8 months ago · Updated 4 days ago
How to Start an LLC — Complete Guide for All 50 States (2026)
Use this hub to choose a state, follow the core formation sequence, and reach the correct state-specific compliance guide. State costs appear once in the canonical 50-state table below rather than being repeated in cards, FAQs and sales sections.
- All Guides on LLC Starters
- Free LLC Formation Tool
- Featured States — By Category
- All 50 States — Fees & Timelines
- Texas · Florida · Kentucky
- How to Start an LLC in 5 Steps
- How Much Does It Cost?
- Free LLC Tools & Calculators
- Best States to Form an LLC
- Best LLC Formation Services
- Frequently Asked Questions
All Guides on LLC Starters
LLC Starters organizes formation information by state and by the decision you need to make next. For example, you can compare state requirements, learn LLC fundamentals, handle post-formation setup, or read service reviews without jumping between unrelated pages. Once your LLC is approved, our post-formation checklist puts the next compliance steps in a practical order.
Start with the decision you need to make next
"There are so many moving parts — what order do I actually do all of this in?"
Keep it simpler than it looks. First, choose the state and a compliant name. Next, appoint a registered agent and file the formation document. Next, after approval, get an EIN if your situation requires one, put an operating agreement in place, and open a dedicated business bank account. Finally, handle licenses and recurring compliance that apply to your business.
In addition, you do not need to buy every add-on at the beginning. Therefore, start with the legal requirements for your state, then pay for a service only when it saves you time, protects privacy, or handles a task you do not want to manage yourself.
See the 5-step LLC process below →
Find the Right LLC Setup for Your Situation
First, answer a few questions and get a practical route based on your state, budget, privacy needs, and business situation. In particular, the tool helps you compare formation costs, business structure choices, and whether a formation service is worth paying for.
- ✓ State recommendation based on your location and goals
- ✓ Formation cost estimate for your situation
- ✓ LLC vs S Corp tax guidance
- ✓ Service recommendation based on budget and privacy needs
Free · No account required · Takes 2 minutes
State Guides by Decision Type
The state table below owns the numeric data. These cards are navigation only, so the same fee is not repeated in multiple parts of the hub.
All 50 States — LLC Formation and Recurring Requirements
This is the hub's single canonical location for state-level cost figures. Formation charges, mandatory initial extras and recurring state obligations are separated so a tax, license, biennial filing or publication requirement is not mislabeled as one generic “annual fee.”
Alabama through Georgia
| State | Formation / mandatory initial layer | Recurring state obligation | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $200 SOS filing + required name reservation | No standard SOS annual report; tax obligations are separate | formation |
| Alaska | $250 | $100 biennial report | formation · recurring |
| Arizona | $50 | No LLC annual report | formation · recurring |
| Arkansas | $45 online / $50 paper | $150 annual franchise tax/reporting | formation |
| California | $70 + $20 initial Statement of Information | $20 biennial Statement + $800 annual tax; income-based LLC fee may apply | formation · recurring |
| Colorado | $50 | $25 annual Periodic Report | formation |
| Connecticut | $120 | $80 annual report | formation |
| Delaware | $110 | $400 annual LLC tax; no LLC annual report | formation |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 annual report | formation |
| Georgia | $110 total | $60 annual registration | formation · recurring |
Hawaii through Maryland
| State | Formation / mandatory initial layer | Recurring state obligation | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $51 total ($50 filing + $1 State Archives) | $12.50 online / $15 paper annual report | formation · recurring |
| Idaho | $100 online baseline | Annual report; $0 filing fee | formation |
| Illinois | $150 | $75 annual report | formation · recurring |
| Indiana | $95 online baseline | $32 online / $50 paper biennial Business Entity Report | formation |
| Iowa | $50 | $30 online / $45 paper biennial report | formation · recurring |
| Kansas | $85 online / $90 paper | $90 online / $110 paper biennial Information Report | formation · recurring |
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 annual report | formation |
| Louisiana | $125 | $35 annual report | formation |
| Maine | $175 | $85 annual report | formation |
| Maryland | $100 | $300 baseline annual report/personal-property filing; exemptions may apply | formation |
Massachusetts through New Jersey
| State | Formation / mandatory initial layer | Recurring state obligation | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $500 | $500 base annual report | formation · recurring |
| Michigan | $50 | $25 annual statement | formation · recurring |
| Minnesota | $155 online/in-person / $135 mail | Annual renewal; $0 filing fee | formation · recurring |
| Mississippi | $50 | Annual report; $0 filing fee | formation · recurring |
