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LLC 101 Guide

Nationwide picks

3 Best Registered Agents (2026)

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and NH Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) are our top-graded registered agents for 2026. Mainstay Filing comes first. In short: $149 a year across all fifty states, so a growing company keeps one agent.

Prepared by the LLC 101 Guide instructors

Who we would hire

The order follows five criteria (how we grade).

Top of the class

1. Mainstay Filing: best for first-timers anywhere

Top of the classYear 1: $149, year 2: $149

A first-time owner anywhere should start with Mainstay Filing: $149 a year across all fifty states, so a growing company keeps one agent.

A reader in North Carolina would keep $150 over three years by choosing North Carolina Registered Agent.co, though that plan stops at the state line.

What the price covers

  • A street address in the state you choose
  • Up to three government letters a year, scanned free
  • Works for nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs too

What works

  • $149 in all fifty states
  • Renewal does not change

What to weigh

  • Costs more than a single-state plan
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for North Carolina businesses

North Carolina pickYear 1: $99, year 2: $99

North Carolina Registered Agent.co, our second pick: a North Carolina-only plan at $99 a year.

It focuses on North Carolina alone, which suits an owner who will never file elsewhere.

What the price covers

  • A registered office address in North Carolina
  • Served papers scanned into your account

What works

  • Less up front than the national pick
  • Renewal does not change

What to weigh

  • Nothing outside North Carolina
  • Does not file the yearly report
Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

3. NH Registered Agent.org: best for New Hampshire businesses

New Hampshire pickYear 1: $99, year 2: $99

Third on the list is NH Registered Agent.org: a New Hampshire-only plan at $99 a year.

It focuses on New Hampshire alone, which suits an owner who will never file elsewhere.

What the price covers

  • A registered office address in New Hampshire
  • Served papers scanned into your account

What works

  • Less up front than the national pick
  • Renewal does not change

What to weigh

  • Nothing outside New Hampshire
  • Does not file the yearly report
Visit NH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3 services in one table

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2North Carolina Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3NH Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297Visit NH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices read on November 13, 2026; each service passes the state fee through at cost.

What a first-time owner should look at

A price's three-year cost and the tasks it handles say more than its first-year figure. If the company might ever work in more than one state, coverage across states matters too.

Why Mainstay Filing is first

Two criteria weigh most: three-year cost, and how much of the state paperwork the price covers. A national list is read by owners in every state, so the provider that works for all of them grades highest. Prices run lower in North Carolina and New Hampshire, so North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NH Registered Agent.org take the next two places.

Choose your state

For one state, open its unit on appointing a registered agent: the tasks, the fees and our picks. Registered agents: all 50 states.

Check your answers

What are the best registered agents in 2026?

Mainstay Filing, North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NH Registered Agent.org, in that order.

What does a registered agent cost?

Our recommended services charge $99 to $149 a year.

Can one service cover every state?

Only Mainstay Filing, among the services listed; each state service stays inside its own state.

Why are one-state services on a national list?

A one-state company pays less under the local plan. North Carolina Registered Agent.co is our pick for North Carolina businesses; NH Registered Agent.org for New Hampshire businesses.

How did you grade them?

With the published rubric, which puts three-year cost and tasks handled first.

Where do I learn the steps for my state?

In the state units: registered agents, one unit for each state.

Reading list and sources

  1. Figures from Mainstay Filing's pricing page, November 13, 2026
  2. Figures from North Carolina Registered Agent.co's pricing page, November 13, 2026
  3. Figures from NH Registered Agent.org's pricing page, November 13, 2026