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LLC cost calculator

Work out what forming an LLC will really cost, and what you can skip. The one unavoidable cost is your state's filing fee; a registered agent, an operating agreement, and publication are optional or state-specific, and the EIN is free from the IRS. The calculator sums the first year and separates the required from the upsell.

§ 01 Your numbers

Change anything. The answer updates as you type.

The fee to file your Articles of Organization with the state. This is the one unavoidable cost, and it varies widely by state, from around $50 to several hundred. Look up your state's fee.
A registered agent receives legal mail for the LLC. You can be your own agent for free if you have an address in the state; a service costs roughly a hundred to a few hundred dollars a year. Zero if you act as your own.
The internal document setting out ownership and rules. You can write one from a free template, or pay a service or lawyer. Zero if you do it yourself.
A few states (notably New York, Arizona, and Nebraska) require you to publish notice of the LLC in a newspaper, which can be costly. Zero unless your state requires it.
A recurring state fee or tax to keep the LLC active, yearly or biennially in many states. A few states charge nothing; some (like California) charge a large minimum franchise tax. Look up your state.
Estimated cost
$150

Typical range $135 – $188

  • State filing fee (one-time)$100
  • Registered agent (per year)$0
  • Operating agreement (one-time)$0
  • Publication (one-time, some states)$0
  • Annual report / franchise tax (per year)$50
  • Total$150
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Under about $200 first year means you filed yourself in a low-fee state and act as your own agent. The honest low-cost way to form an LLC.

What this assumes, and where it could be wrong

Every one of these is a place the number could be off. They are here because you should be able to check our working, not because we are hedging.

THE EIN IS FREE, AND MOST OF THE REST IS OPTIONAL.
An EIN (the business tax ID) is free directly from the IRS in a few minutes, and any service charging for it is charging for something the government gives away. Beyond the state filing fee, which is unavoidable, the registered agent can be you, the operating agreement can come from a free template, and only a handful of states require paid publication. The formation companies bundle these and charge for the bundle; the required cost is just the state filing fee

The state filing fee is the one cost you cannot avoid, and it varies a lot. Filing the Articles of Organization with the state is what actually creates the LLC, and the fee ranges from around fifty dollars to several hundred depending on the state. Look up your specific state; it is the floor of what an LLC costs and the number to build from.

The ongoing cost matters more than the setup for most owners. Forming the LLC is a one-time fee; keeping it active is a yearly registered-agent fee if you use a service, plus an annual report or franchise tax that a few states waive and others, like California, set high. Over several years the recurring cost usually exceeds the setup, so weigh the yearly number, not just the first bill.

A registered-agent service is worth it in specific cases, not always. You can be your own agent for free with a physical address in the state, but a service is worth paying for if you work from home and do not want your address public, operate in a state you do not live in, or are often away during business hours when legal papers must be received. Otherwise it is an avoidable recurring cost.

The defaults are ours and are a starting point, and the fees are your state's. The filing fee, the annual report, and any publication requirement all depend on where you form the LLC, so replace the defaults with your state's actual numbers for a real estimate.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC?
The unavoidable cost is your state's filing fee, which ranges from around fifty dollars to several hundred. On top of that, a registered agent, an operating agreement, and publication are optional or state-specific, and there is a recurring annual report or franchise tax to keep the LLC active. The calculator above sums your first year. The EIN, the business tax ID, is free from the IRS.
Do I need to pay for an EIN?
No. An EIN is free directly from the IRS and takes a few minutes to get online. Any service that charges for obtaining an EIN is charging for something the government provides at no cost, so get it yourself from the IRS rather than paying for it as part of an LLC-formation package.
Do I need a registered agent service?
Not necessarily. You can be your own registered agent for free if you have a physical address in the state and are available during business hours to receive legal mail. A paid service is worth it if you work from home and want your address private, form the LLC in a state you do not live in, or are often out during the day. Otherwise it is an avoidable yearly cost.
What are the ongoing costs of an LLC?
Mainly the annual report or franchise tax the state charges to keep the LLC active, which is yearly or biennial in many states, plus a registered-agent fee if you use a service. A few states charge nothing to maintain an LLC; others, like California, charge a large minimum franchise tax every year. The recurring cost often adds up to more than the formation over time.

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