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What forming an LLC costs by state / Kentucky

3 Best LLC Services in Kentucky (2026): What You Pay

If you are budgeting for LLC formation services in Kentucky this 2026, start with Mainstay Filing ($199), KY Registered Agent.org ($199) and Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Whoever you hire, Kentucky still collects $40; the services themselves cost $397 to $597 over three years.
Written by the Price Your LLC editorial team

↓ Ranked for you by: We rank on five things: your spend (38%), your workload (31%) and three smaller ones

What to expect

Formation fee paid to the state $40 sos.ky.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
Year-one range $199 Service fees only
Total after 3 years $397 to $597 First year and both renewals
State total, years 1 to 3 $595 Filing, reports and any minimum tax
Prices swap in Does not happen Order holds for ten years

Ranked for you

Options sit in value order, with prices taken from company pages. The $40 state fee stays outside the service prices.

1
Ranks first

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a yearly price you can plan around

$199 annually, renewing at $199
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $199/yr
You pay over 3 years $597

In Kentucky, Mainstay Filing is where your money goes furthest, since one $199 price takes care of formation, registered agent service and every annual report.

Pay $200 more than KY Registered Agent.org across three years and the repeating filings stop being your problem.

It files the annual report for you, and you pay only the $15 state fee, at cost.

Your price covers

  • The LLC formation filing
  • Registered agent for the whole year
  • Annual report, filed on time
  • EIN application prepared for you
  • State fee at cost

What you get

  • Holds at $199
  • EIN application covered
  • The same $199 after year one

What to watch

  • $100 more a year than KY Registered Agent.org after year one
2
In-state company

2. KY Registered Agent.org: best for the smallest opening bill

$199 and fees; renewal $99
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $99/yr
You pay over 3 years $397

Option 2 is KY Registered Agent.org. $199 to start, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

Expect to handle the annual report on your own.

Your price covers

  • Formation paperwork, completed
  • Agent service for your first year

What you get

  • $199 to form
  • Agent renews at $99
  • Agent included to start

What to watch

  • Nothing you pay goes to the annual report
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application
3
In-state company

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for a local formation service

$199 and fees; renewal $99
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $99/yr
You pay over 3 years $397

Option 3 is Kentucky Registered Agent.co. $199 to start, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

Expect to handle the annual report on your own.

KY Registered Agent.org lists identical prices.

Your price covers

  • Formation paperwork, completed
  • Agent service for your first year

What you get

  • $199 to form
  • Agent included to start
  • Agent renews at $99

What to watch

  • Nothing you pay goes to the annual report
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application

Year-by-year totals

Pick Service You pay in year 1 You pay by year 2 You pay by year 3 You pay by year 5
1 Mainstay Filing $199 $398 $597 $995 Price out Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 KY Registered Agent.org $199 $298 $397 $595 Price out KY Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Kentucky Registered Agent.co $199 $298 $397 $595 Price out Kentucky Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Looked at November 13, 2026. Every column adds another renewal. No break-even shows up inside ten years.

Cost calculator

Your totals for 1 to 5 years, EIN application optional. State fees are left out because every service owes the same ones.

At 3 years, your totals are Mainstay Filing $597, KY Registered Agent.org $397, Kentucky Registered Agent.co $397. Least you would pay: KY Registered Agent.org.

State fees with sources

What you pay for Amount Source
Formation charge $40 sos.ky.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
Annual report $15 every year sos.ky.gov (we looked on August 2026, so you can too)
Minimum tax $175 a year revenue.ky.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
State side, 3 years $595 Lines added together

Think of the state total as one filing, two reports and a yearly minimum tax where it applies. Notices and similar costs are listed separately.

Notes on the order

Upkeep the price covers put Mainstay Filing first. That factor is 31% of the ranking, and your three-year spend, year-two surprise, where the bills cross and price you can see make up the remainder.

Work covered per dollar tipped it, because the annual report comes with the price.

Include the EIN application and Mainstay Filing passes KY Registered Agent.org in year 2.

What Kentucky charges you to form an LLC and what it requires

$40 and the Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (Form KLC), filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State, bring your company into existence. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

  • Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue.

Official text: sos.ky.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)

Doing it alone

Go it alone and Kentucky still takes $595 over three years, and you complete every form yourself. A service charges $397 to $597 to take that over.

Kentucky money questions

How much will an LLC formation service cost me in Kentucky?

Budget $199 plus $40 in state fees.

What will these services cost me over three years?

$397 to $597 across the services, not counting state fees.

How much will Kentucky charge me to file an LLC?

$40 to the state, and the form is the Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (Form KLC).

What will Kentucky charge me each year after formation?

Once your LLC exists, Kentucky will bill you for the annual report each year at $15, on or before June 30. A minimum tax is due as well.

Will the EIN application be part of the price?

Mainstay Filing bundles it in, KY Registered Agent.org bills you $99 more and Kentucky Registered Agent.co bills you $99 more.

When does one service end up costing more than another?

They keep one order for ten years.

Which LLC formation service is the best value for me in Kentucky?

Mainstay Filing is first for you, with KY Registered Agent.org and Kentucky Registered Agent.co after it.

Related pages

What forming an LLC costs by state for all 50 states Best LLC services for anyone How we rank your options

Where we looked

  1. For Kentucky Secretary of State, open sos.ky.gov (read August 2026).
  2. For Kentucky Secretary of State, open sos.ky.gov (read August 2026).
  3. For Kentucky report due date, open apps.legislature.ky.gov (read August 2026).
  4. For KRS 275.025, open apps.legislature.ky.gov (read August 2026).
  5. For Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, open sos.ky.gov (read October 2026).
  6. For Kentucky registered agent statute, open apps.legislature.ky.gov (read October 2026).
  7. For Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability, open revenue.ky.gov (read October 2026).
  8. On November 13, 2026 the Mainstay Filing Kentucky service page page said this
  9. On November 13, 2026 the KY Registered Agent.org pricing page page said this
  10. On November 13, 2026 the Kentucky Registered Agent.co pricing page page said this