What is the cheapest state to form an LLC?

By filing fee alone, Kentucky ($40) and Montana ($35) are cheapest. By true 5-year cost, the winners are states with no recurring fee at all — Arizona, New Mexico, Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio each cost $50–$99 total over five years. But 'cheapest state' only helps if you actually live or operate there: an out-of-state LLC must also register in your home state and pay both states' fees.

Should I form my LLC in Delaware or Wyoming?

Only in specific cases. Delaware suits startups planning to raise venture capital (and costs $400/yr in annual tax). Wyoming suits online businesses with no physical home-state presence, thanks to privacy and no state income tax ($60/yr minimum). For most local businesses, forming in your home state is cheapest and simplest — no double registration, no double fees.

Do I need a registered agent?

Every LLC must name one — it's not optional. What's optional is who: you can be your own for $0 if you have a physical address in the state and can receive legal mail during business hours. A service (~$125/yr) keeps your home address off the public record and makes sure you never miss a court or tax notice.

What does an LLC cost every year?

It depends entirely on the state: $0/yr in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and several others; $50–$100/yr in most states; $400/yr in Delaware; $300/yr in Maryland and Tennessee; $800/yr in California; and $500/yr in Massachusetts. Add ~$125/yr if you hire a registered agent. That's why our calculator always shows the yearly and 5-year figures, not just Year 1.

Yes — always. An EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS is free at irs.gov. If a website tries to charge you $50–$250 for an EIN, it's a third-party service, not the IRS. You'll need an EIN to open a business bank account and hire employees.

LLC vs S-Corp — which saves more tax?

An LLC by itself doesn't change your federal taxes; it's taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership by default. Electing S-Corp status can save self-employment tax once your profit is roughly $40,000–$60,000+, but adds payroll and accounting costs. Our guide 'LLC vs S-Corp' walks through the math with real numbers.

★ 2026 fees · All 50 states + DC · Free, no signup

How much does an LLC really cost?

Know the real cost of your LLC — not just the filing fee. See your Year 1 total, what you'll pay every year after, and your true 5-year cost, in about 10 seconds.

🗺️ 51 jurisdictions🔄 Updated for 2026🧮 Real recurring fees included✅ No email required

Formation checklist

Your California launch checklist

The exact steps to go from this estimate to a legal, bank-ready LLC. Tick them off as you go — then print the list and keep it with your records.

🗺️

51States + DC covered

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$35–$500Filing fee range in 2026

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2026Fees verified for this year

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10 secTo your full 5-year cost

State rankings

The filing fee is only the beginning

Ranked by true 5-year state cost (filing + 5 years of recurring state fees, before optional extras). Tap any state for its full profile.

🏆 Cheapest states — 5-year state cost

💸 Most expensive states — 5-year state cost

Cost map

Every state's 5-year cost, at a glance

Colored by true 5-year state cost (filing fee + 5 years of recurring state fees). Tap any state to open its full cost profile.

Under $200 $200 – $499 $500 – $999 $1,000 – $1,999 $2,000+

How it works

Three steps to your real number

Pick your state

Every state sets its own filing fee and yearly fees — from $35 in Montana to $500 a year in Massachusetts. Start where you'll actually operate.

Add your extras

Registered agent, operating agreement, formation help — choose what you'll really use. We separate one-time costs from yearly ones.

See the 5-year truth

A "cheap" $50 state with an $800 yearly tax costs more than a $300 state with no yearly fee. The 5-year total shows you which is which.

More free tools

Plan the whole business, not just the filing

Eight more calculators and finders, all free and all using the same verified 2026 fee data.

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Tool

Compare states side by side

Two or three states, every fee, one table — with the 5-year winner highlighted.

Open the comparison →

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Quiz

Which state is right for me?

Five quick questions, one sensible answer — with the foreign-qualification warning when it applies.

Take the quiz →

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Tool

LLC vs S-Corp tax calculator

See the profit level where an S-Corp election starts paying for itself — with the formula shown.

