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Entity

Foreign corporation certificate of authority

Kentucky Corporation Certificate of Authority: Form FBE

A corporation formed in another state registers with Kentucky on Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity). The $90 filing fee goes to Kentucky; our $199 covers preparing and filing it plus the first year of Kentucky registered agent service, for $289 at checkout. Kentucky does not ask for a home-state certificate with this filing.

Our service$199
Kentucky state fee$90
Total$289
Choose your home state

Kentucky corporation certificate of authority at a glance

Filing
Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity)
State fee
$90 filing fee
Total with us
$289, first year of Kentucky registered agent service included
Standard processing
up to 3 business days
Home-state certificate
Not required
Kentucky yearly filing
Annual Report, $15, every year
Filed with
Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings

What Form FBE asks for

For Form FBE, Kentucky needs:

  • The exact name of your corporation as formed
  • The state it was formed in and its date of formation
  • A Kentucky registered agent with a street address there; we fill in ours
  • A principal office address

Corporation into Kentucky, by home state

Every home state pays the same $289 at checkout for Kentucky.

Formed inHome-state certificateFirst year
AlabamaNot needed$289
AlaskaNot needed$289
ArizonaNot needed$289
ArkansasNot needed$289
CaliforniaNot needed$289
ColoradoNot needed$289
ConnecticutNot needed$289
DelawareNot needed$289
FloridaNot needed$289
GeorgiaNot needed$289
HawaiiNot needed$289
IdahoNot needed$289
IllinoisNot needed$289
IndianaNot needed$289
IowaNot needed$289
KansasNot needed$289
LouisianaNot needed$289
MaineNot needed$289
MarylandNot needed$289
MassachusettsNot needed$289
MichiganNot needed$289
MinnesotaNot needed$289
MississippiNot needed$289
MissouriNot needed$289
MontanaNot needed$289
NebraskaNot needed$289
NevadaNot needed$289
New HampshireNot needed$289
New JerseyNot needed$289
New MexicoNot needed$289
New YorkNot needed$289
North CarolinaNot needed$289
North DakotaNot needed$289
OhioNot needed$289
OklahomaNot needed$289
OregonNot needed$289
PennsylvaniaNot needed$289
Rhode IslandNot needed$289
South CarolinaNot needed$289
South DakotaNot needed$289
TennesseeNot needed$289
TexasNot needed$289
UtahNot needed$289
VermontNot needed$289
VirginiaNot needed$289
WashingtonNot needed$289
West VirginiaNot needed$289
WisconsinNot needed$289
WyomingNot needed$289

Kentucky registered agent rule

Kentucky requires every registered foreign corporation to keep a registered agent there. Kentucky allows an individual who lives in Kentucky and whose business address is the registered office, or an entity authorized to transact business in Kentucky whose business address is the registered office to serve. The agent must agree to serve before Kentucky accepts the appointment. Switching agents later costs $10. A resigning agent stays responsible for 31 days after filing the resignation. Our $199 includes the first year of Kentucky registered agent service, then $149 a year.

Kentucky yearly filings

Once registered, your corporation files the Kentucky Annual Report every year, at $15, due on or before June 30. The Kentucky filing window opens January 1 and closes June 30. From year two, keeping the Kentucky registration costs $164 a year with our registered agent service.

How long Kentucky takes

We file Form FBE with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Kentucky standard processing: up to 3 business days.

Leaving Kentucky later

If your corporation stops doing business there, it ends the registration by filing a Certificate of Withdrawal (Foreign Business Entity). Until that is filed, Kentucky's yearly filing stays due.

Kentucky foreign corporation questions

Do I have to register my corporation in Kentucky?

Yes, if it was formed in another state and does business there. An office, staff or regular sales there usually mean registering.

How much does foreign corporation registration in Kentucky cost?

$289 at checkout: the $90 filing fee plus our $199, which includes the first year of registered agent service.

Does Kentucky need a certificate from my home state?

No, Kentucky does not ask for one with this filing.

How long does the Kentucky registration take?

Kentucky's standard processing takes up to 3 business days.

What does it cost each year to stay registered in Kentucky?

$164 a year: $15 for the Annual Report and $149 for our registered agent service. The home state's own yearly filing stays separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Kentucky?

Yes. Kentucky requires one for every corporation registered there from another state. Ours is included for the first year, then $149 a year.

How do I withdraw from Kentucky later?

File a Certificate of Withdrawal (Foreign Business Entity) with the Kentucky Secretary of State.

Can I form a new Kentucky corporation instead?

It is possible, but that is a separate company that files Kentucky's Annual Report ($15), while the original keeps its home-state filings. Registering keeps one company in both states.

Is the Kentucky filing the same for an LLC?

Yes: LLCs and corporations both file Form FBE ($90 in state fees for either).

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes. Kentucky issues a certificate of authority once the filing is approved.

Official Kentucky sources