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By state

An LLC does not cost one number. It costs four, on different dates.

Formation is the charge people compare, and it is usually the smallest one over five years. What separates an expensive state from a cheap one is the annual report, the franchise tax, and what happens if either is missed.

What each state has

The charges a state can levy

Nothing is published yet. Every state gets a page; the tags below show the shape one takes. Amounts stay blank until they are read off the state's own schedule and dated.

Formation

The one-off charge to file articles of organisation with the state.

  • Filed with—
  • Charge—

Annual report

The recurring filing that keeps the entity in good standing. Some states ask every two years.

  • Cadence—
  • Charge—

Franchise or privilege tax

A charge for the entity existing, levied in some states and not others.

  • Applies—
  • Charge—

Late and reinstatement

What a missed filing costs, and the cost of restoring an entity after administrative dissolution.

  • Penalty—
  • Reinstatement—

House rules

How this site handles money

Every figure is dated

State fees change by legislation. A figure without the date it was read is not usable, so each one carries it.

Five-year cost, not the headline

Formation alone flatters states with high recurring charges. Where a comparison is made, it runs over years.

No cheapest-state advice

Forming outside the state you operate in usually means registering as a foreign entity there anyway, and paying both.

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