Register an Out-of-State LLC in Michigan
If your company is doing business in Michigan, the state expects it on the books here — with a Certificate of Authority, a Michigan resident agent, and annual statements.
Important: Clear Path Document Services is a non-attorney document preparation service and cannot provide legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created. Read full disclaimer
Quick Answer
An LLC formed in another state that transacts business in Michigan has to register here as a foreign LLC by filing an Application for Certificate of Authority with the LARA Corporations Division. The filing needs your exact home-state name (or an assumed name if that name is already taken in Michigan), your formation state and date, a Michigan resident agent with a Michigan street address, and a certificate of good standing from your home state dated within the last 30 days. Once registered, the Michigan obligations are ongoing: an annual statement every February 15 and a resident agent maintained continuously. Registering does not change where your LLC was formed — it just gives it permission to operate here. Clear Path prepares the filing and can serve as your Michigan resident agent. We are not attorneys or accountants and we do not advise on whether your activity legally requires registration.
Who qualifies for this service?
This document preparation service is a fit for Michigan residents who match the criteria below. If your situation is different, contact us and we'll tell you whether we can help or whether you should speak with an attorney.
- Out-of-state LLCs opening a location, office, or warehouse in Michigan
- Contractors and trades taking Michigan jobs
- Trucking and logistics companies with Michigan operations
- Companies with Michigan employees on payroll
- Businesses that need a Michigan bank account, license, or permit in the company name
- Companies that discovered they have been operating here unregistered and want to fix it
How the process works
Clear, predictable steps from intake to court-ready paperwork.
Name availability check
We check your exact company name against the Michigan business entity database before anything is ordered.
We review your matter
We confirm the formation state, the Michigan activity, and whether an assumed name is needed. Whether your activity legally requires registration is a question for your attorney or CPA.
Written quote
Flat preparation fee, quoted in writing after review. State fees and good standing certificate costs are separate.
Good standing certificate ordered
We coordinate the certificate from your home state so it arrives inside Michigan's 30-day window.
Application prepared
Application for Certificate of Authority completed with resident agent details and, when needed, the assumed name filing.
Filing and follow-through
Submission instructions, plus a Michigan compliance calendar covering the February 15 annual statement and resident agent renewal.
Paperwork we organize for you
Document preparation only. We do not represent you in court.
Documents and information you'll need
- Exact LLC name as registered in your home state
- Formation state and formation date
- A current certificate of good standing (dated within 30 days of filing)
- Principal office address and mailing address
- Names and addresses of managers or managing members
- A Michigan street address for the resident agent, or use ours
Common mistakes to avoid
Small errors can cost you weeks. Here's what we see most often.
- Ordering the good standing certificate too early. Michigan wants it dated within 30 days, and a stale one gets the filing rejected.
- Assuming the home-state name is available in Michigan. When it is not, you register under an assumed name and file for it at the same time.
- Listing a PO box or an out-of-state address for the resident agent. Michigan requires a physical Michigan street address.
- Registering and then forgetting the February 15 annual statement, which puts the entity out of good standing.
- Forming a brand-new Michigan LLC instead of registering the existing one, and ending up with two entities, two tax filings, and a mess.
- Skipping Michigan tax registration for sales tax and withholding when there are Michigan sales or employees.
Local Michigan considerations
Michigan foreign LLC registration is handled by the LARA Corporations Division under the Michigan Limited Liability Company Act. The Application for Certificate of Authority (form CSCL/CD-760) has long carried a $50 filing fee, and the state requires a certificate of good standing from the formation state dated within 30 days. The resident agent must have a physical Michigan street address — no PO boxes. After registration, the LLC files a Michigan annual statement by February 15 each year for $25. Operating in Michigan without registering can block your company from bringing a lawsuit in Michigan courts until it registers and pays what it owes. Confirm current forms and fees with LARA before filing.
Key Terms
- Foreign LLC
- An LLC formed in another state that registers to do business in Michigan. 'Foreign' means out-of-state, not out-of-country.
- Certificate of Authority
- The Michigan document permitting an out-of-state entity to transact business here.
- Certificate of good standing
- Proof from your formation state that the LLC is current on its filings, required within 30 days of the Michigan application.
- Resident agent
- The person or company at a Michigan street address designated to receive legal notices for the entity.
- Assumed name
- An alternate name registered with Michigan when the LLC's true name is unavailable here.
People Also Ask
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
Ready to get your paperwork started?
Start the guided intake, or call or text us — we review every matter before quoting a price, and nothing is purchased online.