Cost guide
How much does it cost to start an LLC? (2026)
A practical 2026 breakdown of LLC startup costs in the U.S. — state filing fees, reports, franchise taxes, registered agents, and formation services.
Affiliate disclosure: This article may include affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure.
Not legal or tax advice. General information only.
Short answer
Most U.S. founders should budget for:
- State formation filing fee — commonly about $40–$500+, depending on the state (examples we verified: Ohio $99, California $70, Texas $300, New York $200).
- Registered agent — required in every state; you can often serve yourself if you meet residency/address rules, or pay a commercial agent (market rates often roughly $100–$300/year).
- First report or entity tax — some states collect nothing in year one; others due large flat taxes (California FTB $800; Delaware annual tax $400).
- Optional extras — name reservation, certified copies, expedited processing, publication (notably New York), operating agreement drafting, EIN (IRS EIN is free), and professional legal/tax help.
See our state comparison table for verified fee rows and linked sources.
Typical first-year ranges (illustrative)
| Scenario | Ballpark |
|---|---|
| DIY in a low-fee state (e.g. Ohio) with self-agent | About $99 in SOS fees |
| DIY in Wyoming with minimum annual report | About $160 in state fees when the first report is due |
| DIY in Florida | $125 to form; $138.75 annual report starting the following year |
| DIY in California including FTB annual tax | About $890 in year-one state/tax payments |
| DIY in New York | $200 Articles + $50 publication certificate + variable newspaper costs |
These figures exclude attorney fees and most commercial service markups. They are planning tools, not quotes.
DIY vs formation service
DIY means you prepare and file with the state yourself and pay only official fees (plus any agent you hire).
Formation services (for example ZenBusiness, Northwest Registered Agent, or Bizee) typically charge a service fee on top of the same state filing fees. They may bundle registered-agent service for a period. We may earn a commission if you use our affiliate links — disclosure. We do not advertise coupons or cashback.
Costs people forget
- Sales tax permits, local business licenses, professional licenses
- Trademark search/filing (USPTO fees are separate)
- Bookkeeping and tax preparation
- Foreign qualification fees if you operate in additional states
Not legal or tax advice
Entity choice (LLC vs corporation vs sole proprietorship), securities issues, and tax elections (including S-corp) require professional advice tailored to you.