Guide

How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC? Formation Fees by State

Updated August 2026

Forming an LLC means filing Articles of Organization (or a state's equivalent document) with the Secretary of State and paying that state's filing fee — the one mandatory, one-time cost every LLC has to pay. Fees vary far more than most people expect: several states charge $50 or less, while a handful charge $200 to $500. The table below lists the standard, non-expedited filing fee for each state, alongside the fee to form a corporation for comparison.

Quick Answer

LLC formation fees range from about $35 to $500 depending on the state, with most states charging somewhere between $50 and $150. The fee is a one-time cost paid when filing Articles of Organization — it's separate from any recurring annual or biennial report fee the state charges afterward to keep the LLC in good standing.

What this fee actually covers

The formation fee pays for the state to review and file your Articles of Organization — the document that legally creates the LLC. It's a one-time cost, distinct from any recurring annual or biennial report fee the state charges afterward, and separate from optional costs like a registered agent service, an operating agreement, or expedited processing.

Why LLC and corporation fees sometimes differ

Some states charge the exact same filing fee regardless of entity type, using one combined fee schedule for LLCs, corporations, and other entity types alike. Others set separate fees, and a state's corporation fee sometimes scales with the number of shares the corporation authorizes — which is why a handful of states in the table below show a corporation fee listed as a minimum rather than a flat number.

Costs beyond the state filing fee

The formation fee is usually the smallest piece of what it actually costs to start an LLC properly. A registered agent service, if you don't act as your own, typically runs $50 to $300 a year. Many states also charge a recurring annual or biennial report fee to maintain good standing — see this site's LLC annual report fees by state guide for those figures specifically, since they're a separate ongoing cost from the one-time formation fee shown here.

How to use the table below

Every fee shown is the state's standard, non-expedited rate — expedited or rush processing is available in most states for an additional charge on top of this base fee. A few states don't publish a clear standalone base fee on their public fee schedule; those are marked "Verify with state" rather than a guessed number, with a link through to that state's Secretary of State office page for the current figure.

LLC and Corporation Formation Fees by State

Filter states

State	LLC Fee	Corp Fee	Notes
Alabama	$200	Same as LLC	Same $200 fee covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, and nonprofits; foreign registration is $150.
Alaska	$250	$250	Biennial (not annual) report is $100 for LLCs and corporations.
Arizona	$50	$60	LLCs have no annual report requirement in Arizona, unlike corporations ($45/yr).
Arkansas	$50	$50	Online filing costs $45 vs $50 by paper, a $5 discount for LLCs and corporations.
California	$70	$100	LLCs and corporations also owe a separate CA Franchise Tax minimum, billed separately.
Colorado	$50	$50	Annual Periodic Report is $25 for all entity types; late filings add a $50 penalty.
Connecticut	$120	$250	Corporations also owe a $150 Organization and First Report shortly after incorporation.
Delaware	$110	$109 minimum	LLCs owe a flat $300 annual tax (rising to $400 in 2026); corp fee rises with shares.
District of Columbia	$99	$99	Corp fee rises to $550 above $100k authorized capital; DC reports are biennial, not annual.
Florida	$125	$70	LLC fee is $100 filing + $25 agent fee; corp fee is $35 filing + $35 agent fee.
Georgia	$110	Same as LLC	Annual registration (LLCs, corporations, LPs) is $60, due by April 1.
Hawaii	$50	Same as LLC	Annual report is just $15 for LLCs and corporations, among the lowest nationally.
Idaho	$100	Same as LLC	Annual reports are free — a rare exception; paper filing costs $20 more than online.
Illinois	$150	Same as LLC	Annual report fee is $75 for both LLCs and corporations.
Indiana	Verify with state	Verify with state
Iowa	$50	Same as LLC	Biennial report is $30 online for LLCs but $60 for corporations.
Kansas	$85	Same as LLC	Kansas cut many fees in 2026; foreign LLCs must file on paper for $90.
Kentucky	$40	Same as LLC	Annual report fee is a flat $15 regardless of entity type.
Louisiana	$100	$75	Louisiana's LLC filing fee ($100) is higher than the corporation fee ($75).
Maine	$175	$145	LLC and corporation annual reports are both $85, due June 1.
Maryland	$100	$120	Annual report is $300 for LLCs and corporations — among the highest in the US.
Massachusetts	$500	$275 minimum	LLC annual report is also $500 — one of the highest flat rates in the country.
Michigan	$50	$60	Foreign LLC registration is also $50, same as the domestic formation fee.
Minnesota	$135	$135	Online filing costs more ($155) than mailing ($135); annual renewals are free.
Mississippi	$50	$50	Foreign corporation registration is $500 — ten times the domestic rate.
Missouri	$50	$58	Paper filing costs $105 vs $50 online; corporate fees rise above $30,000 capital.
Montana	$35	$35	Annual report is free if filed before April 15; late filings cost $35.
Nebraska	$100	$100	In-office filing costs $10 more ($110) than filing online ($100).
Nevada	$75	$75 minimum	First-year cost also includes $150 Initial List + $200 (LLC) or $500 (corp) Business License.
New Hampshire	$100	$100	Online filings carry a $2 electronic filing surcharge.
New Jersey	$100	$100	LLC Standing Certificates cost $100 vs. just $25 for corporations.
New Mexico	$50	$100 minimum	New Mexico LLCs owe no annual report fee — a rarity among states.
New York	$200	$125 minimum	Newspaper publication requirement adds extra county-variable costs for LLCs.
North Carolina	$125	$125	LLC annual report runs ~$200 vs. just ~$25 for corporations — a major ongoing cost gap.
North Dakota	$135	$100	No separate name reservation filing — check availability via FirstStop before filing.
Ohio	$99	$99	No annual report required for LLCs or corporations in Ohio.
Oklahoma	$100	$50 minimum	Foreign LLC registration runs $300 — notably higher than the $100 domestic fee.
Oregon	$100	$100	Annual report is also $100 per year, matching the initial filing fee.
Pennsylvania	$125	$125	Annual report is only $7/year; veteran- and reservist-owned businesses may qualify for fee exemptions.
Rhode Island	$150	$230	LLCs and corporations also owe a separate $400 minimum annual tax to RI Division of Taxation.
South Carolina	$110	$135	Corporation filing requires a mandatory $25 CL-1 initial report, for a $135 total to form.
South Dakota	$150	$150	Paper filing costs $165 instead of $150 online; expedited processing adds $50.
Tennessee	$300 minimum	$100	LLC fee scales at $50 per member ($300 min, $3,000 max); corporations pay a flat $100.
Texas	$300	$300	No SOS annual report fee — Texas franchise tax is filed separately with the Comptroller.
Utah	$59	$59	Annual renewal is just $18; expedited processing (1–2 business days) costs an extra $75.
Vermont	$155	$155	Annual report is $45 for LLCs and $60 for corporations, due a few months after fiscal year end.
Virginia	$100	$75 minimum	Corporation fees scale up to $2,500 for over 1,000,000 authorized shares.
Washington	$180	$180	Annual report is $70/year (+$25 if late), due each anniversary month.
West Virginia	$100	$100	Foreign LLC registration costs $150; annual report fee is $25.
Wisconsin	$130	$100	Paper filing costs more: LLC formation is $170 by mail vs $130 online.
Wyoming	$100	$100	Annual report is $60 minimum, or $0.0002 × Wyoming-based assets if greater.

