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Formation Scorecard

Foreign registration scorecard · New York

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in New York (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for foreign registration services in New York the order reads Mainstay Filing ($199), New York Registered Agent.ai ($199) and NY Registered Agent.org ($199). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: $199 on top of the state's fee, with a free first year as your agent for service of process and the same price in every state.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Top pick on this page

1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies spread across states

9.5 Editor score out of 10
$199 service fee, $449 due at checkout including the state fee; agent $149 yearly from year two

Mainstay Filing leads the card: it files the New York registration for $199 and acts as your agent for service of process, free for year one and $149 a year after.

The agent is free in year one and $149 a year after that, wherever the company registers.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $100 above New York Registered Agent.ai's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • Registration prepared and submitted
  • The first agent for service of process year at no charge
  • Service of process scanned and uploaded the same business day, no fee

Strengths

  • Same price across all fifty states
  • Agent for service of process free for year one
  • Served papers scanned on the day they arrive, free
  • $199 service fee, with the state fee on top

Watch for

  • Agent renewal of $149 is $50 more than New York Registered Agent.ai charges
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best for a New York-only company

2. New York Registered Agent.ai: best for companies that add just New York

9.1 Editor score out of 10
Service fee $199 with the state fee added; agent renewing at $99

New York Registered Agent.ai takes second spot: the New York registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

What you get

  • Foreign registration done for you
  • Year-one agent for service of process service included

Strengths

  • Year one as your agent for service of process is included
  • $199 to register, state fee extra
  • Second-year agent cost: $99

Watch for

  • Limited to New York; your home state still needs an agent
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit New York Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. New York Registered Agent.ai: the full write-up
Rank #3 Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. NY Registered Agent.org: best for registrations in New York only

8.8 Editor score out of 10
Service fee $199 with the state fee added; agent renewing at $99

NY Registered Agent.org takes third spot: the New York registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

NY Registered Agent.org mirrors New York Registered Agent.ai on price and plan features, so little divides them.

What you get

  • Foreign registration done for you
  • First-year agent for service of process service

Strengths

  • Second-year agent cost: $99
  • Includes the first agent for service of process year
  • $199 to register, state fee extra

Watch for

  • Limited to New York; your home state still needs an agent
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. NY Registered Agent.org: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.5 $199 $149/yr Companies spread over several states Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 New York Registered Agent.ai 9.1 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal we rank here Visit New York Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 NY Registered Agent.org 8.8 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal we rank here Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Formation Scorecard assigns each mark out of 10 itself, using the weighted criteria on How we rank. No customer ratings feed in.

New York foreign registration service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Agent paid in year one
Mainstay Filing $199 $149 $149 $497 Free
New York Registered Agent.ai $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
NY Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 Included

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add New York's $250 registration fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Reading the order

Coverage of the price decided the New York card. The method puts 25% on cost across three years and 25% on coverage of the price, then shares 50% among renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity.

A foreign registration touches two states, so a single provider at one price in both earned the most coverage points, ahead of New York Registered Agent.ai.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

Foreign LLC registration in New York: fee, form and filing office

An outside company registers by sending the Application for Authority of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form DOS-1361-f-a) to the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, with a $250 state fee. New York additionally requires certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing), dated no more than 365 days before filing.

Once registered, the company files the biennial statement ($9), due every two years, in the month the application was filed.

Gather these before filing

  • Certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing), issued no earlier than 365 days before filing.
  • The company name exactly as the home state has it, plus the date it was formed.
  • An in-state agent for service of process; any service on this card can fill that role.
  • The state fee of $250, sent in with the filing.
  • A calendar date for the biennial statement and its $9 fee.

New York foreign registration service: quick questions

Does New York make an outside LLC register before operating?

Yes, when the company does business there.

What will foreign registration run in New York?

Expect $250 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the registration form called in New York?

The form goes to the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations; its exact name is in the facts above.

Is a home-state certificate part of the New York filing?

Yes, the state wants certificate of Existence (also called a Certificate of Good Standing), no older than 365 days.

Does a registered company still need a agent for service of process?

The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional.

Which foreign registration service leads the card for New York?

Mainstay Filing, since $199 plus state fees in any state, year-one agent for service of process service included.

See also

Where the figures come from

  1. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code, as of August 2026
  2. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code, as of August 2026
  3. New York report due date, as of August 2026
  4. NY Limited Liability Company Law § 203, as of August 2026
  5. New York formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  6. New York registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  7. Department of State, Application for Authority, as of October 2026
  8. LLC Law § 802, application for authority, as of October 2026
  9. LLC Law § 808, consequences of doing business without authority, as of October 2026
  10. Department of State, Certificate of Publication, as of October 2026
  11. Read on November 12, 2026: New York service page for Mainstay Filing
  12. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for New York Registered Agent.ai
  13. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for NY Registered Agent.org