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LLC 101 Guide

Section 3 · Connecticut

Foreign LLC Registration in Connecticut (2026): 5 Tasks and the 3 Best Services

Short answer for 2026: if you want help registering an out-of-state LLC in Connecticut, go with Connecticut Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and CT Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked best first. Plan on 5 tasks and a $120 filing fee.

Prepared by the LLC 101 Guide instructors

The quick version

Registration fee
$120
Official page business.ct.gov, last read October 2026
Home certificate
90 days
No older than
Maintenance filing
$80
Annual report
What the state collects in three years
$280
Registration and reports
Tasks in this unit
5
One by one

What this unit teaches

  • When registration is required
  • The filing, its price and its office
  • Staying in good standing
  • Our recommendations, with reasons

Services we recommend in Connecticut

Five published criteria decide the order; read them on how we grade.

Top of the class

1. Connecticut Registered Agent.co: best for a budget registration

Highest grade$199 and the $120 state fee, then $99 yearly

Start the list with Connecticut Registered Agent.co, because $199 above the state fee, first agent year covered, then $99 a year.

On three-year cost it beats Mainstay Filing, which is a big share of the grade.

What the price covers

  • The filing is done for you
  • One year of agent service is part of the price

What works

  • $199 plus the state fee
  • First year of agent service costs nothing extra
  • $99 a year for the agent after that

What to weigh

  • The home state needs a different agent
Visit Connecticut Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

2. Mainstay Filing: best for several registrations

Any state$199 and the $120 state fee, then $149 yearly

Mainstay Filing takes second place: $199 beyond the state fee in any state, with year one of the agent included.

It runs $100 above Connecticut Registered Agent.co over three years, and cost is 34% of the grade.

From year two the agent is $149 a year, whichever state you register in.

What the price covers

  • The registration filing
  • The registered agent costs nothing in year one
  • One fee wherever you register

What works

  • First year of the agent is included
  • Any state, one fee
  • $199 plus the state fee

What to weigh

  • A pricier agent renewal ($149)
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

3. CT Registered Agent.org: best for Connecticut-only registrations

In-state service$199 and the $120 state fee, then $99 yearly

Pick number 3 is CT Registered Agent.org, where $199 above the state fee, first agent year covered, then $99 a year.

It lists the same prices as Connecticut Registered Agent.co.

What the price covers

  • The filing is done for you
  • One year of agent service is part of the price

What works

  • $99 a year for the agent after that
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • First year of agent service costs nothing extra

What to weigh

  • The home state needs a different agent
Visit CT Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

A comparison of the services

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Connecticut Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Connecticut Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3CT Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit CT Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices come from each company's own site, opened November 13, 2026. The $120 state fee is left out of the figures.

How registration works in Connecticut

  1. Task 1

    Find out whether you have to register

    LLCs formed outside Connecticut file a foreign registration to transact business here. Skipping registration has a price: Fees for the unregistered period come due as well.

    Source: Official page business.ct.gov, last read October 2026

  2. Task 2

    Get a certificate from your home state

    Connecticut asks for certificate of existence (certificate of good standing) from the state of formation, issued no more than 90 days.

    Request it close to your filing date.

  3. Task 3

    Get a registered agent with a Connecticut address

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a Connecticut street address that is not a P.O. box, plus a Connecticut mailing address, which can be a P.O. box.

    Any of the recommended services can fill this seat.

    Source: Official page cga.ct.gov, last read October 2026

  4. Task 4

    Fill out and send in the Foreign Registration Statement, Limited Liability

    That filing is the registration, and the state bills $120 for it.

    Source: Official page business.ct.gov, last read October 2026

  5. Task 5

    Handle Connecticut's recurring filing

    Plan for the annual report and its $80 fee (between January 1 and March 31).

Costs, task by task

Line itemReceiverAmount
Registering the LLCState office$120
Annual reportState office$80
Service fees (optional)Your service$199 at the start
State fees over years one to threeState office$280
State fees were read from the official pages named in the sources. Three years means the filing, two years of reports and the minimum tax where there is one.

How the grades came out

pulled ahead of on course fee across three years, a criterion worth 34%.

Connecticut Registered Agent.co costs $397 for years one to three, while Mainstay Filing costs $100 more.

Common questions

What will foreign registration in Connecticut cost?

$120 for the filing. The services here charge $199 on top.

Which form do I file to register?

Fill in the form named in task 4 and send it to the Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division.

Do I need a certificate from my home state?

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

What if the LLC does business there without registering?

Fees for the unregistered period come due as well.

What is due after registering?

Task 5 covers it: the annual report for $80.

Which service should handle the registration?

Go with Connecticut Registered Agent.co: the Connecticut registration is filed for $199 and includes a year of agent service, with renewal at $99. Then Mainstay Filing and CT Registered Agent.org.

Reading list and sources

  1. Everything about Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in August 2026.
  2. Everything about Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in August 2026.
  3. Everything about Connecticut yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  4. Everything about Connecticut report due date above traces to cga.ct.gov, a page we reread in August 2026.
  5. Everything about Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  6. Everything about Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  7. Everything about Foreign LLC forms and fees, Business.CT.gov above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  8. Everything about Foreign Registration Statement form above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  9. Everything about Foreign investigations penalties above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  10. Everything about Who can be an agent above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  11. Everything about Foreign annual report forms and fees above traces to business.ct.gov, a page we reread in October 2026.
  12. We opened the pricing page at Connecticut Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026
  13. We opened the Connecticut service page at Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
  14. We opened the pricing page at CT Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026