How to Register a Business in Alabama: Secretary of State Guide (2026)
If your company was formed in another state and now has employees, an office or regular business in Alabama, you register with the Alabama Secretary of State by filing an Application for Registration as a foreign entity. Alabama has one extra step most states don't: you reserve your name first. Here is what it costs, what you need, and what comes after.
Alabama at a glance
Item | Alabama |
|---|---|
Filing | Foreign Corporation or Foreign LLC Application for Registration, plus a name reservation |
Where | Alabama Secretary of State, online or by mail |
State fee | $178: $150 filing fee plus $28 online name reservation |
Typical processing | 1–2 weeks |
You'll need | A name reservation from the Alabama Secretary of State (no certificate of good standing required) |
Registered agent | Required, physically located in Alabama (no P.O. boxes) |
Ongoing filing | Business privilege tax return and annual report with the Alabama Department of Revenue, due with your federal return |
Do you need to register in Alabama?
You generally need to register if your company is "doing business" in Alabama, for example if you:
Have an office, store or warehouse in Alabama
Employ people who live and work in Alabama
Regularly sell to, or provide services for, Alabama customers
Activities that usually don't count on their own include holding a bank account in Alabama, holding internal meetings there, and isolated one-off transactions. If you're unsure, check with your attorney or book a call with us.
Hiring a remote employee in Alabama always means opening Alabama payroll tax accounts, even when Secretary of State registration isn't required. See the payroll section below.
How to register, step by step
Reserve your company name. Alabama requires a copy of your name reservation with the application. It costs $28 online or $25 by mail.
Choose an Alabama registered agent. See the rules below.
File the Application for Registration. The state filing fee is $150, online or by mail to the Alabama Secretary of State, Attn: Business Entities, P.O. Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103-5616.
Save your approval. You'll need it for payroll and tax registrations.
Registered agent rules in Alabama
Every business registered in Alabama needs a registered agent physically located in the state, with a street address for its registered office. P.O. boxes aren't accepted.
Using an employee as your agent is allowed, but it means legal papers go to one person's home, and they're lost if that person leaves. A commercial registered agent avoids that. Every AbstractOps plan includes registered agent service.
Business privilege tax and annual report
Alabama doesn't have a separate Secretary of State annual report. Instead, registered businesses file a business privilege tax return, which doubles as the annual report, with the Alabama Department of Revenue. It is due with your federal income tax return: April 15 for calendar-year C corporations and March 15 for calendar-year LLCs and S corporations.
Starting with the 2026 tax year, businesses that would only owe Alabama's $100 minimum privilege tax no longer have to file. Larger businesses still file and pay.
Alabama payroll accounts
If you have employees in Alabama, you'll also need:
A withholding account with the Alabama Department of Revenue.
An unemployment insurance account with the Alabama Department of Workforce.
Local occupational taxes, where they apply. A few Alabama cities and counties, such as Birmingham, levy their own tax on wages.
Our Alabama payroll tax registration guide walks through the details.
Alabama registration FAQ
How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC or corporation in Alabama?
$178: the $150 filing fee plus $28 for the required online name reservation.
Does Alabama require a name reservation?
Yes. Alabama asks for a copy of your name reservation with the application. It costs $28 online.
Does Alabama require a certificate of good standing?
No. You confirm on the application that your company is in good standing in its home state.
Does Alabama have an annual report?
Alabama's annual report is part of the business privilege tax return filed with the Department of Revenue, due with your federal return.
Let us handle Alabama for you
AbstractOps files your Alabama registration, acts as your registered agent, opens your payroll accounts and tracks your annual filings, from $250 per state per year. Start a 7-day free trial or book a 15-minute call.
This guide is for general information and isn't tax or legal advice. Fees and rules change; confirm current requirements with the Alabama Secretary of State.