Forming a limited liability company (LLC) costs between $35 and $500 in one-time state filing fees. Most states add a recurring annual or biennial fee that ranges from $0 to more than $800. Montana charges the lowest filing fee at $35. Massachusetts charges the highest at $500. The full 51-jurisdiction table sits below.
Three questions drive most searches. What will I actually pay in my state? Which state is cheapest? What fees am I not seeing? This guide answers all three. Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is free from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), so budget only for state and service costs.
What Is an LLC Filing Fee?
An LLC filing fee is the one-time charge a state collects to process your Articles of Organization and legally recognize your business. It ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts. Every state requires it. You pay it once. This is the number most people mean when they ask what an LLC costs.
The filing goes to your Secretary of State or an equivalent business division. It is the only mandatory cost of forming an LLC.
What Are LLC Annual Fees and Ongoing Costs?
Most states charge a recurring annual or biennial fee to keep your LLC in good standing, and it applies whether or not you make money. This fee takes three forms: an annual report fee, a franchise tax, or a privilege tax. California’s $800 minimum franchise tax is the flagship example, per the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB).
A report fee updates your records with the state. A franchise tax is a charge for the privilege of operating. The franchise tax is often far larger than the report fee, and people rarely budget for it.
What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your LLC Annual Fee?
If you skip your annual fee or report, the state applies late penalties, then strips your good standing. Continued non-payment leads to administrative dissolution, which shuts down your LLC. A dissolved LLC struggles to secure loans, sign contracts, or defend its liability shield.
The costs escalate fast. Consequences include:
- Late fees and penalties
- Loss of good standing status
- Administrative (involuntary) dissolution by the state
- Trouble securing business loans and contracts
Delaware, for instance, adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest on unpaid tax, per the Delaware Division of Corporations.
LLC Fees by State (2026)
This table lists the one-time filing fee, the recurring annual or biennial fee, the due date, and the primary authority for all 50 states plus Washington DC. Figures are current for 2026 and verified against each state’s Secretary of State or tax authority.
| State | Filing Fee | Annual/Biennial Fee | Due Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $200 | $0 (Business Privilege Tax minimum repealed 2024) | n/a | AL Dept. of Revenue |
| Alaska | $250 | $100 (biennial) | Jan 2 | AK Dept. of Commerce |
| Arizona | $50 | $0 (publication required) | none | AZ Corporation Commission |
| Arkansas | $45 | $150 (franchise tax) | May 1 | AR Secretary of State |
| California | $70 | $800 franchise tax + $20 SOI (biennial) | 15th day, 4th month | CA Franchise Tax Board |
| Colorado | $50 | $10 | anniversary month | CO Secretary of State |
| Connecticut | $120 | $80 | March 31 | CT Secretary of State |
| Delaware | $110 | $300 (franchise tax) | June 1 | DE Division of Corporations |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 | May 1 | FL Division of Corporations |
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | April 1 | GA Secretary of State |
| Hawaii | $50 | $15 | anniversary quarter | HI Dept. of Commerce |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 (free report required) | anniversary month | ID Secretary of State |
| Illinois | $150 | $75 | anniversary month | IL Secretary of State |
| Indiana | $95 | $31 (biennial) | anniversary month | IN Secretary of State |
| Iowa | $50 | $30 (biennial) | April 1 (odd years) | IA Secretary of State |
| Kansas | $160 | $50 | April 15 | KS Secretary of State |
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 | June 30 | KY Secretary of State |
| Louisiana | $100 | $35 | anniversary month | LA Secretary of State |
| Maine | $175 | $85 | June 1 | ME Secretary of State |
| Maryland | $100 | $300 | April 15 | MD Dept. of Assessments and Taxation |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $500 | anniversary date | MA Secretary of the Commonwealth |
| Michigan | $50 | $25 | February 15 | MI Dept. of LARA |
| Minnesota | $155 | $0 (free report required) | December 31 | MN Secretary of State |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 (free report required) | April 15 | MS Secretary of State |
| Missouri | $50 | $0 (no report) | none | MO Secretary of State |
| Montana | $35 | $20 | April 15 | MT Secretary of State |
| Nebraska | $100 | $13 (biennial) | April 1 (odd years) | NE Secretary of State |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 (list + license) | anniversary month | NV Secretary of State |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $100 | April 1 | NH Secretary of State |
| New Jersey | $125 | $75 | anniversary month | NJ Division of Revenue |
| New Mexico | $50 | $0 (no report) | none | NM Secretary of State |
| New York | $200 | $9 (biennial) | anniversary month | NY Dept. of State |
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 | April 15 | NC Secretary of State |
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 | November 15 | ND Secretary of State |
| Ohio | $99 | $0 (no report) | none | OH Secretary of State |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $25 | anniversary month | OK Secretary of State |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 | anniversary date | OR Secretary of State |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 (annual report) | September 30 | PA Dept. of State |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $50 | Feb 1 to May 1 | RI Dept. of State |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 (no report) | none | SC Secretary of State |
| South Dakota | $150 | $50 | anniversary month | SD Secretary of State |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 minimum | 1st day, 4th month | TN Secretary of State |
| Texas | $300 | $0 below $2.65M revenue (franchise tax) | May 15 | TX Comptroller |
| Utah | $59 | $18 | anniversary month | UT Div. of Corporations |
| Vermont | $125 | $35 | 3 months after fiscal year end | VT Secretary of State |
| Virginia | $100 | $50 | anniversary month | VA State Corporation Commission |
| Washington | $200 | $70 | anniversary month | WA Secretary of State |
| West Virginia | $100 | $25 | July 1 | WV Secretary of State |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $25 | anniversary quarter | WI Dept. of Financial Institutions |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 minimum | anniversary month | WY Secretary of State |
| District of Columbia | $99 | $300 (biennial) | April 1 | DC Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Protection |
Notes: Texas charges no franchise tax below $2.65 million in annualized revenue for 2026, per the Texas Comptroller, but every LLC still files a Public Information Report. New York requires newspaper publication that can add $1,000 or more. California’s $20 Statement of Information (SOI) is due within 90 days of registration, then every two years.
