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Delaware Foreign qualification

The requirements, the timing and the official sources. Everything we’ve verified, in one place.

Sources verifiedLast verified 2026-10-25

Authority to do business

Choose your entity type and confirm the scope of the cited requirements. Fees and additional charges are listed separately.

LLCs

Fee

$200

View official source

Timing

Before doing business in the State of Delaware, a foreign limited liability company shall register with the Secretary of State.

View official source

Required documents

Executed registration application and a home-jurisdiction certificate evidencing existence dated no earlier than six months before filing; a foreign-language certificate needs a sworn translation.

View official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Delaware action until registered and fees and penalties are paid; fine of $200 per year or portion of a year without registration.

View official source

Timing

Before doing business in the State of Delaware, a foreign limited liability company shall register with the Secretary of State.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
Before doing business in the State of Delaware, a foreign limited liability company shall register with the Secretary of State. In order to register, a foreign limited liability company shall submit to the Secretary of State:
Official source

Required documents

Executed registration application and a home-jurisdiction certificate evidencing existence dated no earlier than six months before filing; a foreign-language certificate needs a sworn translation.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
(1) A copy executed by an authorized person of an application for registration as a foreign limited liability company, setting forth: … (2) A certificate, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, issued by an authorized officer of the jurisdiction of its formation evidencing its existence. If such certificate is in a foreign language, a translation thereof, under oath of the translator, shall be attached thereto.
Official source

Fee

$200

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
Foreign Certificate of Registration $200.00
Official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Delaware action until registered and fees and penalties are paid; fine of $200 per year or portion of a year without registration.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
(a) A foreign limited liability company doing business in the State of Delaware may not maintain any action, suit or proceeding in the State of Delaware until it has registered in the State of Delaware, and has paid to the State of Delaware all fees and penalties for the years or parts thereof, during which it did business in the State of Delaware without having registered. … (d) Any foreign limited liability company doing business in the State of Delaware without first having registered shall be fined and shall pay to the Secretary of State $200 for each year or part thereof during which the foreign limited liability company failed to register in the State of Delaware.
Official source

Corporations

Fee

$245

View official source

Timing

Before doing business through branch offices, agents or representatives located in Delaware.

View official source

Required documents

Certificate of corporate existence issued within six months, with sworn translation if needed, plus an authorized officer's statement of registered agent, recent assets and liabilities, proposed business and home-jurisdiction authorization.

View official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Delaware action until authorized and past fees, penalties and franchise taxes paid; corporation fine $200–$500 and agent fine $100–$500 per offense.

View official source

Timing

Before doing business through branch offices, agents or representatives located in Delaware.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
(b) No foreign corporation shall do any business in this State, through or by branch offices, agents or representatives located in this State, until it shall have paid to the Secretary of State of this State for the use of this State, $80, and shall have filed in the office of the Secretary of State:
Official source

Required documents

Certificate of corporate existence issued within six months, with sworn translation if needed, plus an authorized officer's statement of registered agent, recent assets and liabilities, proposed business and home-jurisdiction authorization.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
(1) A certificate, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, issued by an authorized officer of the jurisdiction of its incorporation evidencing its corporate existence. If such certificate is in a foreign language, a translation thereof, under oath of the translator, shall be attached thereto; (2) A statement executed by an authorized officer of each corporation setting forth (i) the name and address of its registered agent in this State, which agent may be any of the foreign corporation itself, an individual resident in this State, a domestic corporation, a domestic partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), a domestic limited liability company, a domestic statutory trust, a foreign corporation (other than the foreign corporation itself), a foreign partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), a foreign limited liability company or a foreign statutory trust, (ii) a statement, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, of the assets and liabilities of the corporation, and (iii) the business it proposes to do in this State, and a statement that it is authorized to do that business in the jurisdiction of its incorporation. The statement shall be acknowledged in accordance with § 103 of this title.
Official source

