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LLC SchoolhousePlain LLC lessons, one state at a time.

Session 1 · Alabama

How to Start an LLC in Alabama (2026): a 7-Step Lesson and the 3 Best LLC Services

The graded picks for setting up an LLC in Alabama this year (2026) are AL Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Alabama Registered Agent.co ($199), best grade first. Work through 7 steps below; the state's own fee is $236.

Taught by the LLC Schoolhouse editors

Quick facts

State filing fee$236The official page is alison.legislature.state.al.us, last confirmed in October 2026
Report each yearNoneNo recurring report
State fees over three years$236State charges only
How many steps7From start to finish

In this lesson

  • The Alabama filing, what it costs and where it goes
  • What the agent rule says
  • What comes after formation
  • How the graded picks compare

Our graded picks for Alabama

The order follows five published criteria; read how we grade for the details.
First choice

1. AL Registered Agent.org: best for a budget formation

$199 plus fees, $99 yearly after

AL Registered Agent.org comes first, and here is why: $199 on top of the state fee, with the first year of agent service thrown in, then $99 yearly.

Cost decides this one: across three years it totals less than Mainstay Filing.

What the price covers

  • The filing is done for you
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • No agent fee in year one
  • $199 above the state fee
  • Then $99 a year

Where it loses points

  • It charges $99 for the EIN step
Upkeep included

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one flat yearly price

$199/year plus the $236 state fee

Mainstay Filing lands in second place, and the reason is clear: the filing and a year as your registered agent cost $199, and renewal brings no increase.

Three years run $200 higher than AL Registered Agent.org.

What the price covers

  • Your formation filing is prepared and submitted
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • The EIN application
  • The state fee is passed through at cost

Marks in its favor

  • $199 yearly, everything in one
  • The EIN application is included
  • Renewal stays at $199

Where it loses points

  • A $100 yearly premium over AL Registered Agent.org
  • The bundle gives less of an edge here
In-state service

3. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for LLCs that stay in Alabama

$199 plus fees, $99 yearly after

Alabama Registered Agent.co is a sound third choice because $199 on top of the state fee, with the first year of agent service thrown in, then $99 yearly.

On price it is level with AL Registered Agent.org.

What the price covers

  • The filing is done for you
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • $199 above the state fee
  • No agent fee in year one
  • Then $99 a year

Where it loses points

  • It charges $99 for the EIN step

Prices in one table

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1AL Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Alabama Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Taken from each company's pricing on November 13, 2026. No row includes the $236 state fee.

Starting an LLC in Alabama, one step at a time

  1. Step
    1

    Choose the LLC's name

    Type the name into the business search at the Alabama Secretary of State before you file anything, so you do not pick one that is in use.

    A backup name helps if the first one is taken.

  2. Step
    2

    Appoint a registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. An Alabama resident, or a business entity formed in Alabama or registered to do business there. The agent keeps a business office at the registered office address.

    The address has to be a street address in Alabama where papers can be handed to the agent. P.O. boxes are not accepted, and an agent cannot work only through a virtual office or a mail-forwarding service.

    Each of the picks above is able to act as your registered agent.

    Where this comes from: The official page is alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, last confirmed in October 2026

  3. Step
    3

    File it on your own, or hand it off

    You can file on your own and pay the state $236, or let a service do it for $199 more; the grades are above.

  4. Step
    4

    Hand in the Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation

    The Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation is what you prepare for the Alabama Secretary of State, and the filing fee that goes with it is $236.

    Where this comes from: The official page is alison.legislature.state.al.us, last confirmed in October 2026

  5. Step
    5

    Ask the IRS for an EIN

    Wait for the state to approve the LLC, then request the EIN from the IRS. Mainstay Filing treats the EIN application as part of the package.

  6. Step
    6

    Put your operating agreement on paper

    Think of the operating agreement as the LLC's rulebook: who owns what, kept by you and not sent to the state.

  7. Step
    7

    Keep the LLC active

    The state does not require a yearly report from Alabama LLCs. Just make sure the registered agent stays on record.

Costs, step by step

Cost itemPaid toAmount
Forming the LLCTo the state$236
A service, if you use oneThe service$199 in year one
State fees for three yearsTo the state$236
State amounts come from Alabama's official schedules (see the references); service prices come from each company's site. The three-year state total adds the filing, the reports from year two and any yearly minimum tax.

How the grade worked out

Tuition over three years carries 32% of the report card, and that is where pulled ahead in Alabama.

AL Registered Agent.org totals $397 for three years, leaving $200 in your pocket compared with Mainstay Filing.

Short answers

Which fees come with forming an LLC in Alabama?

The official fee is $236. Our picks charge $199 on top.

Which form creates the LLC?

It is the Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation, and you hand it to the Alabama Secretary of State.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does Alabama require each year?

No yearly LLC report is required.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

It is allowed. Do the filing on your own for $236 and line up a registered agent as well.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

We would pick AL Registered Agent.org, because it forms the Alabama LLC for $199 and covers the agent for year one, after which the agent renews at $99. After that, Mainstay Filing and Alabama Registered Agent.co.

Related lessons

Class references

  1. Class reference on Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  2. Class reference on Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.alabama.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  3. Class reference on Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: sos.alabama.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  4. Class reference on Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  5. Class reference on Alabama registered agent statute: alisondb.legislature.state.al.us (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  6. Prices taken from the pricing page of AL Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026
  7. Prices taken from the Alabama service page of Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
  8. Prices taken from the pricing page of Alabama Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026