Vermont Secretary of State office — contact & fees
Quick Answer
The Vermont Secretary of State's Business Services Division registers all business entities, processes annual and biennial reports, and maintains the BizFilings public portal. Walk-in hours end at 3:30 p.m. — earlier than most state offices. Phone service continues until 4:30 p.m. Vermont does not offer a formal expedited filing tier; the BizFilings online system generally processes formations within 1–3 business days.
Open Official Vermont Secretary of State Portal ↗This site is an independent, non-government business entity search directory and isn't affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state government or Secretary of State office. Always verify details directly with the official agency before filing or paying any fee.
Office contact
- Address
- 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-1104
- Phone
- (802) 828-2386
- Toll-free
- 888-647-4582
- Walk-in hours
- Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Phone hours
- Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- BizFilings portal
- bizfilings.vermont.gov
- Business Services homepage
- sos.vermont.gov/business-services
Entity formation and filing fees
Vermont charges $155 for LLC, for-profit corporation, and nonprofit corporation formations — the same flat fee regardless of entity type. This is higher than most states. Some third-party sources still show the pre-2024 LLC formation rate of $125; the current fee, confirmed against the official fee schedule, is $155. Verify at sos.vermont.gov before filing.
Domestic LLC — Articles of Organization
- Fee
- $155
Domestic LLC — Annual Report (within 3 months of FY end)
- Fee
- $45
Domestic LLC — Certificate of Existence
- Fee
- $35
Domestic LLC — Name Reservation
- Fee
- $25
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $155
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Annual Report (within 2.5 months of FY end)
- Fee
- $60
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $25
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Name Reservation
- Fee
- $40
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $155
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report (compensated officers/directors)
- Fee
- $35
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report (no compensated officers/directors)
- Fee
- $0 (free)
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $35
Certified copies
- Fee
- $25
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
The Secretary of State's office covers UCC filings and apostilles directly, and oversees notary commissions through a licensing division:
- UCC search and filing — free uncertified search through the online UCC Lien Search; a certified search report costs $35.
- Notary public commissions — a $30 application fee, administered through the Office of Professional Regulation, a division of the Secretary of State's Office.
- Apostilles and authentications — $10 per document, issued by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration on behalf of the Secretary of State.
Source: Vermont Secretary of State UCC, notary, and apostille pages (sos.vermont.gov).
Key Vermont state licensing agencies
Vermont Department of Taxes
- What it covers
- Business tax registration, sales and use tax, withholding tax, meals and rooms tax
- Website
- tax.vermont.gov
Vermont Department of Labor
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, wage and hour compliance
- Website
- labor.vermont.gov
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR)
- What it covers
- Professional and occupational licensing — contractors, healthcare, real estate, cosmetology
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Vermont?
$155 — the same flat fee Vermont charges for LLC, for-profit corporation, and nonprofit corporation formation. Some third-party sources still list the pre-2024 rate of $125, but $155 is the current confirmed fee.
What are the walk-in hours for the Vermont Secretary of State's business office?
Walk-in service ends at 3:30 p.m., earlier than most state offices, though phone service continues until 4:30 p.m. Vermont doesn't offer a formal expedited filing tier.
Does a Vermont nonprofit have to pay for its biennial report?
Only if it compensated an officer, director, or employee in the prior calendar year — that report costs $35. If none were compensated, the biennial report is free.