Alabama

LLC Fee: $200
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Same $200 fee covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, and nonprofits; foreign registration is $150.

Alaska

LLC Fee: $250
Corp Fee: $250
Notes: Biennial (not annual) report is $100 for LLCs and corporations.

Arizona

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $60
Notes: LLCs have no annual report requirement in Arizona, unlike corporations ($45/yr).

Arkansas

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $50
Notes: Online filing costs $45 vs $50 by paper, a $5 discount for LLCs and corporations.

California

LLC Fee: $70
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: LLCs and corporations also owe a separate CA Franchise Tax minimum, billed separately.

Colorado

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $50
Notes: Annual Periodic Report is $25 for all entity types; late filings add a $50 penalty.

Connecticut

LLC Fee: $120
Corp Fee: $250
Notes: Corporations also owe a $150 Organization and First Report shortly after incorporation.

Delaware

LLC Fee: $110
Corp Fee: $109 minimum
Notes: LLCs owe a flat $300 annual tax (rising to $400 in 2026); corp fee rises with shares.

District of Columbia

LLC Fee: $99
Corp Fee: $99
Notes: Corp fee rises to $550 above $100k authorized capital; DC reports are biennial, not annual.

Florida

LLC Fee: $125
Corp Fee: $70
Notes: LLC fee is $100 filing + $25 agent fee; corp fee is $35 filing + $35 agent fee.

Georgia

LLC Fee: $110
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Annual registration (LLCs, corporations, LPs) is $60, due by April 1.

Hawaii

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Annual report is just $15 for LLCs and corporations, among the lowest nationally.

Idaho

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Annual reports are free — a rare exception; paper filing costs $20 more than online.

Illinois

LLC Fee: $150
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Annual report fee is $75 for both LLCs and corporations.

Indiana

LLC Fee: Verify with state
Corp Fee: Verify with state

Iowa

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Biennial report is $30 online for LLCs but $60 for corporations.

Kansas

LLC Fee: $85
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Kansas cut many fees in 2026; foreign LLCs must file on paper for $90.

Kentucky

LLC Fee: $40
Corp Fee: Same as LLC
Notes: Annual report fee is a flat $15 regardless of entity type.

Louisiana

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $75
Notes: Louisiana's LLC filing fee ($100) is higher than the corporation fee ($75).

Maine

LLC Fee: $175
Corp Fee: $145
Notes: LLC and corporation annual reports are both $85, due June 1.

Maryland

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $120
Notes: Annual report is $300 for LLCs and corporations — among the highest in the US.

