SOS Business Search

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth — contact & fees

Updated August 2026

The Massachusetts Corporations Division within the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office registers all entity types, processes annual reports, and issues certificates of good standing. The division maintains offices in Boston at One Ashburton Place. Online filing requires a registered account; searching is public without login.

Office contact

Address
One Ashburton Place, 17th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
Phone
(617) 727-9640
Toll-free phone
1-800-392-6090
Filing Room hours
Monday – Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Public Room & Phone Room hours
Monday – Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Corporations Division homepage
sec.state.ma.us — Corporations

Entity formation and filing fees

Massachusetts LLC formation and annual report fees are among the highest in the country — both $500. Corporation fees scale by authorized shares. Verify current amounts at the live fee page before filing.

Filing Fee
LLC — Certificate of Organization (formation) $500
LLC — Annual Report $500
LLC — Certificate of Good Standing $25
LLC — Certificate of Existence $12
Profit Corporation — Articles of Organization (minimum, up to 275,000 shares) $275
Profit Corporation — Annual Report (electronic) $100
Profit Corporation — Annual Report (paper / late) $125 / $150
Profit Corporation — Certificate of Good Standing $12
Foreign Corporation — Registration $400
Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Organization $35
Nonprofit Corporation — Annual Report $15
Name Reservation (all entity types, 60 days) $30

Corporation formation fees above $275 scale with authorized shares: an additional $100 is charged per each additional 100,000 authorized shares above 275,000. LLCs and annual reports for LLCs both cost $500 — an unusually high rate compared to most states.

Key Massachusetts state licensing agencies

Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR)

What it covers
State tax registration, sales and use tax, withholding tax, MassTaxConnect business accounts
Website
mass.gov/dor

Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR)

What it covers
Professional and occupational licensing — contractors, home improvement, real estate, insurance
Website
mass.gov/ocabr

Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

What it covers
Employer unemployment insurance registration, wage reporting
Website
mass.gov/dua

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to form and maintain an LLC in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts LLC fees are among the highest in the country — $500 to file the Certificate of Organization and another $500 for the annual report, an unusually high recurring rate compared to most states.

How much does it cost to incorporate a company with a lot of authorized shares in Massachusetts?

The base Articles of Organization fee is $275 for up to 275,000 authorized shares. Above that, an additional $100 is charged for each additional 100,000 authorized shares, so the fee scales up with a corporation's share count.

How much does it cost to form a nonprofit in Massachusetts?

A Massachusetts nonprofit corporation's Articles of Organization cost $35 to file, with a $15 annual report fee — both well below the fees for LLCs and for-profit corporations.

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth's office or any state agency listed above. Contact information and fees verified against official Massachusetts Corporations Division sources, August 2026. Verify current fees at the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.