Best LLC Formation Services by State

Why State Matters More Than the Provider You Pick

Formation services generally price their own service fee the same way no matter which state you file in. LegalZoom, ZenBusiness, Bizee, and LLC Register each publish one nationwide price for their LLC formation and registered agent plans. What changes from state to state is the fee the state itself charges for the Articles of Organization, which the provider cannot discount or waive because it is paid to the state's filing office, not to the provider.

How Much State Filing Fees Actually Vary

State LLC filing fees range from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts, according to each state's own fee schedule. A few examples: California charges $70, Nevada $75, Delaware $110, Wyoming $100, Florida $125, New York $200, and Texas $300. That means the same $99-a-year LLC Register plan, or the same $0 LegalZoom Basic plan, has a different total first-year price depending on where you form, even though the provider's own fee never moves.

Annual Report Fees Also Differ by State

After formation, most states require a recurring annual or biennial report, and this fee is also set by the state, not the provider. Examples include $0 in Texas (which instead requires an annual Franchise Tax and Public Information Report with no separate report fee), $0 in Arizona, $9 for New York's biennial statement, $20 for California's Statement of Information, $60 in Wyoming, $138.75 in Florida, $150 in Nevada, and $500 a year in Massachusetts. A provider's annual-report service fee, where one is charged, is separate from this state charge.

Delaware's Extra Annual Tax

Delaware is a specific exception worth knowing about: it charges no annual report fee for an LLC, but every Delaware LLC owes a flat $400 annual LLC tax regardless of income, due each June 1. This is a state tax, not a provider fee, and it applies no matter which formation service filed your Articles of Organization.

Comparing Total First-Year Cost State by State

Add whichever of these applies to your state to a provider's published service fee to see the real first-year total, not just the advertised headline price.

Does a Provider's Pricing Change if You Form in More Than One State?

If you later register your LLC as a foreign entity in an additional state, that state charges its own foreign qualification fee, separate from your original formation fee; these range from about $70 in California to $750 in Texas, per each state's Secretary of State. A registered agent is also required separately in each state where you are registered, since an agent's address only satisfies the requirement in the state where it is physically located.

How LLC Register compares

LLC Register charges $99 a year in every state it operates in, which is all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the same price at renewal. LLC formation in year one and annual report filing are included, while most other providers charge $99 to $199 a year extra for a separate annual report filing service. The state's own filing fee is passed through at cost and itemized before checkout, so it is clear which part of the total is the state's charge and which part is the service fee.

What to Check for Your Specific State

Before comparing providers, look up your own state's current LLC filing fee and annual or biennial report fee directly on its Secretary of State or equivalent filing office site. Add that number to whatever a provider's own fee page shows, rather than comparing providers only by their advertised headline price, since that price does not include the one cost that actually changes by state.

A Lower State Fee Does Not Mean a Lower Total Cost

Montana's $35 filing fee is the lowest in the country, but forming an LLC in a state where you do not actually operate can trigger foreign qualification requirements, and their own fees, in the state where you do. Compare the full picture, not just the formation fee, before choosing a state based on cost alone.

State Fees Change Over Time

Fee schedules are set by state legislatures and filing offices and are updated periodically. Confirm the current fee on your state's own site before paying, rather than relying on a figure you saw elsewhere, including this article.

Annual Fees Compound Over the Life of the LLC

A state's annual or biennial report fee is a recurring cost for as long as the LLC exists, unlike the one-time formation fee. A $500-a-year state fee, as in Massachusetts, adds up differently over a decade than a $0 state fee, as in Texas or Arizona, regardless of which formation service you use.

Delaware's Annual Tax Applies Even With No Income

The $400 Delaware annual LLC tax is a flat amount, not tied to revenue or profit, and it is owed whether or not the LLC did any business that year. Factor this in separately from any provider's registered agent price if you are considering forming in Delaware.

Not Legal or Tax Advice

Which state to form in depends on where you actually do business, not only on which state's fees are lowest. Talk to a tax professional before choosing a state other than the one where your business operates.