| Missouri | $50 online / $105 paper | No LLC annual report | formation · recurring |
| Montana | $35 | 2026 timely annual report currently $0; $35 late filing | formation · recurring |
| Nebraska | $100 online / $110 in-office + publication + proof filing | $25 online / $30 paper biennial report; odd-year cycle | formation · recurring |
| Nevada | $425 mandatory initial state package | $150 annual list + $200 business-license renewal | formation |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $100 annual report | formation |
| New Jersey | $100 | $75 annual report | formation |
New Mexico through South Carolina
| State | Formation / mandatory initial layer | Recurring state obligation | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $50 | No recurring SOS annual report located for domestic LLCs | formation · recurring |
| New York | $200 + publication + $50 Certificate of Publication | $9 Biennial Statement | formation · recurring |
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 paper / $202 ACH / $203 card annual report | formation · recurring |
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 annual report | formation · recurring |
| Ohio | $99 | No LLC annual/biennial report | formation · recurring |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $25 annual certificate | formation |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 annual renewal | formation · recurring |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 annual report; LLC deadline Sep. 30 | formation |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $50 annual report + $400 minimum annual tax/charge | formation · recurring |
| South Carolina | $110 paper baseline | No standard periodic SOS report for a standard LLC | formation · recurring |
South Dakota through Wyoming
| State | Formation / mandatory initial layer | Recurring state obligation | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | $150 online | $55 online / $70 paper annual report | formation · recurring |
| Tennessee | $50/member; $300 min / $3,000 max | $50/member; $300 min / $3,000 max annual report | formation · recurring |
| Texas | $300 | Franchise/information reporting; 2026 no-tax-due threshold $2.65M; PIR/OIR can still apply | formation |
| Utah | $59 | $18 annual renewal | formation · recurring |
| Vermont | $155 | $45 annual report | formation · recurring |
| Virginia | $100 | $50 annual registration fee; no LLC annual report | formation · recurring |
| Washington | $180 base + channel processing | $70 annual report | formation · recurring |
| West Virginia | $100 | $25 annual report | formation · recurring |
| Wisconsin | $130 online | $25 online annual report | formation · recurring |
| Wyoming | $100 | Annual license tax: $60 minimum or 0.0002 of Wyoming assets, whichever is greater | formation · recurring |
Channel charges, local licenses, profession-specific rules, income-based taxes and optional private services can change the final amount. Open the official source or the state guide before filing.
Use this cluster when Texas is the operating or formation state.
Use this cluster for Kentucky formation, recurring filing and tax-specific follow-up.
How to Start an LLC in 5 Steps
First, remember that the broad formation sequence is similar across states, although the forms, fees, naming rules, and timelines differ. In practice, these five steps give you the order to follow before checking the state-specific details.
State formation decisions and the filing itself
Choose a Unique Business Name
First, your LLC name must follow the naming rules in the state where you form. For example, states generally require an approved LLC designator such as "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company" and a name that is distinguishable from existing entities. Next, before filing, use our LLC name availability checker and then confirm the result in the state's official business database.
Appoint a Registered Agent
Second, a registered agent receives legal documents and official state notices for the LLC. The agent must meet the state's address and availability rules. You may be able to serve as your own agent, or you can hire a professional service if you prefer privacy or delegated document handling. Compare registered agent options →
File Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Formation)
Third, the Articles of Organization — or Certificate of Formation in some states — is the filing that creates the LLC under state law. Filing channels, mandatory initial extras and processing procedures differ by state. Use the canonical state table above for the current government-cost model, then open the state guide for the exact form, filing method and state-specific requirements.
Federal tax ID and internal business setup
Get an EIN from the IRS if You Need One
Next, an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID issued free by the IRS. However, not every single-member LLC needs a separate EIN for federal income-tax purposes. For example, an EIN is required in situations such as having employees or certain excise-tax obligations, and it is commonly requested for banking. Next, if you are eligible for the IRS online application, you can apply directly with the IRS; international applicants who cannot use the online tool can use Form SS-4 through the IRS methods available to them.
