LLC Filing Fees by State (2026): Formation, Name Reservation and Foreign Registration

Massachusetts stands alone at $500. Tennessee looks tied with Texas at $300, but that is its minimum: it charges $50 per member, so a large LLC can pay up to $3,000.

A cheap filing can hide an expensive state. California is on this list at $70, yet every California LLC owes the Franchise Tax Board $800 a year.

Registering an existing LLC in another state often costs more than forming one there. Texas charges $300 to form an LLC but $750 to register a foreign one.

You rarely need to reserve a name. Unless you plan to file weeks later, skip it and file your articles, which locks in the name anyway.

Recurring state report fees and taxes for LLCs, selected states

Source: California Franchise Tax Board, Limited liability company (LLC) - annual tax; California Secretary of State, California SOS Business Entities Fee Schedule (BE FEES Rev. 06/2018) and LLC forms page; Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, LLC/LP/GP Franchise Tax Instructions; Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (via Cornell Legal Information Institute), 950 CMR 112.29 and 112.22 (Limited Liability Companies); Maryland General Assembly, Maryland Code, Corporations and Associations § 1-203; DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, DC DLCP Corporations Division Fees - Limited Liability Company; Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Alaska Division of Corporations, Forms by Entity Type; New Hampshire Secretary of State, New Hampshire SOS Limited Liability Companies forms and fees; Form 1 Application for Reservation of Name; Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Oregon SOS Business Registry Fee Schedule; Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Maine Revised Statutes Title 31, § 1680; Connecticut Secretary of the State, Connecticut Business Services Division Fee Schedule (revised 7/1/2020); Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois SOS Limited Liability Company Publications and Forms; New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Registry fees; Washington Secretary of State, Washington SOS Fee Schedules & Priority Services; Wyoming Secretary of State, Wyoming SOS Business Division Fee Schedule; The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes), Florida Statutes § 605.0213, Fees of the department (2026); Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Utah Division of Corporations Fiscal Year 2026 Fee Schedule; Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii DCCA Business Registration Division LLC fees (Chapter 428); Kentucky Secretary of State, Kentucky SOS Business Filings Fees; New York Department of State, New York Department of State Fee Schedules; Pennsylvania Department of State, Pennsylvania Department of State, Fees and Payments; The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes), Florida Statutes § 607.193, Supplemental corporate fee (2026). Download as image

State LLC formation filing fee by state

• 6$200 or more
• 28$100 to $199
• 15Under $100

How much does it cost to start an LLC?

The filing fee for articles of organization (some states call it a certificate of formation) is the main upfront state cost. On the confirmed schedules it ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts. A big cluster of states charges $50, including Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan and Mississippi, and another cluster charges $100.

Watch for add-ons that are easy to miss. Florida's $125 is really $100 for the articles plus $25 for designating a registered agent. New York charges $200 to file, then $50 more for the certificate of publication after you run the required newspaper notices, and the notices themselves cost extra. Louisiana set a new $125 fee on October 1, 2026, so older guides may quote the wrong number.

Online filing is sometimes cheaper. Arkansas charges $45 online and $50 on paper. Missouri charges $50 online and $105 on paper. If your state offers an online portal, use it.

Which state is cheapest to form an LLC in?

Montana, at $35, has the lowest confirmed formation fee. Kentucky is $40 and Arkansas is $45 online. But the cheapest state to form in is only the cheapest state for you if you actually do business there.

Here is the trap. Say you live and work in Texas and you form your LLC in Montana to save money. Texas will treat you as a foreign LLC doing business in the state, and registering a foreign LLC in Texas costs $750. You have now paid both states, plus a registered agent in Montana, plus two sets of yearly reports.

For most freelancers and small businesses, the cheapest choice is your home state. Form in the state where you live and where your office or most of your work is.

Is it worth forming an LLC in Delaware?

Delaware's formation fee is $110, which looks reasonable. The catch is the $400 annual tax that every Delaware LLC owes by June 1, whether it made money or not. If you also do business in your home state, you will register there as a foreign LLC and pay that state's fees too.

Delaware makes sense when investors or partners ask for it, or when the business is large enough that its courts and case law matter. For a one-person consulting shop, it usually just adds a second set of bills: the $400 Delaware tax, a Delaware registered agent, and the foreign registration and yearly reports in the state where you actually work. If someone tells you to form in Delaware, ask what problem it solves for you specifically.

What is foreign LLC registration and when do you need it?

A foreign LLC is simply one formed in another state. If your LLC starts doing business in a second state, for example by opening an office or hiring staff there, that state will usually expect you to register before you operate.

Foreign registration fees run higher than formation fees in many places. Texas and South Dakota (online) both charge $750. Massachusetts charges $500, Alaska $350 and Oklahoma $300. Compare that to formation: South Dakota charges $150 online to form an LLC, a fraction of what an out-of-state company pays to come in.

Before you sign a lease or a client contract in a new state, check whether the work will count as doing business there. Selling remotely into a state often does not trigger registration on its own, but setting up a physical location almost always does.

Do fees change for multi-member or series LLCs?

