Statutia › Cost to start an LLC
What it really costs to start an LLC
The only cost every LLC must pay is the state’s filing fee. Everything else — a formation service, a registered agent, an EIN, an operating agreement — is either optional or something you can do yourself. Here is what each choice actually costs, including the renewals most comparisons leave out.
Short answer: state filing fees run from $35 (Montana) to $520 (Massachusetts online; $500 by mail); the middle state charges $100. Three states add costs in year one that fee tables usually miss: California ($820 in state tax and filings in year one, on top of the $70 filing fee; $420 for LLCs whose first tax year begins in 2027–2029), Nevada ($350 due with your articles) and New York ($50 plus newspaper publication).
A formation service is optional. With a registered agent included, the cheapest over five years is Northwest Basic ($549 before state fees). The cheapest to start is Bizee Basic ($0 up front, agent included the first year, $596 over five years). “$0” packages without an agent cost up to $1,245 over five years.
How we make money: Statutia has no affiliate relationships yet. Every provider link on this page is a plain link that earns us nothing. If that changes, commercial links will be labeled next to the link. Commissions will never change our rankings. Details.
Every cost of an LLC, line by line
State figures come from each state's official schedule (checked Oct 7, 2026; California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the IRS re-checked Oct 11, 2026). Provider prices come from each provider's own site (checked Oct 11, 2026).
| Cost | Required? | What it costs | The $0 option |
|---|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | Yes | $35 (Montana) to $500 (Massachusetts; $520 online) | None |
| Registered agent | Yes in every state except New York, where the Secretary of State receives legal papers and a private agent is optional | $0 if you serve yourself. Services: $125–$249 a year after any first-year deal | Be your own agent if you meet your state's rules (usually an in-state street address where you're available in business hours; some states require a resident). Your address becomes public |
| Formation service | No | Cheapest packages: $0 (Bizee Basic, ZenBusiness Starter, LegalZoom Basic) to $100 (Registered Agents Inc). Northwest Basic is $39 or $49 depending on which of its pages you land on | File with the state yourself |
| EIN | Not always. The IRS says a single-member LLC that is a disregarded entity with no employees and no excise tax liability doesn't need one; banks usually ask | Free at the IRS. ZenBusiness charges $99 to apply for you, Bizee $70 | Apply free at irs.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab): "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." |
| Operating agreement | Most states don't require you to file one; banks often ask. New York requires a written agreement within 90 days of filing | ZenBusiness template $99 | Write your own from a template |
| Year-one state extras | In some states | California $800 tax + $20 Statement of Information ($400 + $20 if your first tax year begins in 2027–2029); Nevada $350 due with the articles; New York $50 + newspaper publication; Arizona and Nebraska newspaper publication | None |
| Yearly state fees and taxes | Yes, where the state charges them | $0 in 8 states (5 have no report at all). Up to $3,000 a year in Tennessee (per member), $800+ in California, $450 in Rhode Island ($50 report + $400 annual charge) | None; file on time |
| Agent renewals | Only if you use a service | Northwest $125, Harbor $159, Bizee $149, ZenBusiness $199, Registered Agents Inc $200 (REPORTED), LegalZoom $249 a year | Serve as your own agent, or switch before renewal |
| Automatic add-on services | Never required | Northwest enrolls agent customers in annual-report filing ($100 + state fee per report) unless cancelled; ZenBusiness Starter's free year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199 a year | Cancel, and file reports yourself on the state's site |
| Late penalties | Only if you miss a deadline | e.g. Florida $400, Delaware $200 + 1.5% a month, California Statement of Information $250 | File on time |
| City or county business licenses | Depends on your location | Varies; we don't track these | Check with your city and county |
Sources: IRS on single-member LLCs ↗ (opens in a new tab); California FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab); RI Division of Taxation ↗ (opens in a new tab); N.Y. LLC Law § 417 ↗ (opens in a new tab); ZenBusiness plans ↗ (opens in a new tab); Northwest annual-report service ↗ (opens in a new tab). Each state's fee is linked in the table below.