Run the tax math →

📅

Tool

Annual report deadline finder

Your state's report rule, due date, late fee, and the official filing link.

Find my deadline →

🗺️

Tool

Foreign qualification calculator

Forming in one state, operating in another? Here's the real two-state cost.

Cost a second state →

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Tool

Startup & maintenance budgets

Total first-year startup cost and your true yearly cost of keeping the LLC alive.

Build my budget →

From the blog

Guides that save you money

Plain-English answers to the questions every new founder asks — each one links back to the calculator so you can run your own numbers.

FAQ

Questions founders ask us

📩 Get the free LLC Launch Checklist

One printable page: the exact steps, fees, and deadlines to launch your LLC without missing anything — the same checklist our calculator builds for your state. Enter your email and it unlocks right here, instantly.

We'll email you the checklist and occasional LLC cost tips. No spam, ever — unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

LLC cost by state

Every state + DC, with the 2026 filing fee and the recurring fee most calculators forget to mention. Click any state for its full cost profile.

Recurring fees are annualized for comparison (e.g. a $100 biennial fee counts as $50/yr). ✓ Fees last verified: October 26, 2026 · 2026 state fees shown for illustration; confirm with your Secretary of State before filing — every state page links to its official source.

The CostOfAnLLC guides

Short, honest, numbers-first guides on starting and running an LLC — written for founders, not lawyers.

📩 Get the free LLC Launch Checklist

The steps, fees, and deadlines from all eight guides on one printable page. Enter your email and it unlocks instantly.

We'll email you the checklist and occasional LLC cost tips. No spam, ever — unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

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LLC Cost Calculator

Pick your state and options — your Year 1 total, what you pay every year after, and your true 5-year cost update instantly, with a live cost-breakdown chart and fee comparison.

LLC COST CALCULATOR

DATA DASHBOARD • LIVE ESTIMATE • California

Year 1 total

All-in first year

Every year after

Annual recurring

5-year total

5-yr projection

Formation configuration

01State of formation

New York publication requirement
NY law requires publishing a notice in local newspapers. Upstate can be ~$200–$400; New York City often $1,500–$2,000+. Add a $300 estimate?

02Registered agent

03Operating agreement

04Filing method

Totals update automatically as selections change

Cost breakdown — Year 1

$0YEAR 1 TOTAL

Fee comparison — annual & one-time

Tools

Everything you need to start, run, and maintain your LLC — all in one place. Every tool is free and runs on the same verified 2026 state fee data.

★ Most popular

LLC Cost Calculator

Estimate formation costs, state fees, and ongoing expenses instantly — Year 1, every year after, and your true 5-year total.

StateCaliforniaYear 1 estimate$880$70 filing · $810/yr recurringStart calculating →

State Comparison

Compare fees, taxes & rules across two or three states, side by side.

Popular

Best State Quiz

Answer five quick questions and find your ideal formation state in about a minute.

New

LLC vs S-Corp Tax Calculator

See the profit level where an S-Corp election starts paying for itself.

Free tool

Foreign Qualification Calculator

Form in one state, operate in another? Here is the real two-state cost.

Free tool

Startup Cost Calculator

Your full first-year launch budget — not just the LLC filing fee.

Free tool

Annual Maintenance Calculator

What it costs every year just to keep your LLC alive and compliant.

Popular

Annual Report Deadline Finder

Your state's report rule, due date, late fee, and the official filing link.

New

Registered Agent Comparison

Be your own agent for $0 or hire a service — compare the real options and prices.

Free tool

Formation Checklists

Step-by-step launch checklists for every state — tick them off, then print.

New

LLC cost by state

Browse all 51 jurisdictions with filing fees, recurring fees, and full cost profiles.

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✓ Fees last verified: October 26, 2026 · No signup, nothing stored — every tool runs entirely in your browser.

📩 The free LLC Launch Checklist

Every tool above in one printable page — steps, fees, and deadlines for your state.