In most states, no. The fee is the same whether the LLC has one member or twenty. Tennessee is the big exception. It charges $50 per member, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 cap, so a Tennessee LLC with more than 10 members pays more than the $500 Massachusetts charges.

Series LLCs, which let one company hold separate pockets of assets, can cost more too. Illinois charges $400 for series LLC articles instead of $150. Montana adds $50 for each series member named in the filing.

If you are setting up a holding company for several rental properties or product lines, price the series option against simply forming separate LLCs. The answer depends on your state's fees and on whether your lender or insurer will even accept a series structure.

The costs that come after the filing fee

The formation fee is paid once. Annual and biennial charges keep coming, and they can dwarf the opening cost over a few years. A few examples from the official schedules:

• California: $70 to form, then the $800 Franchise Tax Board tax every year, plus a $20 Statement of Information every two years.
• Massachusetts: $500 to form and $500 for each annual report.
• Maryland: $100 to form, then a $300 annual report fee.
• Florida: $125 to form, then a $138.75 annual report ($50 statutory fee plus an $88.75 supplemental fee).
• Wyoming: $100 to form, then an annual report license tax of at least $60.
• Pennsylvania: $125 to form, then a $7 annual report.

What to do before you file

• Check your own state's current fee on the Secretary of State site the week you file. Fees change: Delaware revised its schedule on August 1, 2026, and Louisiana changed its fees on October 1, 2026.
• Add up three years of costs, not just the filing fee. Formation plus annual reports or taxes is the real number to compare.
• Skip name reservation unless you are filing later. It costs $10 in states like California and Montana and $100 in Oregon, and filing the articles reserves the name anyway.
• Have your operating agreement ready. Most states do not file it, but your bank, partners and clients may ask for it, and it decides who owns what and who pays these yearly bills.
• Put the yearly due dates in your calendar. A missed annual report can lead to late fees and, eventually, the state dissolving your LLC.

Sources and method

Every number on this page comes from the sources below, each opened and read on or before October 17, 2026. A second, independent review checked every figure against its source and corrected anything that did not match. 49 of 51 state entries were confirmed; any that could not be are marked "Not yet confirmed" and left out of every count and chart.