Read this way: a single-member LLC with no employees can be formed for the state fee alone if you file it yourself and qualify as your own agent. We don't give a national "average LLC cost": five-year state costs alone run from $35 to more than $4,000, so an average would describe almost nobody. See the five-year state costs.
Best fit by what you need
We pick the cheapest package that meets each need, then name a credible alternative only when it’s cheaper up front, cheaper over time, or within $100. Service cost only: your state’s fees are the same whoever files.
| If you want | Best fit | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest total cost | Northwest Basic ($49)Year one $49 · 5 yrs $549Go to Northwest (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0 | Bizee Basic ($0)Year one $0 · 5 yrs $596Go to Bizee (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0Costs less up front ($0 vs $49 in year one). |
| Lowest cost to start | Bizee Basic ($0)Year one $0 · 5 yrs $596Go to Bizee (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0 | Northwest Basic ($49)Year one $49 · 5 yrs $549Go to Northwest (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0Cheaper over five years ($549 vs $596). |
| EIN + operating agreement included | Northwest Deluxe ($149)Year one $149 · 5 yrs $649Go to Northwest (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0 | — |
| Annual reports filed for me | Registered Agents Inc Formation ($100)Year one $100 · 5 yrs ≈$900Go to Registered Agents Inc (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0 | Northwest Basic ($49)Year one $49 · 5 yrs ≈$949Go to Northwest (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0Costs less up front ($49 vs $100 in year one). |
Formation services compared
Cheapest package from each provider, with what it leaves out. Year one = package + agent in year one if not included. Five years adds four agent renewals.
| Provider & package | Price | EIN | Operating agreement | Agent, year 1 | Agent after | Year one | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agent BasicEnrolls agent customers in its annual-report filing service automatically ($100 + state fee per report, charged about 90 days before the deadline); you can cancel it any time. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $49 | No | No | Included | $125/yr | $49 | $549 |
| Bizee BasicBasic has no EIN, operating agreement or phone support (Standard adds them). Its agent service is provided by a partner and renews at $149/yr. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $0 | No | No | Included | $149/yr | $0 | $596 |
| Harbor Compliance LLC formationPackage contents aren’t itemized on its site. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $99 | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | $159/yr | ≈$198 | ≈$834 |
| Registered Agents Inc LLC formationA separate mail address with scanning is an add-on from $50/yr. It doesn’t say whether its annual-report filing covers the state fee. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $100 | Not stated | No | Included | $200/yr | $100 | $900 |
| ZenBusiness StarterNo package includes a registered agent (+$199/yr). Pro renews at $199/yr; Starter’s compliance plan renews at $199/yr after the free year. Its contact page says a website-builder trial is preselected at checkout. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $0 | No | No | $199 | $199/yr | $199 | $995 |
| LegalZoom BasicAgent service is extra at $249/yr. Its $249 Managed Service includes a Business Advisor Plan that auto-renews at $49/mo after 30 days unless cancelled. source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | $0 | No | No | $249 | $249/yr | $249 | $1,245 |
Costs most comparisons leave out
Checked Oct 11, 2026 on official state and federal sources and on each provider's own site. We haven't bought these packages; this is what the providers and agencies publish.
1. Newspaper publication in three states
Whoever files your LLC, these states make you pay a newspaper to print a notice:
- New York: a notice once a week for six weeks in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk, then a $50 Certificate of Publication (N.Y. LLC Law § 206 ↗ (opens in a new tab); NY DOS fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Newspaper prices aren't set by the state and vary widely by county (New York's rule).
- Arizona: three consecutive publications within 60 days, unless your statutory agent's street address is in a county of more than 800,000 people (A.R.S. § 29-3201 ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
- Nebraska: publication required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-193 ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 7, 2026).
No official source gives newspaper prices, so we don't put a number on them. UNKNOWN
2. California's $800, even if you earn nothing
"Every LLC that is doing business or organized in California must pay an annual tax of $800." The first payment is due by the 15th day of the 4th month after you file with the Secretary of State (California FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Add a $20 Statement of Information within 90 days of filing.
