State fees verified September 3, 2026 — cross-checked across two independent sources.
How much does an LLC cost?
Forming an LLC costs $35 to $500 in state filing fees, plus $0 to $300 in annual report fees, plus a registered agent if you hire one ($125 to $249 a year). A realistic first-year total for a DIY founder in a mid-cost state is $75 to $250 all-in.
Every number below is verified against state fee schedules and cross-checked against an independent source, with the verification date shown. The table is sorted by first-year cost — use it to see both the entry price and the upkeep you're signing up for.
| State | Filing fee | Report fee | Report cycle | First-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $50 | $0 | None | $50 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 | None | $50 |
| Missouri | $50 | $0 | None | $50 |
| New Mexico | $50 | $0 | None | $50 |
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 | Annual | $55 |
| Montana | $35 | $20 | Annual | $55 |
| Hawaii | $51 | $15 | Annual | $66 |
| Colorado | $50 | $25 | Annual | $75 |
| Michigan | $50 | $25 | Annual | $75 |
| Utah | $59 | $18 | Annual | $77 |
| Iowa | $50 | $30 | Biennial | $80 |
| California | $70 | $20 | Biennial (initial $20 due 90 days after formation) | $90 |
| Ohio | $99 | $0 | None | $99 |
| Alabama | $100 | $0 | Initial report: $100 minimum tax due within 90 days of formation | $100 |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 | Annual (no fee) | $100 |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 | None | $110 |
| Nebraska | $100 | $13 | Biennial | $113 |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $25 | Annual | $125 |
| West Virginia | $100 | $25 | Annual | $125 |
| Indiana | $95 | $32 | Biennial | $127 |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 | Annual (decal fee) | $132 |
| Louisiana | $100 | $35 | Annual | $135 |
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | Annual | $150 |
| Virginia | $100 | $50 | Annual | $150 |
| Minnesota | $155 | $0 | Annual (no fee) | $155 |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $25 | Annual | $155 |
| Vermont | $125 | $35 | Annual | $160 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 | Annual | $160 |
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 | Annual | $185 |
| Arkansas | $45 | $150 | Annual | $195 |
| Connecticut | $120 | $80 | Annual | $200 |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $100 | Annual | $200 |
| New Jersey | $125 | $75 | Annual | $200 |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 | Annual | $200 |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $50 | Annual (+ $400 annual tax) | $200 |
| South Dakota | $150 | $55 | Annual | $205 |
| New York | $200 | $9 | Biennial | $209 |
| Kansas | $160 | $50 | Biennial | $210 |
| Illinois | $150 | $75 | Annual | $225 |
| Maine | $175 | $85 | Annual | $260 |
| Florida | $125 | $139 | Annual (late fee $400) | $264 |
| Washington | $200 | $70 | Annual (initial report $10 due within 120 days) | $270 |
| Texas | $300 | $0 | Annual (no report fee; franchise tax above revenue threshold) | $300 |
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 | Annual | $325 |
| Alaska | $250 | $100 | Biennial | $350 |
| Delaware | $90 | $300 | Annual | $390 |
| Maryland | $100 | $300 | Annual | $400 |
| Nevada | $75 | $350 | Annual (initial report $150 due at formation) | $425 |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 | Annual (+ franchise tax by member count) | $600 |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $500 | Annual | $1000 |
Sorted by first-year cost. Cheapest: Arizona ($50). Priciest: Massachusetts ($1000). Verified 2026-09-03; cross-checked against northwestregisteredagent.com's published cost data. First-year total = filing fee + first report fee where due. It excludes registered agent service, business licenses, franchise taxes (e.g. California's $800), and publication requirements (New York).
The 50 states at a glance
What each state charges every year after
The filing fee is a one-time hit. This is the part that compounds:
The three layers of LLC cost
Layer 1 — the state. Filing fee, one-time. Report fee, recurring (annual or biennial). Franchise taxes in a handful of states (California $800, Tennessee by member count, Rhode Island $400). This layer is unavoidable and identical no matter which service you use.
Layer 2 — the registered agent. Required in all 50 states. Free if you (or a roommate with a fixed weekday schedule) act as your own. $125 to $249 per year if you hire a service — and nearly every "$0 formation" service is betting on this renewal, not the formation fee.
Layer 3 — the extras. EIN: $0 from the IRS directly, $50 to $99 via a service. Operating agreement: $0 to $99. Licenses and permits: $25 to $100+ depending on industry. These are where a "$0 formation" checkout becomes a $400 invoice.
LLC cost calculator
LLC cost calculator
State filing fees + optional service costs for year one. Wages, taxes, and licenses are not included.
$50estimated first-year total
State fees verified 2026-09-03. Service prices verified from provider pricing pages 2026-09-03.
What a real first year looks like: two examples
A single-member LLC in Kentucky, DIY, self-filed agent: $40 filing + $15 annual report = $55. Add an EIN yourself: free. That is the floor for a legitimate, compliant LLC.
The same LLC formed through ZenBusiness with their agent: $0 formation + $50 state fee = $50 in year one — then $199 agent renewal in year two, and $99 if you let them handle the EIN. Nothing illegal about it. But the five-year cost of that "free" formation is $50 + $199×4 = $846, versus $95 for pure DIY with a $15/yr report. Price the renewal before you celebrate the $0.
The states with hidden costs
- California: $800 annual franchise tax after year one, regardless of income. An $800 tax on a side hustle doing $2,000 a year is real money.
- New York: mandatory 6-week newspaper publication, roughly $300 to $1,200 depending on county.
- Rhode Island: $400 annual tax on top of the $50 report.
- Massachusetts: $500 filing + $500 every year after.
- Nevada: $150 initial report at formation, $350 annual report after.
When you don't need an LLC (or its costs) yet
If you're testing a side hustle with no customers and no liability exposure, a sole proprietorship costs $0 and takes no paperwork. Form the LLC when money changes hands, a contract gets signed, or you hire help. Paying Massachusetts $1,000 over two years to hold an unused LLC is a subscription nobody needs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC?
The state filing fee runs $35 (Montana) to $500 (Massachusetts), and most states charge an annual or biennial report fee on top. A realistic first-year total is $50 to $400 in state fees, plus a registered agent ($0 if you serve as your own, $125 to $249 per year if you hire one) and whatever the formation service charges ($0 to $249).
Can I form an LLC for free?
No state files the paperwork for free — Montana's $35 is the floor. Services advertising "$0 LLC" mean you pay only the state fee; they make money on renewals (registered agent at $125 to $249 per year) and add-ons like EIN filing, which the IRS itself provides free.
What is the cheapest state to form an LLC in?
Arizona, Missouri, and New Mexico cost $50 once and charge no annual report at all. Montana is $35 to file plus $20 a year. Ohio is $99 once with no recurring report fee. Kentucky, at $40 plus a $15 annual report, is the cheapest state with both low entry and low upkeep.
How much does an LLC cost per year after forming?
Anywhere from $0 (Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio) to $1,000+ (Massachusetts $500 report plus registered agent; Rhode Island $400 annual tax; California $800 franchise tax). Most states land between $15 and $100 per year in report fees.