Where to file
Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming are marketed hard and fit almost nobody. File where you actually do business, and you avoid registering a second, foreign LLC on top of the first.
Read the state analysis →Volume I — FormationForm your LLC
Form your LLC
without the guesswork.
A plain-language reference to filing a limited liability company in any US state. Every fee, deadline and requirement, written out and kept current — free to read, no account, nothing held back.
Begin with your state
The three decisions
Almost every mistake traces back to one of three questions.
What it costs
Filing fees run from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts, and the annual fee is often the larger number. Both are laid out side by side, state by state.
Compare all 50 states →Who receives service
Every LLC needs a registered agent with a street address in the filing state. You can serve as your own for free — the trade-off is that your address becomes public record.
Understand the requirement →Figure 1 — Cost of entry
View the full fee tableEvery state, priced.
Each square is one state, shaded by what the Secretary of State charges to file Articles of Organization. Select one to see its full record.
Filing fee by stateHover or select
Under $60$60 – $110$110 – $175Over $175
No state selected
Pick a square
Every state sets its own filing fee, annual fee and processing time. Select a tile to see that state’s record, then open the full guide.
Darker tile = higher filing fee
Our position
The expensive part of forming an LLC is usually the advice.
Filing is a form and a fee. What costs people money is being steered into the wrong state, sold services they already have, or charged for a document the IRS gives away. We publish the whole process so you can price it honestly.
$34M+Reader fees avoided
15 yrsPublishing since 2010
“Form your LLC in the state where you actually do business. For roughly ninety-nine people in a hundred, that is the whole answer.”
Directory — Filing services
If you would rather not file it yourself.
None of this is necessary — you can file directly with your state. These companies simply do it for you, and several bundle a registered agent for the first year.
4.7 / 5Bizee
Free LLC formation with basic package. Handles paperwork and provides a personalized dashboard to manage your business.
- Free basic LLC filing ($0 + state fee)
- Same-day business day processing
- Free registered agent for 1 year
$0 + state feeVisit →
4.8 / 5Doola
LLC formation for entrepreneurs, including non-US residents. Provides formation, EIN, and ongoing compliance support.
- LLC formation for US & non-US residents
- EIN / Tax ID number included
- Registered agent service
$197 + state feeVisit →
4.8 / 5Northwest Registered Agent
Premium registered agent service with a focus on privacy and customer support. Known for transparency and no upselling.
- Premium registered agent service
- Privacy-first approach
- No upsells or hidden fees
$39 + state feeVisit →
4.6 / 5Stripe Atlas
Form a Delaware C-Corp with Stripe. Ideal for startups looking to raise venture capital and issue stock options.
- Delaware C-Corp formation
- Stripe business account included
- 83(b) election filing assistance
$500 (one-time)Visit →
ZenBusiness
Affordable LLC formation with strong customer support and ongoing compliance services for small business owners.
- LLC formation starting at $0 + state fee
- Free registered agent for 1 year
- Operating agreement included
$0 + state feeVisit →
4.5 / 5LegalZoom
One of the most recognized names in online legal services. Offers LLC formation, legal documents, and attorney access.
- LLC formation with legal review
- Access to attorney network
- Business license research
$0 + state feeVisit →
4.4 / 5Rocket Lawyer
Online legal services with LLC formation, legal document access, and attorney consultations through a membership model.
- LLC formation services
- Free 7-day trial of legal membership
- Legal document templates & review
$0 + state feeVisit →
Some links above are affiliate links. They pay us a commission and have no bearing on what we write or how these services are ordered.
Primer
First principles
Three questions, answered before you file anything.
What an LLC actually is
A limited liability company is a legal container. It separates what the business owns and owes from what you own and owe — a hybrid that borrows the liability shield of a corporation and the pass-through taxation of a partnership, without inheriting the paperwork of either. It can run a business or simply hold an asset: property, a vehicle, a boat.
Where to form it
In the state where the business operates. For most people that is where they live; for a property investor it is where the building stands. Filing elsewhere means registering as a foreign LLC back home — two filing fees, two annual reports, two registered agents, indefinitely.
What it will cost
A median of $132 to file, with most states between $50 and $150, plus an annual fee averaging $91 where one is charged. California’s $800 franchise tax and Massachusetts’ $500 filing fee sit at the far end of the distribution.
Begin
Pick a state and start reading.
Each guide walks the filing end to end: naming rules, registered agent, articles of organization, operating agreement, EIN.
Index — every state guide51 entries
Alabama$200Alaska$250Arizona$50Arkansas$45California$70Colorado$50Connecticut$120Delaware$110Florida$125Georgia$100Hawaii$51Idaho$100Illinois$150Indiana$100Iowa$50Kansas$165Kentucky$40Louisiana$100Maine$175Maryland$100Massachusetts$500Michigan$50Minnesota$155Mississippi$50Missouri$50Montana$35Nebraska$105Nevada$75New Hampshire$100New Jersey$125New Mexico$50New York$200North Carolina$125North Dakota$135Ohio$99Oklahoma$100Oregon$100Pennsylvania$125Rhode Island$150South Carolina$110South Dakota$150Tennessee$300Texas$300Utah$59Vermont$125Virginia$100Washington$200Washington DC$220West Virginia$100Wisconsin$130Wyoming$102