- Forming late in the year can mean two payments within months. A calendar-year LLC filed in November 2026 owes its first-year $800 by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing, then the 2027 tax by April 15, 2027. The exception: an LLC whose taxable year was 15 days or less and that did no business in California that year owes neither the tax nor the fee (FTB Publication 3556 ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
- 2027–2029 change: for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027 and before January 1, 2030, the first-year tax is "reduced from $800 to $400" (FTB What's New ↗ (opens in a new tab)). An LLC formed in 2026 still pays $800 for its first year.
3. Nevada's $350 due with the articles
Nevada's filing fee is $75, but its $150 initial list of managers or members and its $200 state business license are due when you file the articles. That's $425 on day one, and the $350 repeats every year (NRS 86 ↗ (opens in a new tab); NRS 76 ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 7, 2026).
4. Rhode Island's $400 annual charge
On top of its $50 annual report, Rhode Island charges LLCs taxed as pass-throughs "an annual charge of $400," filed on Form RI-1065 each year by March 15. It applies to "multi-member LLCs and single-member LLCs" (RI Division of Taxation Notice 2026-01 ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Many fee tables, including ours until this update, show only the $50 report. Keeping a Rhode Island LLC costs about $450 a year in state charges.
5. Renewals and add-ons that start automatically
- Registered agent, year two. First-year deals end and the agent renews automatically unless you cancel or appoint a new one. ZenBusiness: "$99 + state fees for the first year. Renews at $199/yr" on its agent page ↗ (opens in a new tab), while its plan page ↗ (opens in a new tab) lists the agent at $199 a year with any package (checkout governs). Bizee: free the first year when it forms your LLC, then $149 a year REPORTED. Northwest: 365 days included in every formation package, then "$125 a year" (Northwest ↗ (opens in a new tab)). LegalZoom: $249 a year. Over five years this line alone runs $500 to $1,245 (agent prices).
- Annual-report filing. Northwest: "When you sign up for our registered agent services, you'll automatically be enrolled in our renewal service," at $100 plus state fees per report, charged about 90 days before the deadline. You can cancel it any time (Northwest ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
- Compliance plans. ZenBusiness Starter "includes one optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance (renews at $199/yr)" (ZenBusiness ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
- Monthly plans. LegalZoom's Managed Service ($249) "auto-renews at $49/mo" and Expert Service ($299) "auto-renews at $99/mo" (LegalZoom pricing ↗ (opens in a new tab)). LegalZoom's own compare page still shows a $299 top tier, so its pricing pages conflict.
- Add-ons you can get free. An EIN is free from the IRS, yet ZenBusiness charges $99 and Bizee $70 to apply for you. ZenBusiness also sells an operating-agreement template for $99.
Read the review screen before you pay, and calendar each renewal date. If you're past year one, see what to do when your agent renewal goes up or how to cancel.
6. Penalties for a missed deadline
Florida charges $400 extra for an annual report filed after May 1; Delaware adds $200 plus 1.5% a month to its $400 tax; California charges $250 for a late Statement of Information. See every state's deadline and penalty.
Three worked examples: five-year totals
These are estimates using the figures on this page: state fees as filing fee + 5 × the average yearly cost; services as the package price + four agent renewals. Your timing may shift one filing in or out. ESTIMATED
1. Colorado, do it yourself. File with the state ($50) and be your own agent. Colorado allows an individual 18 or older whose primary residence or usual place of business is in Colorado (C.R.S. Title 7, Art. 90, Part 7 ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Get an EIN free if you need one. The periodic report is $25 a year (Colorado fees ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026).
| Item | Five years |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $50 |
| Periodic report, 5 × $25 | $125 |
| Total | $175 |
2. Colorado, Northwest Basic. Same state fees, plus Northwest Basic at $49 (includes 365 days of agent service), then $125 a year for the agent.
| Item | Five years |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $50 |
| Northwest Basic | $49 |
| Agent renewals, 4 × $125 | $500 |
| Periodic report, 5 × $25 | $125 |
| Total | $724 ($714 at Northwest's $39 price) |
Northwest enrolls agent customers in its annual-report filing service automatically: $100 plus the state fee per report, charged about 90 days before the deadline (Northwest ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026). If you keep it, add about 4 × $100 = $400, for roughly $1,124. If you'd rather file the $25 report yourself, cancel the service in your account.
