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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · North Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in North Dakota (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in North Dakota the order reads North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), ND Registered Agents.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). North Dakota Registered Agent.co posts the top score: North Dakota formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Top pick on this page

1. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a North Dakota LLC that stays small

9.6 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

North Dakota Registered Agent.co leads the card: $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to North Dakota yourself every year.

Across three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • Year one as your registered agent is included
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best value here

2. ND Registered Agents.org: best for staying local in North Dakota

9.4 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

ND Registered Agents.org takes second spot: $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to North Dakota yourself every year.

North Dakota Registered Agent.co and ND Registered Agents.org post identical prices and plan features, so the points between them are close and either is a sound pick.

What you get

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • Agent at $99 a year from year two
  • Year one as your registered agent is included

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. ND Registered Agents.org: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best all-in yearly price

3. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and annual report

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $334 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing takes third spot: one $199 charge each year bundles the North Dakota formation, the registered agent and the annual report.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the annual report. North Dakota bills $50 every year for it, due November 15, and missing the date costs $50; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

North Dakota Registered Agent.co undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • Your formation paperwork, filed
  • A year-round registered agent
  • The annual report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • EIN application bundled in
  • One $199 yearly price that also files the annual report
  • North Dakota's state fee is added at cost
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above North Dakota Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 North Dakota Registered Agent.co 9.6 $199 $99/yr A North Dakota-only LLC on a tight budget Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 ND Registered Agents.org 9.4 $199 $99/yr A North Dakota-only LLC on a tight budget Visit ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Scores are Formation Scorecard's own marks out of 10, based on the criteria explained on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything here.

North Dakota LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Annual report included
North Dakota Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 No
ND Registered Agents.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add North Dakota's $135 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Why the order falls this way

The marking scheme gives 25% to cost across three years and 25% to coverage of the price, with renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity sharing 50%. For North Dakota, cost across three years made the difference.

North Dakota Registered Agent.co tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would add the annual report filing, but an owner can file it alone for just the state fee, so the lower price took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

North Dakota LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization carries a $135 fee at the North Dakota Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

Keeping the North Dakota LLC current

The annual report arrives every year and is due November 15. It carries a $50 fee. Late filings add $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

North Dakota LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in North Dakota cost to set up?

Expect $135 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Articles of Organization, and the North Dakota Secretary of State receives it.

Must a North Dakota LLC appoint a registered agent when it forms?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in North Dakota has to be on file from the start.

What does a North Dakota LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the annual report, due every year (November 15) with a $50 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. North Dakota Registered Agent.co and ND Registered Agents.org add $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for North Dakota?

North Dakota Registered Agent.co, since $199 plus the North Dakota filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 yearly.

Keep reading

Where the figures come from

  1. North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division, as of August 2026
  2. North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division, as of August 2026
  3. North Dakota report due date, as of August 2026
  4. North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  5. North Dakota registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  6. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for North Dakota Registered Agent.co
  7. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for ND Registered Agents.org
  8. Read on November 12, 2026: North Dakota service page for Mainstay Filing