7 months ago · Updated 2 days ago
How we research: We compare the public pricing, plan details and terms published on each provider's website. We have not purchased these services, so scores and rankings are our editorial opinion, not customer ratings. Prices change; confirm the current offer with the provider. Some links on this page are affiliate links — see our affiliate disclosure.
How much does Northwest Registered Agent cost in 2026?
Northwest currently charges $39 + state fees for business formation. Registered-agent service is included for the first year, then renews at $125/year. This page separates the provider price from state money, optional services and later recurring obligations.
- Formation service and state fees shown separately
- First-year registered agent included
- 50-state total table updated from the current audit matrix
Northwest pricing summary
This is the visual version of the cost breakdown. The first row tells you what Northwest charges directly. The state table later in the page shows the government side of the total.
| Cost layer | Amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Formation service | $39 + state fees | Northwest prepares and files the business formation order; state charges are separate. |
| Registered agent — first year | Included | The first year is bundled into the formation offer. |
| Registered-agent renewal | $125/year | This becomes the main Northwest recurring charge after the first year. See our Northwest annual fee breakdown for renewal details. |
| State ongoing obligations | Varies by state | Annual reports, biennial statements, taxes or licenses are government obligations, not Northwest fees. |
What you get with Northwest's formation package
The pricing only makes sense if you can see what sits behind it. The offer is useful because Northwest combines the filing service with the first-year registered agent and a set of supporting tools.
Northwest formation total by state
The table below is the practical calculation most readers want: the state formation amount and the order-stage total when Northwest's formation service is added. This is where the state-specific math belongs.
Alabama through Georgia
| State | Government formation amount | Northwest + government at formation | Important note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $200 + required name reservation | $239 + name-reservation fee | Name reservation is a separate prerequisite. | ↗ |
| Alaska | $250 | $289 | — | ↗ |
| Arizona | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| Arkansas | $45 online / $50 paper | $84 online / $89 paper | Channel-dependent state fee. | ↗ |
| California | $70 | $109 | A $20 initial Statement of Information is a separate early filing. | ↗ |
| Colorado | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| Connecticut | $120 | $159 | — | ↗ |
| Delaware | $110 | $149 | — | ↗ |
| Florida | $125 | $164 | — | ↗ |
| Georgia | $110 total | $149 | Current total includes the state service charge. | ↗ |
Hawaii through Maryland
| State | Government formation amount | Northwest + government at formation | Important note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $51 total | $90 | Includes the mandatory State Archives charge. | ↗ |
| Idaho | $100 online baseline | $139 | — | ↗ |
| Illinois | $150 | $189 | — | ↗ |
| Indiana | $95 online baseline | $134 | — | ↗ |
| Iowa | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| Kansas | $85 online / $90 paper | $124 online / $129 paper | Current 2026 filing form/fee schedule. | ↗ |
| Kentucky | $40 | $79 | — | ↗ |
| Louisiana | $125 | $164 | Fee raised from $100 to $125 on October 1, 2026 (Act 921). | ↗ |
| Maine | $175 | $214 | — | ↗ |
| Maryland | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
Massachusetts through New Jersey
| State | Government formation amount | Northwest + government at formation | Important note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $500 | $539 | — | ↗ |
| Michigan | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| Minnesota | $155 online/in-person / $135 mail | $194 online/in-person / $174 mail | Online and in-person are higher than mail. | ↗ |
| Mississippi | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| Missouri | $50 online / $105 paper | $89 online / $144 paper | — | ↗ |
| Montana | $35 | $74 | — | ↗ |
| Nebraska | $100 online / $110 in-office | $139 online / $149 in-office | Publication and proof filing are additional formation-stage requirements. | ↗ |
| Nevada | $425 mandatory initial state package | $464 | Includes Articles, Initial List and State Business License. | ↗ |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
| New Jersey | $100 | $139 | Current since July 1, 2026. | ↗ |
New Mexico through South Carolina
| State | Government formation amount | Northwest + government at formation | Important note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $50 | $89 | — | ↗ |
| New York | $200 | $239 | Publication and the $50 Certificate of Publication are additional. | ↗ |
| North Carolina | $125 | $164 | — | ↗ |
| North Dakota | $135 | $174 | — | ↗ |
| Ohio | $99 | $138 | — | ↗ |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
| Oregon | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $164 | — | ↗ |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $189 | — | ↗ |
| South Carolina | $110 paper baseline | $149 | Channel-specific filing options may differ. | ↗ |
South Dakota through Wyoming
| State | Government formation amount | Northwest + government at formation | Important note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | $150 online | $189 | — | ↗ |
| Tennessee | $50/member; $300 minimum | $339 minimum | Formation amount depends on member count. | ↗ |
| Texas | $300 | $339 | — | ↗ |
| Utah | $59 | $98 | — | ↗ |
| Vermont | $155 | $194 | — | ↗ |
| Virginia | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
| Washington | $180 base + channel processing | $219 + channel processing | Original filing base is separate from processing/priority charges. | ↗ |
| West Virginia | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
| Wisconsin | $130 online | $169 | — | ↗ |
| Wyoming | $100 | $139 | — | ↗ |
Some states add publication, proof filing, channel processing, business license or member-count formulas. Those are kept in the note column instead of being hidden inside a fake “one total fits all” number.