3. California, LegalZoom Basic with LegalZoom as agent. $70 state fee, $0 package, $249 a year for LegalZoom's agent, the $800 annual LLC tax every year and a $20 Statement of Information every two years.
| Item | Five years |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $70 |
| LegalZoom Basic | $0 |
| Agent, 5 × $249 | $1,245 |
| Annual LLC tax, 5 × $800 | $4,000 |
| Statement of Information ($20 every two years), 5 × $10 | $50 |
| Total | ≈$5,365 |
If your first tax year begins in 2027–2029, the first-year tax is $400, so the total is about $4,965 (FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026). California income of $250,000 or more adds an LLC fee of $900–$11,790 a year.
Same kind of legal entity, roughly 30 times the cost. Most of the gap is California's tax and a $249 agent, not anything the LLC itself requires. To run your own numbers, use the formation calculator.
The cheapest way to form an LLC: file it yourself
The cheapest legitimate way is to file your articles directly with your state and act as your own registered agent, if you qualify. You then pay only the state filing fee. "$0 formation" offers never mean $0 total: the state fee always applies.
Lowest state filing fees (official fee schedules; Montana, Hawaii and Kansas re-checked Oct 11, 2026, the rest Oct 7, 2026):
| Filing fee | States |
|---|---|
| $35 | Montana (Montana SOS fees ↗ (opens in a new tab): "Articles Of Organization | $35.00") VERIFIED |
| $40 | Kentucky |
| $45 | Arkansas |
| $50 | Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico |
| $51 | Hawaii ($50 plus a $1 State Archives fee, Hawaii DCCA ↗ (opens in a new tab)) |
Every state's fee is in the table below, linked to its official source. Montana also lists its on-time LLC annual report as "WAIVED" (a report filed after April 15 costs $35), so it is the cheapest state to form and keep for now. That only helps if your business is actually in Montana (see the warning below).
How to do it
- File your articles with the state for the fee in the table below. Most states take this online.
- Decide who will be your registered agent. In most states you can be your own agent if you meet the state's rules, usually a street address in the state where you're available during business hours. That address goes on the public record. Some states, such as New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont, require an individual agent to be a resident of the state. New York doesn't require a private agent at all: the Secretary of State receives legal papers for every New York LLC. See who can be their own registered agent. If you'd rather hire one, services cost $125–$249 a year after any first-year deal (compare agents).
- Get an EIN only if you need one, and get it free. The IRS says "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN" (IRS ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026). A single-member LLC that is a disregarded entity with no employees and no excise tax liability doesn't need one for federal tax purposes (IRS ↗ (opens in a new tab)), though banks usually ask for one. Bizee and ZenBusiness charge $70 and $99 to apply for you.
- Write an operating agreement. Most states don't require you to file one, but banks often ask for it.
- Note your first deadline. See annual report due dates and fees by state.
What doing it yourself costs instead of money: you track your own deadlines. A missed report can cost more than a service would have. Florida charges $538.75 instead of $138.75 for a report filed after May 1, and Delaware adds $200 plus 1.5% a month to its $400 tax. Repeated misses can lead to administrative dissolution (what happens if you miss one).
If you'd rather pay a service
Service cost only, before state fees (provider prices checked Oct 11, 2026):
| Year one | Five years | After year one | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bizee Basic | $0 (agent free the first year when Bizee forms the LLC) | $596 | Agent $149/yr after the free year (bizee.com ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026) |
| Northwest Basic | $49 (includes 365 days of agent service) | $549 | Agent $125/yr. Northwest enrolls agent customers in its annual-report filing service automatically ($100 + state fee per report, charged about 90 days before the deadline); cancel it if you file yourself |
Bizee is cheaper to start; Northwest is cheaper from year 4 ($424 vs $447 through year four). Northwest shows Basic at $49 on its /llc-formation page ↗ (opens in a new tab) and at $39 on its /llc/formation page ↗ (opens in a new tab), both with the first year of agent service included. We use $49 in totals; at $39 the five-year figure is $539 and Northwest pulls ahead in year 3. Full comparison: best LLC service by need.
