The 5 Best Registered Agents in North Dakota (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan The 5 best registered agents in North Dakota in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest Registered Agent, ND Registered Agents.org, Bizee, and North Dakota Registered Agent.co.

Maya Welcome to The Business Formation Podcast. North Dakota. What should a listener know first?

Dan A change of agent is $10, but you need the agent's approval before you name them. And the state mails your annual report notices to the agent, so a bad agent can cost you your standing.

0:34 What North Dakota requires

Maya What does the law require?

Dan Every North Dakota LLC must have a registered office and a registered agent under chapter 10-01.1 of the state code. The agent needs a physical address in the state.

Maya Who can be the agent?

Dan There are two kinds. A commercial agent is a person or business that has filed a listing with the Secretary of State. A noncommercial agent is an individual who lives in North Dakota, or a registered entity with a North Dakota business office.

Maya Can the LLC be its own agent?

Dan No. A business may not serve as its own agent. But an individual from the business can, if they live in North Dakota.

Maya What counts as an address?

Dan An actual street address or a rural route box number, plus a mailing address in the state if it's different.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Thanks, Maya. Now the five.

1:30 Mainstay Filing

Maya Number one?

Dan Mainstay Filing, $149 a year, and it renews at the same $149.

Maya What do I get?

Dan Its North Dakota address on the public record instead of yours. Served papers are scanned and uploaded the same business day, no fee, and the first three government mailings a year are scanned free.

Maya And if I already have an agent?

Dan Mainstay files the change for you. The $10 state fee passes through at cost.

Maya The honest catch?

Dan If the lowest flat price is all you want, two agents below it charge $99.

2:09 Northwest Registered Agent

Maya Second?

Dan Northwest Registered Agent, $125 a year. Its page says the price hasn't gone up in 20 years, and up to 10 pieces of regular mail a year are scanned free.

Maya The catch?

Dan Signup auto-enrolls you in its annual report filing service. That's $100 plus state fees per filing, until you cancel it.

Maya And North Dakota's own report?

Dan That's a $50 state fee on its own, so know what the service adds before you leave it on.

2:37 ND Registered Agents.org

Maya Third?

Dan ND Registered Agents.org, $99 a year, same at renewal. The registered office address, same-day scanning of service of process, and compliance reminders.

Maya Switching?

Dan Just the $10 state fee.

Maya Any catch?

Dan Annual report filing is a separate service.

Maya Against Mainstay?

Dan $50 less a year, $150 across three.

3:01 Bizee

Maya Four?

Dan Bizee, formerly Incfile. Free the first year with any formation package, then $149 a year.

Maya Fine print?

Dan The free year needs a formation order, and the renewal is automatic.

Maya If I'd already formed my company?

Dan You start at $149. Two years is $298.

3:24 North Dakota Registered Agent.co

Maya And five?

Dan North Dakota Registered Agent.co, a flat $99. The address used on filings, same-day legal mail scanning, and compliance reminders.

Maya Different from number three?

Dan On the listings, no. Same price, same catch: annual report filing is a separate service.

3:46 Naming the agent at formation

Maya Where does the agent go when I form the LLC?

Dan In the Articles of Organization, filed in the state's FirstStop portal. There's no paper form.

Maya What goes on it?

Dan For a commercial agent, the name only. You don't need the commercial agent's address. For a noncommercial agent, the name and a complete physical address in North Dakota.

Maya What does the filing cost?

Dan $135.

Maya And the approval?

Dan The Secretary of State says to get the agent's approval first. Failing to do that may result in involuntary dissolution.

4:23 Agent approval

Maya How do I prove the agent said yes?

Dan You don't have to. Proof of approval isn't filed with the state.

Maya So what's the risk?

Dan Naming someone without asking. Under the statute, appointing an agent is your affirmation that they consented.

Maya What if they find out?

Dan A person named without consent can tell the Secretary of State, which removes them and notifies the entity that it has no registered agent.

Maya So it can unwind on its own.

Dan Yes, and the state then treats your LLC as having no agent. Ask first.

4:55 Changing the agent

Maya How do I change it later?

Dan In FirstStop, with a Registered Agent or Office Change. The fee is $10.

Maya Per what?

Dan Per entity when the agent is noncommercial. That's the fee schedule's wording.

Maya Does the LLC's governing group have to approve it?

Dan No. The statute says the interest holders or governors need not approve the filing.

Maya When does it take effect?

Dan On filing.

Maya And the state's own mail?

Dan Notices about annual reports, not good standing and dissolutions go to the address of the registered agent on your record. So update it first.

5:33 If the agent resigns

Maya What if my agent quits?

Dan The agent files a statement of resignation. The state can't charge a fee to file it.

Maya What does it say?

Dan The entity, the agent, that they resign, and the name and address of the person the agent will send notice to.

Maya When does it take effect?

Dan The 31st day after filing, or when a new agent is appointed, whichever is earlier.

Maya Do they have to tell me?

Dan Yes. The agent has to promptly give your LLC notice of the date the statement was filed.

Maya And if I miss it?

Dan The state says you risk Not Good Standing, or involuntary dissolution.

6:09 When there's no agent

Maya What happens to papers with no agent?

Dan The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process when an entity has no agent, or the agent can't be served with reasonable diligence.

Maya How does that work?

Dan Someone serves the state by registered mail or personal delivery, with a sheriff's return or an affidavit that no agent can be found. It's deemed personal service on the entity.

Maya What does it cost them?

Dan Three copies and a $25 fee. It's returnable in not less than 30 days, and the state forwards it by registered mail to your principal executive office.

Maya And termination?

Dan The state can involuntarily terminate an LLC that fails to appoint and maintain an agent, after at least 60 days notice by mail.

6:56 The annual report

Maya What does North Dakota want each year?

Dan An annual report, $50, due November 15. In 2026 that falls on a Sunday, so FirstStop shows November 16.

Maya And if I miss it?

Dan There's a $50 late fee.

Maya What if it goes unfiled for months?

Dan The LLC is terminated by operation of law six months after the deadline. Reinstating within a year costs $235 in all.

Maya And the notice goes to the agent.

Dan Which is the point. A good agent turns that mail around the same day.

7:32 Doing it yourself

Maya Can I be my own agent in North Dakota?

Dan If you live there, yes. The LLC can't be the agent, but you, an individual who lives in the state, can.

Maya What's the tradeoff?

Dan Your physical address goes on the record, and so does all the state mail.

Maya Does serving create liability?

Dan The Secretary of State says serving does not make an individual liable for the actions of the organization.

Maya What does the agent actually have to do?

Dan Forward any process, notice or demand to the entity at the address it supplied, pass along the notices the chapter requires, and keep its own information current.

8:10 Picking one

Maya How would a Fargo or Bismarck owner decide?

Dan Three questions. Does the price hold, is there a real North Dakota address, and who handles the change and the approval when you switch.

Maya And your answer?

Dan Mainstay Filing. Our pick for North Dakota, at $149 a year.

8:30 The five in a row

Maya All five, once more?

Dan One, Mainstay Filing: $149, same at renewal. Two, Northwest: $125, with the report service to cancel. Three, ND Registered Agents.org: $99 flat. Four, Bizee: free the first year with a formation order, then $149. Five, North Dakota Registered Agent.co: $99 flat.

Maya The links are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.