LLC Formation Cost by State

LLC formation cost starts with the state filing fee for Articles of Organization, Certificate of Formation, or the state's equivalent formation document. That required filing is only one line in the first-year budget. Many states also have annual reports, biennial reports, franchise taxes, license taxes, or alternative entity taxes.

The state calculators separate the required state filing from the broader first-year baseline. Optional items such as registered-agent service, expedited handling, certified copies, local business licenses, tax registration, attorney review, CPA work, and operating-agreement drafting are kept outside the baseline unless the official state source includes them in the filing fee.

States set their own filing fees, report cadence, tax structure, portal workflow, and registered-agent language. A state with a low filing fee can still be more expensive in year one if it charges a recurring report or franchise-tax baseline. Another state may charge more up front but less in ongoing compliance.

The state pages use official Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, or equivalent filing sources. They include the filing source, online filing portal, recurring report notes, franchise-tax notes, registered-agent requirement, supported LLC structures, and state-specific policy context.

Use filing-fee-only mode when the question is the required government filing. Use full first-year baseline mode when planning launch cash and compliance deadlines. The second view is usually better for budgeting because the first report or tax deadline can arrive soon after formation.

After reviewing the state page, confirm current fee language in the official filing portal before submitting documents. Then budget separately for business activity costs: local permits, sales-tax registration, payroll registration, insurance, registered-agent service, professional drafting, and tax advice.