Northwest LLC formation (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0 · Bizee LLC formation (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0
Don't form in a "cheap" state you don't operate in
If your business operates in another state, you'll generally have to register there as well and pay that state's fees and taxes too. California says "Every LLC that is doing business or organized in California must pay an annual tax of $800" (California FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026), so a Montana LLC run from California still owes California's $800 a year. Texas charges $750 to register an out-of-state LLC (Texas Form 806 ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026), more than double the $300 it charges to form a Texas LLC. You'd also need a registered agent in the formation state, which usually means hiring one. The cheapest state to form in is almost always the one where you do business.
Cheapest and most expensive states over five years
The filing fee is usually the smallest number. What it costs to keep an LLC for five years depends on each state's yearly report fees and taxes. The "5 years of state fees" column in the table below adds them up. It counts state charges only: no registered agent, no formation service, no newspaper costs and no city or county licenses.
How we calculate it: filing fee + one-time state charges in year one + 5 × the average yearly state cost. Reports filed every two years count at half their fee per year (marked ≈). "From" means part of the cost depends on income, members or assets, so yours can be higher. It's an estimate for budgeting, not a bill: your exact total depends on the month you form and how many filings fall inside your first five years. ESTIMATED
| Lowest five-year state cost | ≈ 5 years | Highest five-year state cost | ≈ 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | from $35¹ | California | from ≈$4,120² |
| Arizona | $50³ | Massachusetts | $3,000 by mail ($3,120 online)⁴ |
| Mississippi | $50 | Rhode Island | $2,400⁵ |
| Missouri | $50 | Tennessee | from $2,300⁶ |
| New Mexico | $50 | Delaware | $2,110 |
| Ohio | $99 | Nevada | $1,825⁷ |
| Idaho | $100 | Maryland | $1,600 |
| South Carolina | $110 | North Carolina | $1,140 |
| Hawaii | $113.50 | District of Columbia | ≈$849 |
| Kentucky | $115⁸ | Florida | $818.75 |
State fees checked on official sources Oct 7, 2026; Montana, California, Massachusetts and Rhode Island re-checked Oct 11, 2026. Every row in the table below links to its source.
- Montana lists its on-time LLC annual report as "WAIVED"; a report filed after April 15 costs $35 (Montana SOS fees ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026). An older Montana fee schedule (PDF) lists $20 for an on-time report; if that applies, add up to $100.
- California: $70 to file + the $800 annual LLC tax every year + a $20 Statement of Information every two years. LLCs whose first taxable year begins in 2027 through 2029 pay $400 for that first year, about $3,720 over five years (FTB What's New ↗ (opens in a new tab)). LLCs with $250,000 or more in California income also owe an LLC fee of $900 to $11,790 a year (FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Both checked Oct 11, 2026. Counting actual filings for an LLC formed in 2026 (three Statements of Information) gives $4,130.
- Plus newspaper publication unless your statutory agent's street address is in a county of more than 800,000 people (A.R.S. § 29-3201 ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
- Massachusetts charges $500 to form and $500 for each annual report. Filing online adds a tiered service fee, $20 at a $500 order, so $520 each online (Massachusetts fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026).
- Includes Rhode Island's $400 annual charge, filed with the Division of Taxation on Form RI-1065 by March 15, on top of the $50 annual report. The notice says it applies to "multi-member LLCs and single-member LLCs" (RI Division of Taxation Notice 2026-01 ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026).
- Tennessee's annual report is $50 per member (minimum $300, maximum $3,000), plus a minimum $100 franchise tax.
- Nevada's $150 initial list and $200 business license are due with the articles; they count as year one of the yearly charges.
- Kentucky may also charge a limited liability entity tax. Its Form 725-EZ shows a $175 minimum, but the copy we found is from 2018 REPORTED; confirm with the Kentucky Department of Revenue.
Form where you do business. A cheap state only saves money if your business is there. Otherwise you'll usually register in your home state too and pay both (why). For each state's due dates and late penalties, see annual report due dates and fees by state.
