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LLC UnpackedEvery filing, unpacked: the fee, the form, the catch.

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Foreign registration, unpacked

Also called foreign qualification: the step that adds a new state to the places your LLC may legally do business.
Unpacked by the LLC Unpacked editorial team

The essentials

Goes by
Foreign qualification, certificate of authority
Nearby terms
Foreign LLC stacked with Certificate of good standing stacked with Annual report

What to do with it

Inside the filing: a state fee, an agent in the new state and, often, a certificate of good standing from home.

Where states differ

Registering costs $50 in Michigan and $750 in Texas, with every other state in between. Open all fifty rules.

Pages that use it

You will meet it in these pages: What is inside LLC formation in each state, What is inside the agent rule in each state, What is inside foreign registration in each state.

What the page rests on

  1. Unpacking LARA Corporations Division led us to michigan.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  2. Unpacking LARA limited liability company forms led us to michigan.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  3. Unpacking MCL 450.5002, certificate of authority led us to legislature.mi.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  4. Unpacking MCL 450.5008, activities that are led us to legislature.mi.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  5. Unpacking MCL 450.5007, consequences of transacting led us to legislature.mi.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  6. Unpacking LARA annual reports and annual led us to michigan.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  7. Unpacking Texas Secretary of State, foreign led us to sos.state.tx.us, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  8. Unpacking Form 304 instructions led us to sos.state.tx.us, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  9. Unpacking Fee schedule, Form 806 led us to sos.texas.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  10. Unpacking Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9 led us to statutes.capitol.texas.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  11. Unpacking Texas Comptroller, franchise tax led us to comptroller.texas.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself