Lesson 3 · Georgia
Foreign LLC Registration in Georgia (2026): a 4-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Services
Before you begin
By the end you will know
- When the rule applies
- What to file and what it costs
- Staying in good standing
- Our graded picks and the reasoning
If you would like help with the filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for expanding LLCs
We would start a new founder with Mainstay Filing: $199 beyond the state fee, with the registered agent free in year one and $149 a year afterward.
Three years here cost $100 more than Georgia Registered Agent.co, in return for doing more of the work.
The agent renews at $149 a year in every state.
What the price covers
- Registration filed for you
- The registered agent costs nothing in year one
- All fifty states
Marks in its favor
- $199 on top of Georgia's fee
- Covers all fifty states
- Registered agent free in year one
Where it loses points
- Georgia Registered Agent.co's agent costs $50 less each renewal
2. Georgia Registered Agent.co: best for one extra state
Taking second place is Georgia Registered Agent.co, where it files the Georgia registration for $199 and includes a year of agent service, then renews at $99.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A free first agent year
- $199 to register
- Then $99 a year
Where it loses points
- A one-state service
3. GA Registered Agent.org: best for a low agent renewal
Taking third place is GA Registered Agent.org, where it files the Georgia registration for $199 and includes a year of agent service, then renews at $99.
Georgia Registered Agent.co and this service charge the same.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A free first agent year
- $199 to register
- Then $99 a year
Where it loses points
- A one-state service
Our Georgia picks side by side
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Georgia Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Georgia Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | GA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit GA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Registering in Georgia, one step at a time
-
Step
1Find out whether your LLC must register with Georgia
A foreign LLC is simply one formed in another state, and it registers before doing business in Georgia. Operating unregistered means: Its own claims cannot go to court in Georgia until the registration is made (O.C.G.A. 14-2-1502).
Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.ga.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
2Find a registered agent with a Georgia address
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a Georgia street address that is also the agent's business office, and the agent has to be located there. A P.O. box or mail drop cannot be used.
Each of our picks includes the registered agent.
Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.ga.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
3Hand in the Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company
Registering means giving the Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form CD 241) to the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division together with $235.
Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.ga.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
4Keep the registration active
Look out for the annual registration and its $60 fee (between January 1 and April 1).
The cost of this lesson
| Step | Who you pay | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | State | $235 |
| Annual registration | State | $60 |
| Filing service (optional) | The provider | $199 for year one |
| State fees for three years | State | $355 |
How we graded the Georgia picks
Homework the price handles carries 33% of the report card, and that is where pulled ahead in Georgia.
The company belongs to one state and works in another, which makes one provider for both the strongest choice.
Short answers
What will the state charge to register a foreign LLC with Georgia?
$235 for the filing. Service fees: $199.
Which form do I file to register?
The form to use is the Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form CD 241), and the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division is where it goes.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
Its own claims cannot go to court in Georgia until the registration is made (O.C.G.A. 14-2-1502).
What is due after registering?
Keep the registration alive by filing the annual registration; the fee is $60.
Which services are in this lesson?
3 services are covered: Mainstay Filing at $199, Georgia Registered Agent.co at $199 and GA Registered Agent.org at $199.
Which service should handle the registration?
Mainstay Filing, Georgia Registered Agent.co and GA Registered Agent.org, graded from first to last.
Class references
- Source for Georgia Secretary of State fee schedule Rev. 8/2025: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Georgia report due date: law.justia.com, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division fee schedule: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Georgia registered agent statute: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Georgia Secretary of State, how to register a: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Form CD 241, application for certificate of authority: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Form CD 555, application for withdrawal: sos.ga.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Prices taken from the Georgia service page of Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the pricing page of Georgia Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the pricing page of GA Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026