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Business Basics LabLLC paperwork, measured state by state.

Section 2 · Alabama

The Alabama Registered Agent (2026): 6 Procedures and the 3 Best Agents

AL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Alabama Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) measured best, in that order, for appointing a registered agent in Alabama in 2026. 6 short procedures lead from the statute to a correct agent filing.

Recorded by the Business Basics Lab staff ·

The short version

Required by law
YesReference alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, October 2026
Yearly cost of the ranked services
$99 to $149 a yearCompany price pages
Procedures on this sheet
6Listed below

You will be able to

  • The Alabama agent rule
  • The eligibility and address rules
  • Recording the agent
  • Which agents measured best and why

Best reading

The Alabama results

The order follows five published criteria, set out in how we measure.
Strongest result

1. AL Registered Agent.org: best for a low yearly agent price

Year 1 $99; year 2 $99

AL Registered Agent.org comes first since $99 a year with no change at renewal, matched to an LLC that remains in one state.

Mainstay Filing measures higher across three years, which puts this service first.

What the price performs

  • A Alabama street address
  • Served documents made available online

Measured strengths

  • $99 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • A smaller yearly bill than Mainstay Filing

Measured limits

  • Alabama only; every other state needs its own agent
Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Local candidate

2. Alabama Registered Agent.co: best for a local alternative

Year 1 $99; year 2 $99

Alabama Registered Agent.co follows in second place: $99 a year with no change at renewal, matched to an LLC that remains in one state.

AL Registered Agent.org and this service charge alike.

What the price performs

  • A Alabama street address
  • Served documents made available online

Measured strengths

  • A smaller yearly bill than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 a year, unchanged at renewal

Measured limits

  • Alabama only; every other state needs its own agent
Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Any state

3. Mainstay Filing: best for a nationwide agent at one price

Year 1 $149; year 2 $149

Mainstay Filing follows in third place: an agent at $149 a year that remains usable when the company adds states.

Over three years it reads $150 behind AL Registered Agent.org.

What the price performs

  • A registered office in Alabama
  • Papers served on the company are scanned free on the same business day
  • Three government letters a year are scanned at no charge
  • Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs

Measured strengths

  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • One provider everywhere

Measured limits

  • $50 a year above AL Registered Agent.org
  • Reports are not filed on this plan
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Comparison of the services

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1AL Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297Visit AL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Alabama Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297Visit Alabama Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices are recorded from each company's own site on November 13, 2026. The state charges the same whichever agent is named.

The Alabama agent, in sequence

  1. Procedure 1: Record the requirement

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

    Specimen: Reference alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, October 2026

  2. Procedure 2: Who qualifies as agent

    An Alabama resident, or a business entity formed in Alabama or registered to do business there. The agent keeps a business office at the registered office address. Authority: Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.31.

  3. Procedure 3: Use a qualifying office address

    The address has to be a street address in Alabama where papers can be handed to the agent. P.O. boxes are not accepted, and an agent cannot work only through a virtual office or a mail-forwarding service.

    TipA service supplies an Alabama street address, which keeps the owner's address off the filing.

  4. Procedure 4: Self-service or a professional agent

    Serving personally is possible if the tests are met. A professional from the ranking costs $99 to $149 per year.

  5. Procedure 5: Place the agent on the public record

    New companies list the agent on the Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation; a later replacement means a new filing with the Alabama Secretary of State.

    Specimen: Reference alison.legislature.state.al.us, October 2026

  6. Procedure 6: Update when details change

    Because no report is due, the lone task is keeping the registered agent appointment current.

The cost of this sheet

Cost itemPayeeCost
A professional agentService$99 to $149 a year
RenewalService$99 to $149 a year
The state's fees were read from official pages, which are listed below. Over three years they come to the filing, two reports and, in some states, a minimum tax.

The reasoning behind the ranking

prevailed on measured cost over three years (36% of the reading), with close behind.

Years one to three cost $297 with AL Registered Agent.org, while Mainstay Filing costs $150 more.

Alabama questions

Must a Alabama LLC have a registered agent?

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

Can I be my own registered agent?

Owners may serve when qualified; procedures 2 and 3 give the tests.

Can I change my registered agent later?

Yes; the Alabama Secretary of State accepts change filings, and procedure 5 covers what to send.

What does a registered agent cost in Alabama?

$99 to $149 per year for the agents listed.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

The state charges no report fee.

Which registered agent would you choose?

AL Registered Agent.org, because an in-state street address for the registered office, measured at $99 a year. Next: Alabama Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.

Specimens and records

  1. Control source for Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us, observed again October 2026.
  2. Control source for Alabama formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.alabama.gov, observed again October 2026.
  3. Control source for Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: sos.alabama.gov, observed again October 2026.
  4. Control source for Alabama formation fee: Name reservation, official source: alison.legislature.state.al.us, observed again October 2026.
  5. Control source for Alabama registered agent statute: alisondb.legislature.state.al.us, observed again October 2026.
  6. Entry November 13, 2026: AL Registered Agent.org, pricing page
  7. Entry November 13, 2026: Alabama Registered Agent.co, pricing page
  8. Entry November 13, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Alabama service page