Michigan Foreign qualification

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

Sources verifiedLast verified 2026-10-25

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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

$50

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Timing

Before transacting business in this state, a foreign limited liability company shall obtain a certificate of authority from the administrator.

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Required documents

File an executed application for a certificate of authority with the administrator.

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Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain an action, suit, or proceeding in a Michigan court until a certificate of authority is obtained.

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Timing

Before transacting business in this state, a foreign limited liability company shall obtain a certificate of authority from the administrator.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

Before transacting business in this state, a foreign limited liability company shall obtain a certificate of authority from the administrator. To obtain a certificate of authority, a foreign

Official source

Required documents

File an executed application for a certificate of authority with the administrator.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

certificate of authority from the administrator. To obtain a certificate of authority, a foreign limited liability company shall file with the administrator an application, executed as provided in section 103, setting forth all of the following:

Official source

Fee

$50

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(n) Application of a foreign limited liability company for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $50.00.

Official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain an action, suit, or proceeding in a Michigan court until a certificate of authority is obtained.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(1) A foreign limited liability company transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall not maintain an action, suit, or proceeding in a court of this state until it has obtained a certificate of authority. This prohibition applies to both of the following in addition

Official source

Corporations

Fee

$10

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Timing

Before transacting business in Michigan.

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Required documents

Application for certificate of authority with home-jurisdiction good-standing certificate dated no earlier than 30 days before filing; sworn translation if in a foreign language.

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Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Michigan court action until authorized; penalty of $100–$1,000 for each calendar month in the preceding five years, capped at $10,000.

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Timing

Before transacting business in Michigan.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

A foreign corporation shall not transact business in this state until it has procured a certificate of authority to transact business from the administrator. A foreign corporation may

Official source

Required documents

Application for certificate of authority with home-jurisdiction good-standing certificate dated no earlier than 30 days before filing; sworn translation if in a foreign language.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

To procure a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, a foreign corporation shall file with the administrator an application setting forth all of the following: … (1) A certificate setting forth that the corporation is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, executed by the official of the jurisdiction who has custody of the records pertaining to corporations and dated not earlier than 30 days before filing of the application, shall be attached to the application of a foreign corporation. If the certificate is in a foreign language, a translation of the certificate under oath of the translator shall be attached to the certificate.

Official source

Fee

$10

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(b) Application of a foreign corporation for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $10.00.

Official source

Penalties for operating without registration

Cannot maintain a Michigan court action until authorized; penalty of $100–$1,000 for each calendar month in the preceding five years, capped at $10,000.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(1) A foreign corporation transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall not maintain an action or proceeding in any court of this state until the corporation has obtained a certificate of authority. An action commenced by a foreign corporation having no … In addition to any other liability imposed by law, a foreign corporation transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall forfeit to the state a penalty of not less than $100.00, nor more than $1,000.00, for each calendar month, not more than 5 years prior thereto, in which it has transacted business in this state without a certificate of authority. This penalty shall not exceed $10,000.00. The penalty shall be recovered with costs in an action prosecuted by the attorney general.

Official source

Fee notes

The $10 application filing fee is separate from the $50 initial admission fee.

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(b) Application of a foreign corporation for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $10.00. … (2) The initial admission fee of a foreign corporation for profit and foreign regulated investment company applying for admission to do business in this state is $50.00 and 60,000 shares are considered initially attributable to this state at the time of admission.

Official source

Initial admission fee

$50

Verified 2026-10-25 — source and quotation

(2) The initial admission fee of a foreign corporation for profit and foreign regulated investment company applying for admission to do business in this state is $50.00 and 60,000 shares are considered initially attributable to this state at the time of admission.

Official source

Confirm with the official agency

Official sources and verification (10)

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

LLC / Fee

(n) Application of a foreign limited liability company for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $50.00.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Timing

Before transacting business in this state, a foreign limited liability company shall obtain a certificate of authority from the administrator. To obtain a certificate of authority, a foreign

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Required documents

certificate of authority from the administrator. To obtain a certificate of authority, a foreign limited liability company shall file with the administrator an application, executed as provided in section 103, setting forth all of the following:

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

LLC / Penalties for operating without registration

(1) A foreign limited liability company transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall not maintain an action, suit, or proceeding in a court of this state until it has obtained a certificate of authority. This prohibition applies to both of the following in addition

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Timing

A foreign corporation shall not transact business in this state until it has procured a certificate of authority to transact business from the administrator. A foreign corporation may

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Penalties for operating without registration

(1) A foreign corporation transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall not maintain an action or proceeding in any court of this state until the corporation has obtained a certificate of authority. An action commenced by a foreign corporation having no … In addition to any other liability imposed by law, a foreign corporation transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority shall forfeit to the state a penalty of not less than $100.00, nor more than $1,000.00, for each calendar month, not more than 5 years prior thereto, in which it has transacted business in this state without a certificate of authority. This penalty shall not exceed $10,000.00. The penalty shall be recovered with costs in an action prosecuted by the attorney general.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Required documents

To procure a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, a foreign corporation shall file with the administrator an application setting forth all of the following: … (1) A certificate setting forth that the corporation is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, executed by the official of the jurisdiction who has custody of the records pertaining to corporations and dated not earlier than 30 days before filing of the application, shall be attached to the application of a foreign corporation. If the certificate is in a foreign language, a translation of the certificate under oath of the translator shall be attached to the certificate.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Fee

(b) Application of a foreign corporation for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $10.00.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Fee notes

(b) Application of a foreign corporation for a certificate of authority to transact business in this state, $10.00. … (2) The initial admission fee of a foreign corporation for profit and foreign regulated investment company applying for admission to do business in this state is $50.00 and 60,000 shares are considered initially attributable to this state at the time of admission.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

Corporation / Initial admission fee

(2) The initial admission fee of a foreign corporation for profit and foreign regulated investment company applying for admission to do business in this state is $50.00 and 60,000 shares are considered initially attributable to this state at the time of admission.

Official source

Verified 2026-10-25

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Last verified 2026-10-25.

Official sources (2)

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