Massachusetts

LLC Fee: $500
Corp Fee: $275 minimum
Notes: LLC annual report is also $500 — one of the highest flat rates in the country.

Michigan

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $60
Notes: Foreign LLC registration is also $50, same as the domestic formation fee.

Minnesota

LLC Fee: $135
Corp Fee: $135
Notes: Online filing costs more ($155) than mailing ($135); annual renewals are free.

Mississippi

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $50
Notes: Foreign corporation registration is $500 — ten times the domestic rate.

Missouri

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $58
Notes: Paper filing costs $105 vs $50 online; corporate fees rise above $30,000 capital.

Montana

LLC Fee: $35
Corp Fee: $35
Notes: Annual report is free if filed before April 15; late filings cost $35.

Nebraska

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: In-office filing costs $10 more ($110) than filing online ($100).

Nevada

LLC Fee: $75
Corp Fee: $75 minimum
Notes: First-year cost also includes $150 Initial List + $200 (LLC) or $500 (corp) Business License.

New Hampshire

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: Online filings carry a $2 electronic filing surcharge.

New Jersey

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: LLC Standing Certificates cost $100 vs. just $25 for corporations.

New Mexico

LLC Fee: $50
Corp Fee: $100 minimum
Notes: New Mexico LLCs owe no annual report fee — a rarity among states.

New York

LLC Fee: $200
Corp Fee: $125 minimum
Notes: Newspaper publication requirement adds extra county-variable costs for LLCs.

North Carolina

LLC Fee: $125
Corp Fee: $125
Notes: LLC annual report runs ~$200 vs. just ~$25 for corporations — a major ongoing cost gap.

North Dakota

LLC Fee: $135
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: No separate name reservation filing — check availability via FirstStop before filing.

Ohio

LLC Fee: $99
Corp Fee: $99
Notes: No annual report required for LLCs or corporations in Ohio.

Oklahoma

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $50 minimum
Notes: Foreign LLC registration runs $300 — notably higher than the $100 domestic fee.

Oregon

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: Annual report is also $100 per year, matching the initial filing fee.

Pennsylvania

LLC Fee: $125
Corp Fee: $125
Notes: Annual report is only $7/year; veteran- and reservist-owned businesses may qualify for fee exemptions.

Rhode Island

LLC Fee: $150
Corp Fee: $230
Notes: LLCs and corporations also owe a separate $400 minimum annual tax to RI Division of Taxation.

South Carolina

LLC Fee: $110
Corp Fee: $135
Notes: Corporation filing requires a mandatory $25 CL-1 initial report, for a $135 total to form.

South Dakota

LLC Fee: $150
Corp Fee: $150
Notes: Paper filing costs $165 instead of $150 online; expedited processing adds $50.

Tennessee

LLC Fee: $300 minimum
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: LLC fee scales at $50 per member ($300 min, $3,000 max); corporations pay a flat $100.

Texas

LLC Fee: $300
Corp Fee: $300
Notes: No SOS annual report fee — Texas franchise tax is filed separately with the Comptroller.

Utah

LLC Fee: $59
Corp Fee: $59
Notes: Annual renewal is just $18; expedited processing (1–2 business days) costs an extra $75.

Vermont

LLC Fee: $155
Corp Fee: $155
Notes: Annual report is $45 for LLCs and $60 for corporations, due a few months after fiscal year end.

Virginia

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $75 minimum
Notes: Corporation fees scale up to $2,500 for over 1,000,000 authorized shares.

Washington

LLC Fee: $180
Corp Fee: $180
Notes: Annual report is $70/year (+$25 if late), due each anniversary month.

West Virginia

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: Foreign LLC registration costs $150; annual report fee is $25.

Wisconsin

LLC Fee: $130
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: Paper filing costs more: LLC formation is $170 by mail vs $130 online.

Wyoming

LLC Fee: $100
Corp Fee: $100
Notes: Annual report is $60 minimum, or $0.0002 × Wyoming-based assets if greater.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the LLC formation fee a one-time cost or does it repeat every year?

One-time — it's paid when you first file Articles of Organization. Most states separately charge a recurring annual or biennial report fee afterward to keep the LLC in good standing, which is a different cost from the formation fee shown here.

Why is my state's corporation fee higher than its LLC fee?

In many states, corporation filing fees scale with the number of shares the corporation authorizes, so a corporation with a large number of authorized shares can owe significantly more than the base minimum shown — LLC fees don't have this scaling factor since LLCs don't issue shares.

Do I have to pay the formation fee again if my LLC application gets rejected?

Usually, yes — most states don't refund the filing fee for a rejected application, so it's worth double-checking your Articles of Organization against the state's requirements, like an available business name and complete registered agent details, before submitting.

Is a cheaper state a better place to form an LLC?

Not automatically — most businesses should form in the state where they actually operate, since operating in a state without registering there as a foreign LLC can create compliance problems regardless of how low that state's own formation fee is.

This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees vary by state — verify specifics on your state's Secretary of State office page. Last verified: August 2026.

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