50 states + DC · data pillar · governance reviewed August 2026
LLC Filing Fees by State: Compare All 50 States + DC
Every U.S. jurisdiction sets its own charge to create a domestic LLC. This page compares the Enjoys-life working formation-fee dataset in one calculator and one crawlable 51-row table, then sends you to the state-specific guide to confirm the final amount before payment.
There is no single national LLC filing fee. The formation state sets the amount and can also impose separate charges for items such as initial lists, business licenses, publication, expedited service, payment processing or post-formation statements. Use the formation-fee table below for comparison, then confirm the final amount in the current official state filing system immediately before submitting.
LLC Filing Fee — Fast Facts
51
States + DC compared
State-set
No federal LLC formation fee
$0
EIN fee directly from IRS
Confirm
Official portal before paying
What Counts as an LLC “Filing Fee”?
On this page, the core comparison is the government charge associated with the domestic LLC formation filing in each jurisdiction. That definition matters because some states bundle or require additional government charges at formation, while others separate those obligations into later filings, licenses or taxes.
Do not compare states using one number alone.
A low formation fee does not automatically mean a low-cost LLC. Recurring reports, franchise or privilege taxes, publication requirements, local licenses and foreign-registration obligations can matter more over time. Use LLC Annual Fees by State and the state-specific guide for those layers.
Cost Structure — Visual Explainer
The Filing Fee Is Only One Layer of LLC Cost
Keep the mandatory state formation charge separate from optional services and from later recurring obligations.
Use the filing-fee dataset for the first layer only. A true first-year or long-term cost comparison must add the state-specific obligations that actually apply.
State Filing Fee Comparator + First-Year Cost Builder
This preserves the strongest idea from the old page’s calculator but removes unsafe assumptions. Compare two formation states, then add only the costs that actually apply to you. Optional services, licenses, publication and recurring obligations stay visibly separate from the government formation fee.
Unique Enjoys-life Tool
LLC Filing Fee Comparator
Compare two states and build a simple first-year estimate from known costs.
51 jurisdictions
State filing fee
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Added costs
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Simple estimate
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Comparison
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Choose your formation state. This estimate does not automatically include recurring taxes, publication, licenses, payment-processing charges or other state-specific obligations. Confirm the final government amount before filing.
LLC Formation Filing Fees — All 50 States + DC
The static table below is intentionally present in the HTML—not generated only after JavaScript runs—so visitors, search engines and AI systems can read the comparison even when the calculator is not used.
This comparison is a working Enjoys-life dataset, not a substitute for the state’s payment screen. Fees are regulated and can change. Enjoys-life’s long-term data-governance system is moving recurring fee facts into a Master Fact Registry with source and verification metadata; until every row has that status, the final state portal remains the controlling source.
Why “Cheapest State” Can Be a Bad Decision
The smallest formation fee is not automatically the cheapest place for your business. If you form outside the state where you actually do business, you may need foreign qualification in the operating state, another registered agent and another set of compliance obligations.
Formation feeOne-time state charge to create the domestic LLC.
Foreign qualificationPossible extra registration if the LLC does business in another state.
Recurring complianceAnnual/biennial statements, franchise taxes or other state-level obligations can dominate long-term cost.
Business realityWhere owners, employees, property and operations are located can matter more than a headline filing fee.
The old page was right to teach visitors that the formation fee is not the whole cost. This revised explorer keeps that educational value without assigning a universal price to costs that vary by state, locality, provider or business activity.
Some LLCs can face newspaper publication, notice or proof-of-publication requirements. Cost depends on the jurisdiction and publication market. Treat this as a state-specific obligation, not a national LLC cost.
A state may require another filing, list, license, statement or tax registration in addition to the document that creates the LLC. These charges should be listed separately so the user can see what is actually mandatory.
A paid registered-agent service is an optional outsourcing cost where the owner or another eligible person can legally serve. Eligibility, address and availability requirements come from state law.
City, county, professional and industry licenses are separate from LLC formation. A state-approved LLC is not automatically licensed for every activity or location.
If an LLC formed in one jurisdiction is required to register to do business in another, it can face another filing fee, registered-agent requirement and ongoing compliance in the second jurisdiction. This is why choosing a formation state only because its filing fee is low can backfire.
Recurring obligations are not comparable as one universal “annual fee.” Use the dedicated annual-fees/compliance guide and your state guide for the exact filing name, frequency, tax treatment, exceptions and amount.
How Enjoys-life Should Maintain This Page
One data record per feeEach state’s formation fee should have one approved value, official source URL, verification date and status in the Master Fact Registry.
One dataset inside the pageThe calculator, table and any calculated summary must read from the same data—not separate arrays.
No hand-typed “cheapest” claimsRankings should be computed from the current approved dataset after all rows pass the required verification level.
Crawlable fallback requiredThe full 51-row table stays in HTML even when the calculator is interactive.
Formation Fee vs. Other LLC Costs
For a complete budget, use the right page for the right cost category:
Formation filingThis page compares the domestic formation charge.
Because this page covers 51 jurisdictions, each fee should ultimately point to the responsible Secretary of State, corporations division or equivalent filing agency through Enjoys-life’s Master Fact Registry. The national sources below explain why registration and fee requirements vary by state; state-specific guides provide the route to the controlling local filing system.
This data pillar is designed so the visible table and calculator agree. Changing state fees should be maintained through the controlled fact system rather than hand-updated in multiple independent modules.
LLC Filing Fees by State — FAQ
No. LLCs are formed under state or District of Columbia law, and each jurisdiction sets its own formation filing requirements and charges. Federal items such as an EIN are separate.
No. A formation fee is only one cost. Recurring filings, franchise or privilege taxes, publication, licenses, registered-agent costs and foreign qualification can change the long-term total.
Some jurisdictions require multiple government charges in connection with formation rather than one isolated articles fee. That is why the state-specific guide should be read before treating a single comparison number as the complete startup cost.
No. The formation filing and California's separate tax/compliance obligations are different cost layers. Use the California LLC guide and current California government sources for the complete first-year and recurring picture.
No. State LLC formation and the federal EIN process are separate. The EIN itself is free when obtained directly from the IRS.
There is no safe universal refresh interval because states can change fees at different times. High-visibility comparison data should be tied to source-level verification metadata and rechecked whenever an official change is announced or a conflicting value appears.
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Maintained by Enjoys-life Team · Data governance review August 2026