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Open it up · Kentucky

3 Best Registered Agents in Kentucky (2026): Unpacked

Our 2026 stack of registered agents in Kentucky, top to bottom: KY Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($99 a year). An agent opens at $99 to $149 in the first year and totals $297 to $447 by year three.
Unpacked by the LLC Unpacked editorial team

Top layer

Required to name one?
Yes, by law
Label in the statute
Registered agent
Going price
$99 to $149 a year
Top of the stack
KY Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then Kentucky Registered Agent.co

Kentucky: ranked

Curious about the order? The method is here.
Top of the stack

1. KY Registered Agent.org: best for an LLC that stays in the state

Year one $99, later years $99

KY Registered Agent.org sits on top in Kentucky because three years for a Kentucky-only company come to $297.

Its three-year cost is below Mainstay Filing's, and cost is the heaviest layer.

Inside the price

  • An in-state street address
  • Legal papers scanned to your account

Inside, the good

  • $99 a year, flat at renewal
  • Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing

Inside, the catch

  • Nothing for other states
  • You carry the annual report yourself
Holds up anywhere

2. Mainstay Filing: best for an LLC that may expand

Year one $149, later years $149

Mainstay Filing lands second, and nothing inside changes by state: $149 a year, $149 at renewal.

A $150 three-year gap to KY Registered Agent.org explains the lower spot.

Inside the price

  • A street address inside the state
  • Scans of three government mailings a year at no charge
  • Reaches beyond LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Inside, the good

  • Annual price $149, renewal price $149
  • Follows your LLC to a new state

Inside, the catch

  • $50 a year more than KY Registered Agent.org
  • Nothing inside beyond the agent role
The Kentucky specialist

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for keeping the agent local

Year one $99, later years $99

Kentucky Registered Agent.co sits third because three years for a Kentucky-only company come to $297.

Its prices match KY Registered Agent.org exactly, so the order between them is close.

Inside the price

  • An in-state street address
  • Legal papers scanned to your account

Inside, the good

  • Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 a year, flat at renewal

Inside, the catch

  • Nothing for other states
  • You carry the annual report yourself

Side by side

#CompanyOpening priceRenewalTotal, 3 yearsWhat is inside
1KY Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297An in-state street address; legal papers scanned to your accountSee KY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447A street address inside the state; scans of three government mailings a year at no charge; Reaches beyond LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofitsSee Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Kentucky Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297An in-state street address; legal papers scanned to your accountSee Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read November 13, 2026. Three years means year one plus two renewals.

Layer by layer

Is a registered agent required?

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

The law underneath: KRS 14A.4-010. peek at apps.legislature.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026

Who is allowed to be the agent?

A Kentucky resident, or an entity qualified to do business in Kentucky, whose business address is the registered office. The agent signs or files a written acceptance.

If you qualify, you can serve yourself at no cost.

What is inside an agent's price?

A year of agent service runs $99 to $149 with our picks, and three years run $297 to $447.

State fees stay the same whichever agent you pick.

Why does the state want an agent?

Court papers and state notices for the company land at the agent's Kentucky address first.

What matters is that nothing important sits unnoticed while you are away. What is service of process?

What does the LLC owe the state each year?

Underneath it all, one filing repeats: the annual report, every year, at $15 each time. The state phrases its deadline like this: on or before June 30. A yearly minimum tax sits next to it.

peek at sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026

What put number one on top?

KY Registered Agent.org is strongest on total across three years, a layer worth 34% of the score.

Two layers carry most of the weight, total across three years (34%) and what is inside the price (29%).

Open KY Registered Agent.org instead of Mainstay Filing and keep $150 across three years.

How we open it up

What Kentucky requires of an agent

PartWhat is insidePeek at source
LLC filing fee$40peek at sos.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026
Registered agentYes, by lawpeek at apps.legislature.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026
Annual report$15 every yearpeek at sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026
Yearly minimum tax$175 a yearpeek at revenue.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026
What the state collects in three years$595Our total of the rows above
To check the total yourself, add the filing fee, the next two reports and any minimum tax. Costs without a set amount are left out.

Also worth asking

Can I be my own agent?

Yes, if you meet the state's rules on who may serve and on the address, both shown above.

Which addresses does the state accept?

The address has to be a physical registered office in Kentucky that matches the agent's business address. A P.O. box is not enough.

What do the picks cost over three years?

KY Registered Agent.org stacks up to $297, Mainstay Filing stacks up to $447, Kentucky Registered Agent.co stacks up to $297

Are the fees official?

Official Kentucky paperwork stands behind every state fee here, and every service price traces back to the company's own pricing.

Do I have to use a service?

Not required. The state takes filings from owners.

Which registered agent should I open first in Kentucky?

KY Registered Agent.org is on top: $99 a year, then $99, fits an LLC that stays in Kentucky. Under it sit Mainstay Filing and Kentucky Registered Agent.co.

What the page rests on

  1. Unpacking Kentucky Secretary of State led us to sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  2. Unpacking Kentucky Secretary of State led us to sos.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  3. Unpacking Kentucky report due date led us to apps.legislature.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  4. Unpacking KRS 275.025 led us to apps.legislature.ky.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  5. Unpacking Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee led us to sos.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  6. Unpacking Kentucky registered agent statute led us to apps.legislature.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  7. Unpacking Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability led us to revenue.ky.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  8. KY Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  9. Mainstay Filing Kentucky service page, read November 13, 2026
  10. Kentucky Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026