Independent guide, not a government website. Official records are always linked.

LLC cost calculator

Choose a state and the filings you need, and the calculator adds up the state fees to form the LLC and keep its reports filed. Every amount links to the state page it came from.

State fees for your first years

Choose a state and how many years to count. The total adds the filing fee and the published report fees. Taxes based on income or sales are not included.

Last updated

How to use the calculator

  1. Pick the state where you will form the LLC.
  2. Choose the options you want, such as a name reservation, faster processing or a certificate of good standing. Leave them off if you do not need them.
  3. Set the number of years you want to see, if the calculator offers it.
  4. Read the total. It shows the one time fees, the recurring fees and the sum, with a source link next to each line.

If you plan to work in a different state from the one you form in, run it again for the second state and use the foreign registration line.

What is counted

The calculator counts only fees that the state charges an LLC, taken from each state's own fee schedule:

  • the filing fee for the articles of organization or certificate of formation
  • the annual or biennial report fee, on the state's schedule
  • optional state filings you select, such as a name reservation or expedited review
  • a foreign registration fee, when you choose that option
  • a yearly fee or tax the filing office collects with the report, where the state has one and we list it

Each line shows the source page and the date we checked it. The same numbers appear in the LLC fees by state table.

What is not counted

We leave out anything that is not a state fee, because we will not guess prices:

  • Registered agent. If you hire a company to act as your agent, its price is up to that company. If you have an address in the state, you can usually act as your own.
  • EIN. The IRS does not charge for one. Its EIN page says you never have to pay a fee for an EIN.
  • Publication costs in states that require a newspaper notice, since newspaper rates vary.
  • Licences and permits from cities, counties or state boards.
  • Income and sales taxes, and any tax paid to a separate tax agency.
  • Legal or accounting help.

Reading the result

The total is the state's share of the cost for the period you chose. Compare it across states with care. A state with a low filing fee may have a higher yearly fee, and a state you do not work in adds a second set of fees. The cheapest state to form an LLC guide looks at that trade off, and which state to form an LLC helps you decide where to file. Confirm any amount on the source link before you pay, because states can change fees.

Good to know

Questions people ask

Does the total include a registered agent?

No. The calculator only counts fees paid to the state. If you use a commercial registered agent, their price is set by them and comes on top. You can act as your own agent if you have an address in the state and meet its rules.

Does it include the cost of an EIN?

An EIN from the IRS is free. The IRS says you never have to pay a fee for an EIN, so there is nothing to add.

Why does the total change by year?

Formation fees are paid once, while report fees are paid every year or every second year. Some states also have a first report on a different schedule. The calculator spreads them by the state's rule.

Are taxes included?

Only state fees and yearly taxes that the filing office collects with the report, where we list them. Income tax, sales tax and taxes paid to a separate tax agency are not included.

What if I form in one state and work in another?

Run the calculator for both. Add the foreign registration fee and the report fees in the state where you work to the formation and report fees of your home state.

More on this site

Keep reading

Start your LLC

Start your LLC