Foreign Qualification by State

Foreign Qualification by State › Kentucky

Foreign qualification in Kentucky: the requirements

To qualify a foreign LLC in Kentucky, file Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity) and pay the $90 fee, with a registered agent in the state.

Kentucky checklist

  • The application: Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity), filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.
  • The fee: $90. It is the same however you file.
  • From your home state: Nothing for an LLC; Kentucky does not ask for a certificate.
  • A local agent: A registered agent with a street address in Kentucky. Each service below supplies one for the first year.
  • Afterward: Annual report (Kentucky Secretary of State), $15 (due: between January 1 and June 30 each year).

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in Kentucky (2026)

The three ways we would handle the Kentucky filing.

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $90 state fee = $289

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

2. KY Registered Agent.org

$199 + $90 state fee = $289

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. Kentucky Registered Agent.co

$199 + $90 state fee = $289

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s Kentucky page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings.

How Kentucky compares

Kentucky is 7th of 50 by fee (median $142.50). Among the 36 states that do want a home-state certificate are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas and California.

Kentucky questions

What does Kentucky require for foreign qualification?

Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity), the $90 fee and a registered agent in Kentucky.

Is Kentucky stricter than other states?

It is 7th cheapest by fee, and one of the 14 that do not need a home-state certificate.

Which service is best for Kentucky?

Mainstay Filing, at $199 plus the state fee.

Sources