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LLC SchoolhousePlain LLC lessons, one state at a time.

Session 1 · Alaska

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

Here is who we would send a new founder to for setting up an LLC in Alaska in 2026: Alaska Registered Agent.co ($199), AK Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in grade order. Take it in 7 steps: the state charges $250 to file and wants the biennial report every two years.

Taught by the LLC Schoolhouse editors

This lesson at a glance

Fee to file$250Checked against akleg.gov, August 2026
Biennial report$100 every 2 yearsMark your calendar: January 2 of the filing year
What the state collects in three years$350Before any service fees
Steps in this lesson7One at a time

What you will learn

  • The Alaska filing, what it costs and where it goes
  • What the registered agent rule asks of you
  • What comes after formation
  • The services we recommend

The Alaska services we recommend

Five weighted criteria from how we grade set the order, and three-year cost and steps handled count most.
First choice

1. Alaska Registered Agent.co: best for an inexpensive Alaska start

$199 to start, $99 a year from year two

Alaska Registered Agent.co gets our top grade for Alaska: $199 gets you started with a free first agent year, and $99 each year from year two.

On three-year cost it beats Mainstay Filing, which is a big part of our grading.

The biennial report remains on your to-do list every two years.

What the price covers

  • Filing with the state
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • $199 to form
  • The agent renews at $99
  • Agent covered for year one

Where it loses points

  • The biennial report is left to you
  • It charges $99 for the EIN step
Alaska specialist

2. AK Registered Agent.org: best for LLCs that stay in Alaska

$199 to start, $99 a year from year two

AK Registered Agent.org is a sound second choice because $199 gets you started with a free first agent year, and $99 each year from year two.

The biennial report remains on your to-do list every two years.

On price it is level with Alaska Registered Agent.co.

What the price covers

  • Filing with the state
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • The agent renews at $99
  • Agent covered for year one
  • $199 to form

Where it loses points

  • The biennial report is left to you
  • It charges $99 for the EIN step
Works in every state

3. Mainstay Filing: best for new founders who want it handled

$199 a year, with $449 covering the state fee

Mainstay Filing lands in third place, and the reason is clear: you pay $199 each year and the formation, the registered agent service and the biennial report all get done.

Three years run $200 higher than Alaska Registered Agent.co.

You never file the biennial report yourself; only the $100 state fee is added.

What the price covers

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Biennial report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application
  • The state fee is passed through at cost

Marks in its favor

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

Where it loses points

  • A $100 yearly premium over Alaska Registered Agent.co

The 3 graded picks compared

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Alaska Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Alaska Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2AK Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit AK Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Company prices as posted on November 13, 2026. The $250 state fee is extra in every row.

How to form your Alaska LLC

  1. Step
    1

    Check that the name is available

    Use the business search at the Alaska Secretary of State to see whether another Alaska company already holds your name; a clash can get the filing sent back.

    Check whether the matching web domain is free while you are at it.

  2. Step
    2

    Appoint a registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. An Alaska resident whose business office is the registered office, or a corporation authorized to do business in Alaska whose business office is the registered office.

    The registered office needs a physical Alaska address. A P.O. box can be given only as a separate mailing address.

    You can hire any of the graded services for this job.

    Where this comes from: Checked against akleg.gov, October 2026

  3. Step
    3

    Choose between DIY and a service

    Doing it yourself means $250 to the state and nothing else. One of our picks charges $199 on top and takes over the paperwork.

  4. Step
    4

    Turn in the Articles of Organization

    Your formation filing is the Articles of Organization (Form 08-484); take it, plus $250, to the Alaska Secretary of State (Alaska Stat. §§ 10.50.070).

    Where this comes from: Checked against akleg.gov, August 2026

  5. Step
    5

    Obtain an EIN

    Your EIN comes from the IRS rather than from Alaska. Apply once the state has approved the filing, then give the number to your bank. The EIN application is one of the things Mainstay Filing does for you.

  6. Step
    6

    Sign an operating agreement

    An operating agreement spells out who owns the Alaska LLC and how decisions are made. You keep it with your records, and the state never sees it.

  7. Step
    7

    Look ahead to year two

    Every other year the LLC files the biennial report and pays $100; the due date is January 2 of the filing year. A late filing costs $37.50 more.

    Where this comes from: Checked against commerce.alaska.gov, August 2026

What each step costs in Alaska

WhatPaid toAmount
The formation stepState$250
Biennial reportState$100 every two years
Late reportState$37.50
Filing service (optional)Your service$199 to start
State total over three yearsState$350
Three-year state total: the filing, plus reports in years two and three, plus any minimum tax. Sources are below.

Why this order

won on tuition over three years (32% of the grade), with right behind.

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

Alaska questions

What is the price of forming a Alaska LLC?

The state's fee is $250. Our picks charge $199 on top.

Which form creates the LLC?

Look for the Articles of Organization (Form 08-484); the Alaska Secretary of State is where it gets filed.

Is a registered agent required?

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

What does Alaska require each year?

Alaska asks for the biennial report every two years. The fee is $100, and the due date is January 2 of the filing year.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

Yes, you may. Pay the state $250 when you file, and remember that the LLC still needs a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Alaska Registered Agent.co, AK Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing, graded from first to last.

Keep studying

Class references

  1. Class reference on Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development: commerce.alaska.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  2. Class reference on Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development: commerce.alaska.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  3. Class reference on Alaska report due date: commerce.alaska.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  4. Class reference on Alaska Stat. §§ 10.50.070, 10.50.075: akleg.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  5. Alaska Registered Agent.co pricing page: opened and read on November 13, 2026
  6. AK Registered Agent.org pricing page: opened and read on November 13, 2026
  7. Mainstay Filing Alaska service page: opened and read on November 13, 2026