Calculate your real cost: year 1 and 3 years
Pick your state to compare forming with Northwest against filing the LLC yourself. Totals include mandatory state fees, recurring state reports and fixed minimum state taxes.
Line-by-line breakdown
How we calculated this: state fees verified against each state's official website on (official source for this state). Northwest prices are those published on its website, checked on . Not included: income or franchise taxes based on revenue, local business licenses, newspaper publication costs and optional expedited filing. Fees change — confirm the total at checkout and with your state before filing.
Year 1 vs later years
One reason this page needs to be visual is that readers often mix the first order total with the later renewal structure. The two phases are not the same.
| Timeline | Main Northwest charge | State side |
|---|---|---|
| At formation | $39 + state fees | Formation fees and any mandatory initial extras apply here. |
| After year 1 | $125/year registered-agent renewal | Annual reports, biennial statements, taxes or license renewals depend on the state. |
Optional Northwest services
These are separate purchases. They can be useful, but they are not required to form the business.
| Optional service | Current published price | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| EIN service — responsible party has an SSN | $50 | The IRS itself does not charge for an EIN; this is a convenience service. |
| EIN service — responsible party has no SSN | $200 | Northwest publishes a separate international/no-SSN price. |
| Mail Forwarding — Open & Scan | Starts at $20/month | Useful when you want mail handling beyond the basic registered-agent function. |
| Virtual Office — Open & Scan | Starts at $29/month | A separate address/office-style service, not the same thing as registered-agent service. |
State costs Northwest does not control
Northwest is one line in the total. The other line is the state. That second line can vary more than the provider fee itself, especially when a state imposes publication, initial licenses, annual taxes or unusual recurring structures.
Formation-stage extras can change the first-year budget
Nevada, Nebraska, New York, California, Alabama and Tennessee show why a single national “LLC cost” number is misleading. Some states add mandatory initial layers immediately; others create variable costs through publication or member-based formulas.
State recurring obligations are separate from the Northwest renewal
Some states use annual reports, others use biennial statements, and some impose taxes or license renewals instead. That is why the Northwest renewal and the state recurring cost should never be treated as one combined subscription.
If you want the full state side of the picture, use our 50-state LLC cost guide and annual report/compliance guide.
Is Northwest worth it?
As explained in our full Northwest Registered Agent review, Northwest makes the most sense when the user wants a straightforward provider offer, the first year of registered-agent service bundled in, and a cleaner separation between provider cost and government cost. It makes less sense when the only goal is the lowest day-one outlay or when the founder is happy to file everything directly.
| Good fit if… | Probably not the best fit if… |
|---|---|
| Formation and the first registered-agent year are easier to manage together. | DIY filing and self-service registered-agent duties already suit your situation. |
| A single national registered-agent provider would simplify future state expansion. | Lowest possible first-day cash outlay is the overriding goal. |
| Business-address and document-handling tools are useful to you. | Provider support and privacy-oriented address handling add little value for your setup. |
| Straightforward pricing is preferable to choosing among several formation tiers. | Bundled bookkeeping, tax preparation or advisory services are a core requirement. |
Simple provider pricing, but the state still matters
If you like Northwest's offer, the next step is not guessing the total — it is checking your state row above and confirming whether the state also adds publication, taxes, licenses or recurring filings.
Northwest billing questions
Does Northwest mark up the Secretary of State filing fee?
Can I skip optional services?
Is the first year of registered-agent service included?
Why can the real first-year cost be higher than the simple total shown in the table?
For a renewal decision rather than a formation budget, see what the annual registered-agent fee covers and how to cancel or switch.