Fee

$245

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
Corporations – Foreign … Qualification $245.00
Official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Delaware action until authorized and past fees, penalties and franchise taxes paid; corporation fine $200–$500 and agent fine $100–$500 per offense.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation
Any foreign corporation doing business of any kind in this State without first having complied with any section of this subchapter applicable to it, shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $500 for each such offense. Any agent of any foreign corporation that shall do any business in this State for any foreign corporation before the foreign corporation has complied with any section of this subchapter applicable to it, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each such offense. … (a) A foreign corporation which is required to comply with §§ 371 and 372 of this title and which has done business in this State without authority shall not maintain any action or special proceeding in this State unless and until such corporation has been authorized to do business in this State and has paid to the State all fees, penalties and franchise taxes for the years or parts thereof during which it did business in this State without authority. This prohibition shall not apply to any successor in interest of such foreign corporation.
Official source
Official sources and verification (8)

Last verified 2026-10-25. Each quotation supports the corresponding published value.

LLC / Fee
Foreign Certificate of Registration $200.00
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Timing
Before doing business in the State of Delaware, a foreign limited liability company shall register with the Secretary of State. In order to register, a foreign limited liability company shall submit to the Secretary of State:
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Required documents
(1) A copy executed by an authorized person of an application for registration as a foreign limited liability company, setting forth: … (2) A certificate, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, issued by an authorized officer of the jurisdiction of its formation evidencing its existence. If such certificate is in a foreign language, a translation thereof, under oath of the translator, shall be attached thereto.
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Penalties for operating without registration
(a) A foreign limited liability company doing business in the State of Delaware may not maintain any action, suit or proceeding in the State of Delaware until it has registered in the State of Delaware, and has paid to the State of Delaware all fees and penalties for the years or parts thereof, during which it did business in the State of Delaware without having registered. … (d) Any foreign limited liability company doing business in the State of Delaware without first having registered shall be fined and shall pay to the Secretary of State $200 for each year or part thereof during which the foreign limited liability company failed to register in the State of Delaware.
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Fee
Corporations – Foreign … Qualification $245.00
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Timing
(b) No foreign corporation shall do any business in this State, through or by branch offices, agents or representatives located in this State, until it shall have paid to the Secretary of State of this State for the use of this State, $80, and shall have filed in the office of the Secretary of State:
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Required documents
(1) A certificate, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, issued by an authorized officer of the jurisdiction of its incorporation evidencing its corporate existence. If such certificate is in a foreign language, a translation thereof, under oath of the translator, shall be attached thereto; (2) A statement executed by an authorized officer of each corporation setting forth (i) the name and address of its registered agent in this State, which agent may be any of the foreign corporation itself, an individual resident in this State, a domestic corporation, a domestic partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), a domestic limited liability company, a domestic statutory trust, a foreign corporation (other than the foreign corporation itself), a foreign partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), a foreign limited liability company or a foreign statutory trust, (ii) a statement, as of a date not earlier than 6 months prior to the filing date, of the assets and liabilities of the corporation, and (iii) the business it proposes to do in this State, and a statement that it is authorized to do that business in the jurisdiction of its incorporation. The statement shall be acknowledged in accordance with § 103 of this title.
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Penalties for operating without registration
Any foreign corporation doing business of any kind in this State without first having complied with any section of this subchapter applicable to it, shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $500 for each such offense. Any agent of any foreign corporation that shall do any business in this State for any foreign corporation before the foreign corporation has complied with any section of this subchapter applicable to it, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each such offense. … (a) A foreign corporation which is required to comply with §§ 371 and 372 of this title and which has done business in this State without authority shall not maintain any action or special proceeding in this State unless and until such corporation has been authorized to do business in this State and has paid to the State all fees, penalties and franchise taxes for the years or parts thereof during which it did business in this State without authority. This prohibition shall not apply to any successor in interest of such foreign corporation.
Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

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Last verified 2026-10-25.

Official sources (3)

Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.