Create an Operating Agreement and Open a Bank Account
Finally, an operating agreement records ownership, management, voting, and distribution rules. However, even when state law does not require you to file one, it can provide a clear internal record of how the LLC is supposed to operate. In addition, a dedicated business bank account helps keep personal and business finances separate, which supports cleaner bookkeeping and the legal separation the LLC is intended to create.
"Do I actually need to pay a formation service, or can I file the LLC myself?"
You can usually file a straightforward LLC yourself. In other words, a formation service is a convenience, not a legal requirement. For example, a service can save time, handle the filing, organize documents, and provide optional registered-agent or privacy services. On the other hand, if you are comfortable following the state's instructions, DIY formation can be perfectly reasonable.
Therefore, pay for a service because it solves a specific problem for you — not because a checkout page makes every add-on look mandatory.
See when a formation service is worth paying for →However, formation is the beginning, not the end. Next, track any state annual report or recurring filing, confirm the licenses your activity requires, and file the federal and state tax returns that apply to your LLC's tax classification. One important 2026 update is that domestic US entities are exempt from FinCEN BOI reporting under the current final rule, while certain foreign entities registered to do business in the United States can still fall within the reporting regime. Finally, our post-formation checklist puts these steps in order.
"I'm the only owner. Does a single-member LLC really need an operating agreement?"
It can still be useful even with one owner. However, whether an operating agreement is legally required depends on the state. For example, the document can record how the LLC is managed, who owns it, and what happens if the business changes.
In addition, it gives you a clean internal record that the LLC is being treated as a separate business. You generally keep the agreement with the LLC's records instead of filing it with the state.
Read the operating agreement guide →
What Actually Makes Up the Cost of an LLC?
A filing fee is only one cost category. Depending on the state and the business, mandatory formation-stage extras, periodic filings, state taxes or licenses, local permits and optional private services can all affect the budget.
| Cost layer | What it means | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Formation filing | The state document that creates the LLC. | At formation. |
| Mandatory initial extras | Publication, name reservation, initial lists, licenses or proof filings required by particular states. | State-specific. |
| Recurring entity filing | Annual report, biennial statement, renewal, registration or certificate. | State-specific. |
| Tax / license layer | Annual LLC tax, franchise tax, business license or another state-level charge. | Depends on state and facts. |
| Private services | Formation company, professional registered agent, attorney, mailbox or compliance support. | Usually optional. |
Use the full LLC cost guide for the detailed 50-state cost model. The table above on this page remains the canonical summary for state-level figures.
LLC Tools and Reference Paths
During the recovery audit, the hub only promotes resources that have a clear role. Tools with separate open data or formula QA remain out of the featured set until their own repair is completed.
Choosing a Formation State
This hub does not publish a second “best states” ranking because that would duplicate the state table and the dedicated decision guide. The right analysis starts with where the business actually operates, then tests whether another state provides a specific benefit worth the added registration and compliance.
Filing Yourself vs Using a Formation Service
You can file a straightforward LLC directly with the state. A formation service is optional and is most useful when you want filing support, a professional registered agent, privacy-oriented address handling or a more organized compliance workflow.
One current price reference, not repeated across the hub
Northwest currently charges $39 + state fees for formation, includes registered-agent service for the first year, and renews registered-agent service at $125/year after that.
- The formation price is separate from government fees
- The first-year registered-agent inclusion is part of the formation offer
- The registered-agent renewal is priced separately from the formation service
For neutral provider comparisons, use the Best LLC Services guide. Provider details do not need to be duplicated inside the state hub.
Questions This Hub Does Not Answer Elsewhere
Scope and filing decisions
When should I stop using a general LLC guide and read the state page?
As soon as the decision depends on a state filing, deadline, tax, publication rule or profession-specific requirement. The hub is for navigation and comparison; the state guide and official source should control the filing step.
What if my business operates in more than one state?
Map the formation state and every state where the activities may require foreign qualification. Multi-state registration is a separate analysis from simply choosing the state with the lowest formation fee.
Should I rely on the date a page was updated?
No. A last-modified date is not proof that every fee or legal rule was rechecked. Use the cited official source for a filing-sensitive fact, especially when a state changed fees during 2026.
Why does the hub separate formation and recurring obligations?
Because states use different models. A report, biennial statement, annual tax, license renewal and publication requirement are not interchangeable, and collapsing them into one “annual fee” column can mislead the reader.
Choose the state or decision path that applies to your situation, then use the linked official source before you submit a filing. The hub is designed to route you to the right evidence, not repeat the same facts in several sections.