1. Alabama Secretary of State, Alabama SOS Domestic LLC Certificate of Formation form and LLC page (Form dated 2026-03; LLC page accessed 2026-10-16)
2. Alabama Secretary of State, Domestic Name Reservation request form (Form dated 2022-01)
3. Alabama Secretary of State, LLCs (business entities page) (Accessed 2026-10-16)
4. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Alaska Division of Corporations, Forms by Entity Type (Snapshot 2026-05-15)
5. Arizona Corporation Commission, Arizona Corporation Commission, Schedule of Fees: Limited Liability Companies (Rev. 2022 (snapshot 2025-08-29))
6. Arkansas Secretary of State, Arkansas SOS LLC Forms/Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
7. Arkansas Secretary of State, Foreign LLC Forms/Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
8. California Secretary of State, California SOS Business Entities Fee Schedule (BE FEES Rev. 06/2018) and LLC forms page (Rev. 06/2018)
9. California Secretary of State, Limited Liability Companies (LLC) - California forms and fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
10. Colorado Secretary of State, Colorado SOS Business Organizations Fee Schedule (Accessed 2026-10-16)
11. Connecticut Secretary of the State, Connecticut Business Services Division Fee Schedule (revised 7/1/2020) (Revised 7/1/2020)
12. Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, Delaware Division of Corporations Fee Schedule (Revised August 1, 2026)
13. Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, LLC/LP/GP Franchise Tax Instructions (Accessed 2026-10-16)
14. DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, DC DLCP Corporations Division Fees - Limited Liability Company (Accessed 2026-10-16)
15. The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes), Florida Statutes § 605.0213, Fees of the department (2026) (2026 Florida Statutes)
16. The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes), Florida Statutes § 607.193, Supplemental corporate fee (2026) (2026 Florida Statutes)
17. Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Georgia SOS Corporations Division LLC filing procedure and Business Division FAQ (July 2025 (snapshot 2025-08-15))
18. Georgia Secretary of State, Business Division FAQ (Snapshot 2026-07-16)
19. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii DCCA Business Registration Division LLC fees (Chapter 428) (Snapshot 2026-10-01)
20. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Foreign Limited Liability Company (Snapshot 2026-08-13)
21. Idaho Secretary of State, Idaho SOS Business Forms (Accessed 2026-10-16)
22. Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois SOS Limited Liability Company Publications and Forms (Snapshot 2026-04-01)
23. Indiana Secretary of State, Indiana SOS State Form 49459 (R12/01-26) and State Form 56369 (R8/01-26) (Forms revised 01-26 (snapshots 2026-05-19))
24. Indiana Secretary of State, Foreign Registration Statement, State Form 56369 (R8/01-26) (Revised 01-26 (snapshot 2026-05-19))
25. Iowa Secretary of State, Iowa SOS Business Entity Forms and Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
26. Kansas Secretary of State, Kansas SOS Articles of Organization instructions (Rev. 2/27/26), Foreign Application (Rev. 3/2/26) and Name Reservation form (Rev. 2/27/26)
27. Kansas Secretary of State, Instructions for Filing Foreign Business Application (FA) (Rev. 3/2/26)
28. Kansas Secretary of State, Temporary Reservation of Business Entity Name (NR) (Accessed 2026-10-16)
29. Kentucky Secretary of State, Kentucky SOS Business Filings Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
30. Louisiana Secretary of State, Louisiana SOS Fee Schedule Effective 10/1/26 (Effective October 1, 2026)
31. Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Maine Revised Statutes Title 31, § 1680 (Data extracted 10/05/2026)
32. Maryland General Assembly, Maryland Code, Corporations and Associations § 1-203 (Accessed 2026-10-16)
33. Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (via Cornell Legal Information Institute), 950 CMR 112.29 and 112.22 (Limited Liability Companies) (Accessed 2026-10-16)
34. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Michigan LARA Corporations Division Filing Fees and Form CSCL/CD-700 (Rev. 07/25) (Snapshot 2026-09-30)
35. Minnesota Secretary of State, Minnesota SOS Business Filing & Certification Fee Schedule (Rev. 6/19/2017)
36. Mississippi Secretary of State, Mississippi SOS Services & Fees Schedule (Revised October 2024)
37. Missouri Secretary of State, Missouri SOS Corporations Division Schedule of Fees and Charges ((01/2025))
38. Montana Secretary of State, Montana SOS Business Services Filing Fees (Effective 7-1-2022)
39. Nebraska Secretary of State, Nebraska SOS Forms and Fee Information (Accessed 2026-10-16)
40. New Hampshire Secretary of State, New Hampshire SOS Limited Liability Companies forms and fees; Form 1 Application for Reservation of Name (Accessed 2026-10-16)
41. New Hampshire Secretary of State, Form 1 Application for Reservation of Name (Form dated 08-2018)
42. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Registry fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
43. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, NJ business registration and filing instructions (Legacy Reg Form 0825) (08/25)
44. New York Department of State, New York Department of State Fee Schedules (LLC section Rev. 3/16 (snapshot 2026-10-06))
45. North Carolina Secretary of State, North Carolina SOS Business Registration fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
46. North Dakota Legislative Branch, North Dakota Century Code ch. 10-32.1 and SOS LLC page (Accessed 2026-10-16)
47. North Dakota Secretary of State, Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Accessed 2026-10-16)
48. Ohio Secretary of State, Ohio SOS Business Filing Forms & Fee Schedule (Snapshot 2026-09-29)
49. Oklahoma Secretary of State, Oklahoma SOS Fees (Snapshot 2026-10-04)
50. Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Oregon SOS Business Registry Fee Schedule ((07/13))
51. Pennsylvania Department of State, Pennsylvania Department of State, Fees and Payments (Accessed 2026-10-16)
52. Rhode Island Department of State, Rhode Island Department of State Forms 400 and 450 (Rev. 03/2026) and Form 620 (Rev. 01/2024) (Revised 03/2026)
53. Rhode Island Department of State, Form 620 Reservation of Entity Name (Revised 01/2024)
54. South Carolina Legislature, South Carolina Code § 33-44-1204 (Accessed 2026-10-16)
55. South Dakota Secretary of State, South Dakota SOS LLC forms and SDCL 47-34A-1206 (Accessed 2026-10-16)
56. South Dakota Secretary of State, Foreign LLC Certificate of Authority application (2018-02-15)
57. South Dakota Legislature, SDCL 47-34A-1206 Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
58. Tennessee Secretary of State, Tennessee SOS Business Forms & Fees and Form SS-4270 (Accessed 2026-10-16)
59. Texas Secretary of State, Texas SOS Forms 205, 304 and 501 (Revised 09/26)
60. Texas Secretary of State, Form 304 Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Revised 09/26)
61. Texas Secretary of State, Form 501 Application for Reservation or Renewal of Reservation of an Entity Name (Revised 09/26)
62. Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Utah Division of Corporations Fiscal Year 2026 Fee Schedule (FY2026, effective July 1, 2025 (snapshot 2026-10-11))
63. Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont SOS Business Services Fees (Accessed 2026-10-16)
64. Virginia General Assembly, Code of Virginia § 13.1-1005 (Accessed 2026-10-16)
65. Washington Secretary of State, Washington SOS Fee Schedules & Priority Services (Accessed 2026-10-16)
66. West Virginia Secretary of State, West Virginia SOS Fee Schedule (effective November 18, 2019) and Form LLF-1 (Effective November 18, 2019)
67. West Virginia Secretary of State, Form LLF-1 Application for Certificate of Authority of Limited Liability Company (2026-09)
68. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Wisconsin DFI Form 502 Articles of Organization (Snapshot 2026-10-09)
69. Wyoming Secretary of State, Wyoming SOS Business Division Fee Schedule (Effective July 1, 2026 (Revised June 2026))
70. California Franchise Tax Board, Limited liability company (LLC) - annual tax (Accessed 2026-10-16)