What It Actually Costs to Form an LLC in Every State (2026)

The filing fee is the first number everyone Googles and the first number most sites bury under an upsell. Here are the straight numbers for the states founders ask about most:

• Wyoming — $100. The founder favorite: cheap filing, no state income tax, strong privacy.
• Delaware — $110. The startup standard if you plan to raise money; everyone else can usually skip it.
• Florida — $125. Straightforward, no state income tax.
• Texas — $300. Higher upfront, no state income tax, big market.
• Nevada — $425. Privacy reputation, but you pay for it.
• California — $70 to file, then $800/year minimum franchise tax. Every year. This is the number that ruins budgets.
• Oregon — $100. Where this site was born. Simple filing, reasonable ongoing costs.

But the filing fee is not the total. Budget for these too:

• Registered agent — required in every state. $0–$300/year depending on whether you do it yourself (your address becomes public) or hire a service.
• Operating agreement — technically optional in most states, practically mandatory. Banks ask for it. Ours is in the free forms library.
• EIN — free from the IRS. Anyone charging you for one is selling you air.
• Annual reports / statements of information — most states want a periodic filing with a fee. Miss it and your LLC goes delinquent.
• Business licenses — city and county level, varies wildly.

Rule of thumb: a single-member LLC in a normal state runs roughly $100–$300 to start plus the registered agent decision. Anyone quoting you $500+ before state fees is selling you a bundle you did not ask for.

Fees change — verify against your Secretary of State before filing. We keep our state guides current; the state website is the final word.