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The Startup JudgeRankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Florida ruling · foreign registration

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Florida (2026)

The Startup Judge has ruled on foreign registration services in Florida for 2026: FL Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Florida Registered Agent.io ($199). The ruling favors FL Registered Agent.org, since the Florida registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
The Startup Judge editorial team
No.1
Top pick on this page

1. FL Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add Florida

Service charge $199, with the state fee separate; the agent costs $99 a year from the second year

Score9.6out of 10

First place: FL Registered Agent.org. $199 over the state fee registers the company in Florida, and the agent renews at $99.

An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two most heavily weighted criteria.

In the price

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • The first year of registered agent service

Why pick it

  • The first year as registered agent is free
  • Agent charge of $99 a year after the first
  • Registers the company for $199 and the state's fee

Weak spots

  • Serves Florida only; the home state needs its own agent
  • The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Fifty-state coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states

$199 for the service, $324 due now with the state fee; from year two the agent bills $149 annually

Score9.3out of 10

Second place: Mainstay Filing. $199 covers the Florida registration and the registered agent role is free the first year, then $149 annually.

Once the free year has passed, $149 a year applies in any state.

FL Registered Agent.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.

In the price

  • Registration paperwork handled for you
  • Registered agent service is free in year one
  • No charge for scanning served papers within the same business day

Why pick it

  • Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
  • A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
  • Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
  • One price in each of the fifty states

Weak spots

  • The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than FL Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The full ruling on Mainstay Filing
No.3
Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. Florida Registered Agent.io: best for Florida registrations only

$199 for the service, state fee on top; from year two the agent bills $99 annually

Score9.0out of 10

Third place: Florida Registered Agent.io. $199 over the state fee registers the company in Florida, and the agent renews at $99.

An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

Florida Registered Agent.io mirrors FL Registered Agent.org on price and features, so the pair is nearly level.

In the price

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • A first year as your registered agent

Why pick it

  • Covers the first year of registered agent service
  • $199 to register, state fee on top
  • Afterward, $99 a year keeps the agent

Weak spots

  • Serves Florida only; the home state needs its own agent
  • The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)

The 3 rulings in brief

RankProviderRuling scoreService chargeYear twoSuited toLink
1FL Registered Agent.org9.6$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal on this listVisit FL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.3$199$149/yrBusinesses spread over several statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Florida Registered Agent.io9.0$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal on this listVisit Florida Registered Agent.ioPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
The 10-point scores are editorial. They apply the criteria on How we rank and do not draw on customer ratings.

Florida foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total

ProviderYear oneYear twoYear threeTotal over three yearsAgent covered in year one
FL Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Free
Florida Registered Agent.io$199$99$99$397Included
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Florida's $125 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.

What decided the order

The decisive criterion in Florida was charge over three years. For reference, the method assigns 31% to charge over three years, 31% to work taken off the founder and 38% across renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight.

Over three years FL Registered Agent.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.

Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.

Foreign LLC registration in Florida: the form, the office and the fee

Registration is lodged with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), Registration Section using the Application by Foreign Limited Liability Company for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida (Form CR2E027). The state fee is $125. Florida also requires certificate of existence (or record of similar import) from the jurisdiction of formation, issued no more than 90 days before the filing.

Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the annual report, priced at $138.75, with a due date of between January 1 and May 1.

Items to gather before filing

  • Certificate of existence (or record of similar import) from the jurisdiction of formation, no older than 90 days at filing.
  • The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
  • A registered agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
  • The $125 state fee, remitted with the application.
  • A date in your calendar for the annual report, which carries a $138.75 fee.

Consequences of operating in Florida unregistered

Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in Florida courts (Fla. Stat. 605.0904(1)). The contracts it makes stay enforceable (Fla. Stat. 605.0904(4)). Civil penalties of $500 to $1,000 are possible. Fees for the unregistered period are owed too.

Questions on Florida foreign registration services

Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in Florida?

Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.

What will foreign registration in Florida run in total?

The state fee is $125; service charges run $199.

What does Florida call its foreign registration form?

The Application by Foreign Limited Liability Company for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida (Form CR2E027), lodged with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), Registration Section.

Must the home state vouch for the company before Florida accepts it?

It must. Certificate of existence (or record of similar import) from the jurisdiction of formation, issued no more than 90 days before filing accompanies the application.

Is a registered agent still needed after the company is registered?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.

Which foreign registration service does the record favor in Florida?

FL Registered Agent.org, since it charges $199 beyond the state fee, including year-one registered agent service, then $99 a year for the agent.

Keep reading

The record

  1. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, on the record as of August 2026
  2. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, on the record as of August 2026
  3. Florida yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
  4. Florida report due date, on the record as of August 2026
  5. Fla. Stat. § 605.0201, on the record as of August 2026
  6. Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
  7. Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
  8. Florida registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
  9. Form CR2E027, foreign LLC application, on the record as of October 2026
  10. Florida Statutes 605.0902, certificate of authority, on the record as of October 2026
  11. Florida Statutes 605.0905, activities that are not transacting business, on the record as of October 2026
  12. Florida Statutes 605.0904, consequences of transacting business without authority, on the record as of October 2026
  13. Form CR2E057, withdrawal, on the record as of October 2026
  14. Exhibit: FL Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
  15. Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Florida service page, November 12, 2026
  16. Exhibit: Florida Registered Agent.io, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026