Recent and coming fee changes. Louisiana raised its LLC filing fee to $125 and its annual report to $35 on October 1, 2026 (Louisiana SOS notice ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 7, 2026). Michigan's annual statement drops from $25 to $15 after September 30, 2027 (MCL 450.5101 ↗ (opens in a new tab)). California's first-year LLC tax falls to $400 for first taxable years beginning 2027 through 2029 (FTB ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 11, 2026). Changes we make are dated in our corrections log.
LLC filing fees by state
From each state’s own fee schedule or statute. “Added in year one” lists costs due soon after you file. “Yearly” is the recurring state cost to keep the LLC.
New York's publication rule
Checked Oct 11, 2026 on New York's statute and Department of State pages.
What you have to do. Within 120 days after your articles take effect, publish a notice of your LLC's formation "once in each week for six successive weeks" in two newspapers, one daily and one weekly, chosen by the county clerk of the county where your LLC's office is located. Then file a Certificate of Publication with the Department of State, with the newspapers' affidavits attached. The state's fee for the certificate is $50 (N.Y. LLC Law § 206 ↗ (opens in a new tab); NY DOS fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab)). VERIFIED
What the newspapers cost. The state doesn't set newspaper prices. Ask the county clerk which papers are designated, and get each paper's total price, including affidavits, in writing before the notice runs. Third-party guides report very different figures for the same counties: roughly $140–$300 for Albany County and $1,500 to more than $2,000 for New York County (Manhattan) (one such guide ↗ (opens in a new tab)). We haven't collected quotes ourselves. REPORTED
If you miss the 120 days. Your LLC's authority to carry on business in New York is suspended. The LLC isn't dissolved, and filing the certificate later lifts the suspension. Missing the deadline "shall not limit or impair the validity of any contract or act" of the LLC, and it doesn't take away the LLC's right to defend a lawsuit (§ 206). VERIFIED
Other New York basics:
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $200 | NY DOS fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Certificate of Publication | $50 + newspaper costs | NY DOS fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Registered agent | Optional. "The secretary of state shall be the agent of every domestic limited liability company" for legal papers; an LLC "may designate a registered agent" | § 301 ↗ (opens in a new tab), § 302 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Biennial statement | $9 every two years. If you don't file, the LLC is shown "as past due" in state records and on a Certificate of Status; the Department of State lists no late fee | NY DOS ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| LLC filing fee (Form IT-204-LL) | $25 a year for a single-member LLC treated as a disregarded entity with New York-source income. LLCs taxed as partnerships pay $25 to $4,500 based on New York-source gross income ($25 up to $100,000; $4,500 over $25 million). Due the 15th day of the 3rd month after the tax year ends (March 15 for calendar-year LLCs). No New York-source income, no fee | IT-204-LL instructions (2025) ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Certificate of Status | $25 | NY DOS fee schedule ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
Year one in New York, state charges only: $200 + $50 = $250, plus newspaper costs. Over five years: about $272.50 plus newspapers, plus $25 a year if the IT-204-LL fee applies (how we calculate it).
Two things you can skip
BOI reports: FinCEN says U.S.-formed companies are exempt from beneficial-ownership reporting; only foreign companies registered to do business in a state still file (FinCEN ↗ (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 10, 2026). Ignore offers to file one for a new U.S. LLC.
Official-looking letters: private companies mail look-alike notices for certificates and reports. Check a sender with our Letter Check.
How we worked this out
Open data: the state figures behind this page are free to reuse with credit — download CSV or JSON (CC BY 4.0, “Source: Statutia”).
Every state figure links to its official source and was checked on the date shown; any figure not re-checked within 120 days is removed automatically — at once in the calculator, and at the next weekly rebuild on this page. Provider prices come from each provider’s own pages. We didn’t buy these packages (no hands-on testing), and we don’t score service quality. Rankings use cost and the need you pick; commissions are not an input. Full details in our methodology.
How we make money: Statutia has no affiliate relationships yet. Every provider link on this page is a plain link that earns us nothing. If that changes, commercial links will be labeled next to the link. Commissions will never change our rankings. Details.