Michigan Foreign LLC Registration
If you want to expand your out-of-state LLC into Michigan as a Michigan foreign LLC, you must first receive authorization from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Transacting business in the state without approval can result in costly civil penalties and legal complications.
There are three basic steps to registering your Michigan foreign LLC:
- Designate a Michigan resident agent (also called a “registered agent”) and registered office
- Obtain a certificate of good standing for your LLC from your home state
- Submit an authorization application along with your certificate of good standing to LARA
Hire our team in Okemos to provide you with registered agent service for just $49 a year. You can also add on our registration service, and we’ll get you certified to operate as a Michigan foreign LLC in no time. We’ll even procure a certificate of good standing from your home state so that you can avoid the hassle.
Register Your Michigan Foreign LLC
So, what does our foreign LLC registration service look like? We’ve laid out the basics below.
What It Costs:
$199 plus your home state’s fee for a Certificate of Good Standing
How It Works:
- Order our Michigan Registered Agent Service
- Add on our foreign LLC registration service in your online account
- We obtain your certificate of good standing and submit your registration application
- The state certifies your Michigan foreign LLC to conduct business in the state
- We deliver your customized foreign LLC documents
- We provide you with Michigan Registered Agent Service for one year
- At the end of the year, we send you a renewal for Michigan Registered Agent Service
What You Get:
- INSTANT 365 days of Michigan Registered Agent Service
- INSTANT online account and document delivery system
- Michigan Foreign LLC application paperwork completed and submitted to the state
- Address privacy with the use of our registered agent office address
- Real-time annual report reminders
- LIFETIME client support
- Transparent, affordable pricing
- Access to additional business services
Where Your Money Goes:
| Service | Fee |
| Michigan State Filing fee | $50 / $100 expedited |
| Our Foreign LLC Registration Service fee | $100 |
| One Year Registered Agent Service | $49 |
| Certificate of Good Standing from your home state | (varies) |
| Total | $199+ / 249+ expedited |
We never raise our Registered Agent Service prices, and we’ll never add surprise hidden fees to your bill. So you’ll only ever have to pay for what you originally ordered.
Michigan Foreign LLC FAQ
Why should I register my foreign LLC in Michigan?
Getting authorization to operate as a Michigan foreign LLC before you begin transacting business in the state is vital if you do not want to face any of the negative consequences described by the Michigan state legislature (MCL 450.5007). In particular, registering your foreign LLC can help you:
- Safeguard your legal rights. Your legal options are limited if you conduct business in the state without Michigan foreign LLC authorization. For example, a non-authorized foreign LLC can be sued but cannot sue others within the state.
- Shield your finances. If you do not register your Michigan foreign LLC, your company can be fined up to $10,000, and each member of your LLC involved in business transactions in Michigan can be individually fined up to $10,000. Members are personally liable for their individual fines.
What is considered “transacting business” in Michigan?
Like many states, Michigan state law does not define “transacting business” for Michigan foreign LLCs. However, we can provide you with guidance based on what is generally considered doing business in most states and what Michigan defines as NOT transacting business.
“Transacting business” is commonly understood to mean that your LLC has some type of presence in Michigan:
- Physical. You have a warehouse, office, or store that your LLC uses to conduct or support its operations in the state.
- Employee. You have workers or sales representatives in the state.
- Economic. You accept online orders from Michigan customers. According to a notice released by the Michigan Department of Treasury, online retailers with sales exceeding $100,000 or 200 transactions within Michigan borders are considered to have an “economic presence” in the state.
What is not considered “transacting business” in Michigan?
Under Michigan state law (MCL 450.5008), the following do NOT, on their own, constitute transacting business in Michigan:
- Owning real estate or property without doing more.
- Holding member meetings.
- Having bank accounts.
- Having offices or agencies dedicated to managing your LLC’s own securities.
- Creating or acquiring debts or security interests in real or personal property.
- Securing or collecting debts.
- Selling through independent contractors.
- Conducting interstate commerce.
- Taking part in an isolated transaction completed within 30 days.
- Soliciting or obtaining orders that require acceptance outside of the state before the orders can become contracts.
- Maintaining, settling, or defending lawsuits.
If you have any questions, please call us at (248) 247-2033 or send us a message. We are ready to help!