Registered Agent.org's, so either works.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- One year of agent service is part of the price
Strengths
- The agent renews at $99
- A free first agent year
- A $199 service charge
Weak spots
- A single-state service
3 services, side by side
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit MA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Massachusetts Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Massachusetts Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The assignments
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Assignment
1When registration is required
LLCs formed outside Massachusetts file a foreign registration before transacting business here. Doing business without registering means: An LLC that has not registered cannot be a plaintiff here (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)). Its contracts remain valid (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)).
Textbook page: Look at sec.state.ma.us for yourself; we read it in October 2026
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Assignment
2Request the certificate your home state issues
Enclose certificate of legal existence or good standing, not older than 90 days.
Ask for the certificate shortly before filing day.
-
Assignment
3Appoint the Massachusetts resident agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a street address in Massachusetts. A post office address is not sufficient.
The grade list covers this role.
Textbook page: Look at sec.state.ma.us for yourself; we read it in October 2026
-
Assignment
4Put together and mail the Foreign Limited Liability Company Application for Registration (General Laws Chapter 156C, Section 48)
the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division is the office that wants the filing above plus $500.
Textbook page: Look at sec.state.ma.us for yourself; we read it in October 2026
-
Assignment
5Look ahead to the recurring filing
Once registered, a foreign LLC sends in the Foreign LLC annual report ($500), anniversary of registration.
What each assignment costs in Massachusetts
| Line item | Goes to | Sum |
|---|---|---|
| Registering the LLC | State office | $500 |
| Foreign LLC annual report | State office | $500 |
| Paid help | Service | $199 for year one |
| State total across three years | State office | $1,500 |
How the grades came out
Tuition across three years makes up 30% of the grade, and that is where got ahead in Massachusetts.
Three years with MA Registered Agent.org add up to $397, which is $100 under Mainstay Filing.
Massachusetts pop quiz
What is Massachusetts's fee for an out-of-state LLC?
$500 in state fees. A service adds $199.
Which form do I file to register?
One form does the job, and the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division handles it.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of legal existence or good standing, issued within 90 days of filing.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
An LLC that has not registered cannot be a plaintiff here (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)). Its contracts remain valid (G.L. c. 156C, 54(a)).
What is due after registering?
Look ahead to the Foreign LLC annual report, which costs $500.
Which service should handle the registration?
MA Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing and Massachusetts Registered Agent.co, from the highest grade to the lowest.
Textbook pages and extra reading
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth facts, malegislature.gov is the page to read, and we last read it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of the M.G.L. c. 156C, sec. 12 facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in August 2026.
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, official source facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts formation fee: Filing fee, official source facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts registered agent statute facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the Massachusetts Corporations Division, foreign LLC page facts, sec.state.ma.us is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the G.L. c. 156C § 48, foreign LLC registration facts, malegislature.gov is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the G.L. c. 156C § 54, failure to register facts, malegislature.gov is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- If you want proof of the G.L. c. 156D § 15.01, transacting business facts, malegislature.gov is the page to read, and we last read it in October 2026.
- MA Registered Agent.org's pricing page, read on November 13, 2026
- Mainstay Filing's Massachusetts service page, read on November 13, 2026
- Massachusetts Registered Agent.co's pricing page, read on November 13, 2026