Fazlur Rahman
How much it costs to form an LLC in 2026 depends on the state. The state filing fee is 50 to 500 dollars, the registered agent is 100 to 300 dollars per year, and the first-year annual report is 0 to 300 dollars. The total for a typical single-state LLC is 150 to 800 dollars, with most states in the 200 to 500 dollar range.
State filing fees
The state filing fee for an LLC is the cost of filing the articles of organization with the secretary of state. The fee varies by state, with the cheapest states around 50 dollars and the most expensive around 500 dollars. The fee is set by state law and does not change frequently.
Cheapest and most expensive states
| State | Filing fee | Annual fee | Total first year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 | $55 |
| Arkansas | $45 | $150 | $195 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 | $50 |
| Colorado | $50 | $10 | $60 |
| California | $70 | $800 (min $800 franchise tax) | $870 |
| New York | $200 | $9 (biennial) | $209 |
| Texas | $300 | $0 | $300 |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $500 | $1,000 |
California and Massachusetts are the most expensive because of the high annual fees. Texas has a high filing fee but no annual fee. Mississippi and Colorado are the cheapest for a single-state LLC.
Registered agent
Every state requires a registered agent, which is a person or service that accepts legal and tax documents on behalf of the LLC. The owner can serve as the registered agent in the state of formation, but a registered agent service is the right call for multi-state operations, for privacy, or for owners who do not have a physical address in the state.
Registered agent services cost 100 to 300 dollars per year. The right call is a national service for multi-state operations, and a state-specific service or the owner for a single-state LLC.
