Class 3 · Louisiana
Foreign LLC Registration in Louisiana (2026): a 5-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Services
Quick facts
What you will learn
- Whether Louisiana registration applies to you
- How the filing works
- The yearly upkeep
- The services we recommend
If you would like help with the filing
1. LA Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state
We would start a new founder with LA Registered Agent.org: a $199 service fee, then $99 a year for the agent in Louisiana.
Mainstay Filing costs more over three years, and that hands this service the top spot.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A service fee of $199
- A low $99 renewal
- No agent fee in year one
Where it loses points
- Louisiana only; your home state needs its own agent
2. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider for both states
Mainstay Filing is a sound second choice because $199 beyond the state fee, with the registered agent free in year one and $149 a year afterward.
LA Registered Agent.org is $100 lower across three years, which keeps this one out of first.
From year two the agent is $149 a year, wherever you register.
What the price covers
- Filing with the state
- The registered agent costs nothing in year one
- The same price in any state
Marks in its favor
- Year-one agent included
- $199 to register
- The same fee in every state
Where it loses points
- The agent renews at $149, $50 higher than LA Registered Agent.org
3. Louisiana Registered Agent.co: best for Louisiana registrations
For number 3 we picked Louisiana Registered Agent.co: a $199 service fee, then $99 a year for the agent in Louisiana.
It posts the same prices as LA Registered Agent.org.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A service fee of $199
- No agent fee in year one
- A low $99 renewal
Where it loses points
- Louisiana only; your home state needs its own agent
The 3 graded picks compared
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit LA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Louisiana Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Louisiana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The Louisiana registration, in order
-
Step
1Confirm that you must register
An LLC formed in another state registers in Louisiana before it does business there. Here is what happens if you skip it: If the LLC might ever need to sue, registering first matters (La. R.S. 12:1354(A)). Contracts it already signed are still good (La. R.S. 12:1354(B)). The state also collects back fees.
Where this comes from: Class notes: legis.la.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
2Get the home-state certificate
The filing needs certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, issued within 90 days.
Order it last so it is still fresh when you file.
-
Step
3Appoint a registered agent in Louisiana
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Louisiana, which the law treats as the company's domicile. P.O. boxes and virtual offices are not accepted.
The services in our list provide this.
Where this comes from: Class notes: legis.la.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
4Fill out and file the Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana, Foreign Limited Liability Company
That filing is the registration, and the state charges $185 for it.
Where this comes from: Class notes: static.sos.la.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
5Keep up with Louisiana's recurring filing
A registered foreign LLC files the annual report ($35), on or before the anniversary of your qualification.
Costs, step by step
| What | Payee | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The registration step | To the state | $185 |
| Annual report | To the state | $35 |
| Service fees (optional) | The service | $199 for year one |
| Three-year state total | To the state | $255 |
Why LA Registered Agent.org comes first
edged ahead of on tuition over three years, which counts for 32%.
Paying LA Registered Agent.org for three years adds up to $397, which is $100 below the Mainstay Filing total.
Common questions
What will I pay to get an out-of-state LLC registered with Louisiana?
$185 in state fees. The services on this page charge $199 more.
Which form do I file to register?
The Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division accepts it for foreign registration.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence or good standing from the jurisdiction of organization, issued within 90 days of filing.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
If the LLC might ever need to sue, registering first matters (La. R.S. 12:1354(A)). Contracts it already signed are still good (La. R.S. 12:1354(B)). The state also collects back fees.
What is due after registering?
Once registered, the LLC owes the annual report ($35 each time).
Which service should handle the registration?
We would pick LA Registered Agent.org, because $199 on top of the state fee to register, then $99 each year. After that, Mainstay Filing and Louisiana Registered Agent.co.
Class references
- Homework check for Louisiana Secretary of State: the facts come from geauxbiz.sos.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in August 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Louisiana Secretary of State: the facts come from sos.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in August 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Louisiana yearly filing: Annual report, official source: the facts come from legis.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Louisiana Secretary of State fee changes effective October: the facts come from static.sos.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Louisiana registered agent statute: the facts come from legis.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Louisiana Secretary of State, forms and fee schedule: the facts come from sos.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for Form 972, foreign LLC application: the facts come from sos.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for R.S. 12:1345, application for authority: the facts come from legis.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for R.S. 12:1354, effect of failing to obtain authority: the facts come from legis.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Homework check for R.S. 12:1350, registered agent: the facts come from legis.la.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
- Prices taken from the pricing page of LA Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the Louisiana service page of Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the pricing page of Louisiana Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026