We'll email you the checklist and occasional LLC cost tips. No spam, ever — unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

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🔀 Compare states side by side

Pick two or three states. We compare state fees only — filing, recurring, Year 1, yearly, and the 5-year total that actually decides which state is cheaper.

State A

State B

State C (optional)

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🧭 Which state should you form in?

Five questions about where you live and how you'll operate. The answer is educational guidance, not legal or tax advice — and for most founders it's less exotic than the internet suggests.

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⚖️ LLC vs S-Corp tax savings calculator

A transparent, simplified estimate of the self-employment tax you could save by electing S-Corp status — minus the real extra costs of running one.

Expected annual net profit ($)

Reasonable salary you'd pay yourself ($)

Payroll service cost ($/yr)

Extra accounting & S-Corp tax return ($/yr)

Other extra admin — state fees, software ($/yr)

How this estimate works (2026 figures): Default LLC — self-employment tax = 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of net profit, with the Social Security part capped at the 2026 wage base of $184,500 and a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 (single filer). S-Corp — the same payroll taxes apply only to your salary; the remaining profit passes through without employment tax. We then subtract your extra admin costs. Simplified on purpose: it ignores income tax (similar under both), the deduction for half of SE tax, QBI interactions, state S-Corp taxes (e.g. California's 1.5%), and unemployment insurance. Your salary must be reasonable for your role — the IRS audits S-Corps that pay suspiciously low salaries, so this tool shows the math, never a recommended salary. Estimate only — not tax advice. Run your real numbers past a CPA before filing Form 2553.

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🗺️ Foreign qualification cost calculator

Formed in one state but operating in another? You usually must register as a foreign LLC in the operating state too — and pay both states. This tool adds it all up.

Formation (home) state

Operating state

Registered agent in operating state ($/yr)

The rule this tool can't repeal: forming in a low-cost state does not remove your duties in the state where you actually operate. If you have an office, employees, inventory, or regular in-person business there, that state expects a foreign registration, its own annual reports/taxes, and often state income/franchise tax on the business done there. Foreign recurring fees below come from the operating state's standard schedule; where a state charges foreign LLCs a different recurring fee (e.g. Mississippi, Alaska) we use the foreign figure. One-time foreign filing fees were researched from state fee schedules in October 2026 — confirm on the official source (linked on each state page) before filing.

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🚀 Total business startup cost calculator

The LLC is one line of your launch budget. Add the rest — every field is editable — and see your one-time costs, your monthly burn, and your true first-year total.

LLC formation state

Registered agent ($/yr)

Licenses & permits (one-time, $)

Business insurance (first year, $)

Accounting & legal setup ($)

Website & domain ($)

Branding & logo ($)

Equipment ($)

Initial inventory ($)

Launch marketing ($)

Software setup & tools ($)

Other one-time costs ($)

Monthly operating costs — rent, subscriptions, etc. ($/mo)

← All tools

🔁 LLC annual maintenance cost calculator

What does it cost just to keep your LLC alive each year? State fees come straight from our dataset; add your real running costs — monthly entries are converted to yearly automatically.

State

Registered agent ($/yr)

Bookkeeping / accounting ($/mo)

Business tax preparation ($/yr)

Business insurance ($/mo)

License renewals ($/yr)

Software & subscriptions ($/mo)

Website & domain renewals ($/yr)

Bank fees & other ($/yr)

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📅 Annual report deadline finder

Pick a state to see its recurring obligation: what it's called, the fee, the due-date rule, and the official place to file. Many deadlines depend on your LLC's formation (anniversary) date — check yours against the rule shown.

State

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📬 Registered agent cost comparison

Every LLC must name a registered agent. Here are the realistic options at prices checked in October 2026 — prices can change, so verify on the provider's site before buying.

