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Formation Scorecard

Registered agent scorecard · Virginia

2 Best Registered Agents in Virginia (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for registered agents in Virginia the order reads Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and VA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: $149 yearly for an agent that fits a company in one state or in fifty, with the first three government mailings each year scanned free.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Our top pick in Virginia

1. Mainstay Filing: best for every state

9.3 Editor score out of 10
$149 a year, no change on renewal

Mainstay Filing leads the card: $149 a year with no bump at renewal, and papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free.

Not formed yet? Mainstay's $199-a-year formation package covers the Virginia filing along with the annual registration fee.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $150 above VA Registered Agent.org's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • A physical registered office address in the state
  • Service of process scanned and uploaded the same business day, no fee
  • Three government mailings a year scanned without charge
  • Compliance reminders

Strengths

  • Fits LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
  • $149 a year with no renewal step-up
  • Served papers scanned on the day they arrive, free
  • First three government mailings each year scanned free

Watch for

  • Agent service alone costs $50 a year more than VA Registered Agent.org
  • The agent plan does not file annual reports
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Lower renewal than Mainstay

2. VA Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest yearly rate on this list

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

VA Registered Agent.org takes second spot: $99 a year, flat, with scans of served legal papers delivered online.

VA Registered Agent.org stands in as the company's registered office, receives served papers and posts scans of them to your online account.

What you get

  • A state street address serving as the registered office
  • Scans of served documents appear in your account online

Strengths

  • Costs less per year than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 a year and no renewal bump
  • Can form the LLC and include the first agent year

Watch for

  • You file the Annual Registration Fee yourself
  • Limited to Virginia; other states need another agent
Visit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. VA Registered Agent.org: the full write-up

The 2 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Yearly cost Renews at Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.3 $149 $149/yr An agent for every state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 VA Registered Agent.org 9.1 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The marks out of 10 come from our editors and follow the weights on How we rank; none of them is a customer rating.

Virginia registered agent cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Holds its price at renewal
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447 Yes
VA Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Virginia charges its own fees the same way whichever agent you name.

Reading the order

Points here: 25% for cost across three years, 25% for coverage of the price and 50% across renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity. Virginia came down to coverage of the price.

The Mainstay agent plan earns more coverage points: papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free, one price holds in all fifty states and three government mailings a year are scanned at no charge. VA Registered Agent.org wins on cost, so the two finish close.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

What the State Corporation Commission (SCC) requires of a Virginia registered agent (official)

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Virginia that is the agent's business office. A P.O. box is accepted only in a town of under 2,000 people with no street address. Statute: Va. Code § 13.1-1015.

The Virginia Annual Registration Fee: fee, due date and your agent

Virginia LLCs file the Annual Registration Fee every year. The fee is $50 and the date is last day of the LLC's anniversary month. Filing late means $25 more. The state sends related notices to your registered agent.

Virginia registered agent: quick questions

Is a Virginia LLC obliged to keep a registered agent?

It is. Virginia wants every LLC to have a registered agent on file, and that agent must hold a street address inside the state.

What is the going yearly rate for a registered agent in Virginia?

Yearly prices span $99 to $149, and each service holds its price when it renews.

Is it allowed to serve as my own registered agent?

Yes, if you satisfy the state's conditions. A Virginia resident who is a member, manager or officer of the LLC (or of an entity that manages it) or a member of the Virginia State Bar, or a corporation, LLC or registered LLP authorized in Virginia.

When must the Virginia Annual Registration Fee be filed?

The deadline is last day of the LLC's anniversary month. The state's fee is $50. A late filing is penalized with $25.

Which registered agents sit on this card?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and VA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), top to bottom.

Which Virginia registered agent scores best on value?

Mainstay Filing, since a $149 agent plan that travels to any state, renewing at $149.

See also

Where the figures come from

  1. Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, official source, as of October 2026
  2. Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing, official source, as of October 2026
  3. Va. Code § 13.1-1010, as of August 2026
  4. Virginia formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  5. Virginia registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  6. Read on November 12, 2026: Virginia service page for Mainstay Filing
  7. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for VA Registered Agent.org