How Much Does It Cost to Form an LLC?
Forming an LLC realistically costs $50 to $500 in most states if you file yourself. The first-year total climbs to roughly $100 to $800 once you add a commercial registered agent and any publication cost. The state filing fee is the only mandatory charge. Everything else depends on the choices below.
| Component | Typical Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $35 to $500 (one-time) | State Secretary of State |
| Name reservation (optional) | $10 to $50 | State fee schedules |
| Registered agent (year 1) | $0 (self) or $100 to $300 | Commercial agent pricing |
| Operating agreement | $0 to $200 | Template vs. attorney |
| EIN | $0 | IRS |
| Publication (NY, AZ, NE only) | $40 to $2,000+ | County newspaper rates |
| Expedited processing | $25 to $1,400 | WY Secretary of State (same-day $1,400) |
Get your EIN for free directly from the IRS. Before you file, confirm your name is available with Commenda’s free company name checker.
How Much Does It Cost to Maintain an LLC Per Year?
Maintaining an LLC costs $0 to $800 or more per year. The cost is driven mostly by your state’s report fee or franchise tax, plus a registered agent renewal. A cheap state to form can be expensive to keep. New Mexico costs $50 to form and $0 per year. California costs $70 to form and $800 or more every year.
| Component | Typical Annual Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual/biennial report fee | $0 to $500 | State Secretary of State |
| Franchise/privilege tax | $0 to $800+ (CA $800, DE $300) | State tax authority |
| Registered agent renewal | $100 to $300 | Commercial agent pricing |
| Business licenses/permits | Varies by locality and industry | Local government |
Track every state’s due date in one place with Commenda’s compliance calendar.
What Is the Cheapest State to Start an LLC?
Montana has the cheapest filing fee at $35. New Mexico is cheapest overall at $50 to form with no annual report. But for most businesses the cheapest state is the one where you actually operate. Forming elsewhere means paying twice through foreign qualification, plus two registered agents.
These jurisdictions charge no annual fee, which makes them cheap to keep:
| State | Filing Fee | Annual Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $50 | $0 (no report) | NM Secretary of State |
| Missouri | $50 | $0 (no report) | MO Secretary of State |
| Ohio | $99 | $0 (no report) | OH Secretary of State |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 (no report) | SC Secretary of State |
| Arizona | $50 | $0 (report required, free) | AZ Corporation Commission |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 (report required, free) | ID Secretary of State |
| Minnesota | $155 | $0 (report required, free) | MN Secretary of State |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 (report required, free) | MS Secretary of State |
One clarification: you form an LLC, you incorporate a corporation. Searches for the “cheapest state to incorporate” usually mean forming an LLC. Either way, home-state formation almost always wins. For the full analysis, see our guide to the best state to start an LLC.
Should You Form Your LLC in Delaware, Wyoming, or Nevada?
Form in Delaware, Wyoming, or Nevada only if you have a specific reason, such as venture capital (VC) funding in Delaware. None of the three saves money for an ordinary small business that operates in another state. The real numbers show why.
| State | Filing Fee | Annual Cost | Due Date | Why People Choose It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $110 | $300 franchise tax | June 1 | VC-backed startups; established business courts |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 minimum license tax | anniversary month | No state income tax; privacy |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 (annual list + license) | anniversary month | Low-tax branding, but costs the most |
Sources: Delaware Division of Corporations, Wyoming Secretary of State, Nevada Secretary of State.
The double-pay trap applies to all three. If you live and work in one state but form in another, you register as a foreign LLC at home, pay both states, and pay two registered agents. Compare the two most-hyped options in our Wyoming vs. Delaware guide.
How Commenda Helps You Form and Maintain Your LLC
Commenda’s incorporation service forms your LLC in any state and monitors compliance so annual reports and franchise taxes never lapse. For teams running entities across several states, entity management keeps every filing deadline and registered agent in one place, so country 12 behaves like country 1.
Book a demo to get a free assessment of exactly what your LLC will cost to form and maintain in your state.