Option	Cost	Best for	Watch-outs
Be your own agent	$0	Founders with a public business address who are on-site in business hours	Your home address enters the public record; you must never miss a process server or official notice
Northwest Registered Agent	$125/yr	Privacy-focused founders; simple flat pricing	Formation extras are upsold but the agent service itself is the core product
ZenBusiness	$199/yr	Founders who also want formation + compliance dashboard in one place	Agent is an add-on to formation packages; check what your tier includes
LegalZoom	$249/yr	Brand-name comfort and bundled legal services	Highest price of the mainstream options; renewals auto-charge

Market context: agent services range from about $50 to $300/yr across the industry; the median sits near $125/yr. A service keeps their address on the public record instead of yours, scans official mail to you the same day, and sends deadline reminders.

Do you live in your formation state?

Do you want your home address kept off public records?

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✅ Formation checklists

Pick your state for its step-by-step LLC launch checklist — the exact steps, fees, and deadlines to go from idea to a legal, bank-ready LLC. Tick steps off as you complete them, then print the list for your records.

State

About CostOfAnLLC.com

CostOfAnLLC.com exists for one reason: most "LLC cost" pages only tell you the filing fee — and the filing fee is often the smallest part of what you'll actually pay.

A state can look cheap at $50 to file and then charge $800 every single year. Another can look expensive at $300 to file and charge nothing ever again. We built this calculator to show the whole picture: Year 1, every year after, and the honest 5-year total, for all 50 states and Washington, DC.

How we get our numbers

Our fee data comes from each state's Secretary of State and official state fee schedules, reviewed for 2026. Recurring fees are shown with their real cadence (annual, biennial, or decennial) and annualized only where we say so, so comparisons stay fair. Fees change — states adjust schedules most years — so always confirm the current amount on your state's official site before you file. We show that reminder on every state page.

What we are (and aren't)

We're a free information tool for US founders. We are not a law firm, accounting firm, or formation service, and nothing here is legal or tax advice. For decisions with real tax consequences — like electing S-Corp status — talk to a CPA or attorney in your state. Our guides explain the math so that conversation is shorter and cheaper.

How the site stays free

The calculator is free with no signup. The site is supported by advertising, which never changes our fee data or rankings — states are ranked purely by their published costs.

Ready to see your number?

Run the free calculator — it takes about 10 seconds.

Contact us

Spotted a fee that's changed in your state? Have a question the guides don't answer? We read everything — fee corrections are especially welcome, because accurate numbers are the whole point of this site.

Email: hello@costofanllc.com
Fee corrections: please include a link to the official state page showing the new fee, and we'll update within a few business days.

Your name Email Message

This opens your email app with the message addressed to us — nothing is stored on this site.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026. This policy describes the live CostOfAnLLC.com website.

The short version

The calculator and tools run entirely in your browser: the states and options you select are never sent to us or stored, and no account is needed to use them. The one optional signup on this site is the free LLC Launch Checklist — see "Email signup" below for exactly how it works.

Information we collect

Like most websites, our hosting and analytics may process standard technical information when you visit — such as your browser type, device, approximate region, and pages viewed — to keep the site secure and understand which guides are useful. If you email us, we receive the name, email address, and message you choose to send, and we use them only to reply.

Email signup (LLC Launch Checklist)

When you submit the free LLC Launch Checklist form, your email address is stored securely in our website database so we can send you the checklist and occasional LLC cost tips. We never sell or share your email address with advertisers. You can ask us to delete your address at any time via our Contact page, and every email we send includes an unsubscribe option.

Advertising & cookies

This site is supported by advertising, including Google AdSense. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. You can opt out of personalized advertising at Google's Ads Settings (adssettings.google.com), and manage or block cookies in your browser at any time — the calculator works fully with cookies blocked.

What we never do

We never sell personal information. We never collect payment details, Social Security numbers, or any information needed to actually file an LLC — filing happens only on official state websites or with a service you choose.

Your choices & contact

You may ask us what information we hold about you (for most visitors: none beyond any email you've sent us) or ask us to delete an email thread, by writing to hello@costofanllc.com. We may update this policy as the site grows; material changes will be noted with a new date at the top of this page.