Registered agent required
Yes
Read October 2026 at delcode.delaware.gov
Registered agent guide · Delaware
Delaware Registered Agent Rules and Fees (2026): the Official Numbers and the 3 Best Agents
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and DE Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) come first, second and third for hiring a registered agent in Delaware in 2026. The law in Delaware calls for a registered agent on every LLC. Annual state fees add up to $400, number 47th of 50.
Delaware: the facts
Annual LLC Tax
$400 / yr
Due date, in the state's own words: annual alternative-entity tax due on or before June 1. Read October 2026 at legis.delaware.gov
State charges over 1 year
$400
What the state collects each year after formation
Ranked services for Delaware
Five weighted criteria set the order (method): provider fees over three years 34%, filings covered 28%, then renewal terms, fit with Delaware rules and a clear state fee.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for owners who might add another state
$149 a year (renewal $149)
Number one, Mainstay Filing, for this reason: one $149 agent plan that works in each new state a company adds.
Over three years the provider fees are $150 above Delaware Registered Agent.ai's, and in exchange the state paperwork it handles is wider.
What the price takes in
- A Delaware street address on the public record
- Scans papers served on the company the same business day, at no charge
- Scans the first three government letters each year, no charge
- Serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs as well
In its favor
- Reaches all fifty states
- $149 annually
Against it
- A yearly premium of $50 over Delaware Registered Agent.ai
- It covers the agent role only, and reports are yours to send in
2. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for one state and one agent
$99 a year (renewal $99)
In second place sits Delaware Registered Agent.ai: $99 per year for an agent with an office address in the state.
What the price takes in
- A Delaware street address for the registered office
- Legal papers are scanned and uploaded for you
In its favor
- Cheaper per year than the national pick
- $99 per year, the same at renewal
Against it
- Just Delaware
- The Annual LLC Tax falls outside the price
3. DE Registered Agent.org: best for Delaware specialists
$99 a year (renewal $99)
In third place sits DE Registered Agent.org: $99 per year for an agent with an office address in the state.
Its prices equal Delaware Registered Agent.ai's, so the two are close.
What the price takes in
- A Delaware street address for the registered office
- Legal papers are scanned and uploaded for you
In its favor
- Cheaper per year than the national pick
- $99 per year, the same at renewal
Against it
- Just Delaware
- The Annual LLC Tax falls outside the price
Prices in one place
| No. | Provider | Price per year | Renewal price | Provider fees over 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Delaware Registered Agent.ai | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | DE Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit DE Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Prices come from the companies' own pages, read November 13, 2026. State fees do not move.
Delaware registered agent calculator
Agent prices plus the state's recurring charges (the Annual LLC Tax from year 2). Formation fees are not counted.
Delaware and the states around it in the ranking
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 44th | Tennessee | $300 |
| 46th | Nevada | $350 |
| 47th | Delaware | $400 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $450 |
| 49th | Massachusetts | $500 |
The complete list ranks all fifty states the same way.
Delaware law on a registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Delaware. An entity agent keeps a business office there that is generally open; an individual agent has to be generally present there. A virtual office or mail-forwarding service alone does not qualify.
Who is allowed to serve: The LLC itself, a Delaware resident, or a business entity formed in Delaware or authorized to do business there. See 6 Del. C. § 18-104.
Keeping a Delaware LLC going in 2026
On top of the agent there is the Annual LLC Tax, due every year at $400, annual alternative-entity tax due on or before June 1. The late penalty is $200.
Why Mainstay Filing is first
The criterion that decided Delaware was paperwork inside the price, at 28%.
Delaware Registered Agent.ai costs less, and reach across states earned the higher score.
Delaware registered agent FAQ
Are Delaware LLCs obliged to keep a registered agent on file?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who can serve as the registered agent for Delaware LLCs?
The LLC itself, a Delaware resident, or a business entity formed in Delaware or authorized to do business there.
What does registered agent service cost in Delaware each year?
Our picks cost $99 to $149 each year.
What state fees does an LLC pay every year?
The state collects $400 per year on our yearly measure, which is the Annual LLC Tax at $400 every year.
Which registered agents does this page rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and DE Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), ranked from first pick to last.
Which registered agent would you choose?
The order is Mainstay Filing, Delaware Registered Agent.ai and DE Registered Agent.org.
Where these facts come from
- Taken from corp.delaware.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source.
- Taken from corp.delaware.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source.
- Taken from legis.delaware.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source.
- Taken from delcode.delaware.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Delaware report due date.
- Taken from delcode.delaware.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about 6 Del.
- Taken from delcode.delaware.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Delaware registered agent statute.
- Taken from tnbear.tn.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services.
- Taken from sos.tn.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services.
- Taken from sos.tn.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source.
- Taken from nvsos.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Nevada yearly filing: Annual list + license: fees.
- Taken from docs.sos.ri.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division.
- Taken from sos.ri.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division.
- Taken from tax.ri.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Rhode Island other cost.
- Taken from sec.state.ma.us, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Taken from malegislature.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- The company website for Mainstay Filing gives Delaware service page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for Delaware Registered Agent.ai gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for DE Registered Agent.org gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)