A guide in fifty parts
Forming an LLC, state by state
Forming an LLC follows the same broad shape everywhere: name it, give it an address for service, file the articles, keep it in good standing. What changes at every border is who you file with, what they ask for, and what happens next.
Chapters
What a state page has to answer
Which office takes the filing
Secretary of State in most places, but not all - and a handful route business filings through a separate division or a county step.
What the name has to satisfy
Reservation rules, required designators, and the words a state will not allow without a licence behind them.
The registered agent requirement
Every state requires one with a physical in-state address. What varies is who may serve, and what becomes public when they do.
This is the requirement most often misread as optional. It is not optional anywhere.
What the articles must contain
The minimum the form demands - and the fields that are optional but awkward to change later.
What comes after filing
Publication requirements where they exist, the first annual report, and the point at which the entity is expected to have an EIN.
Covered in detail in How Do You Avoid Mistakes When Forming Your Own LLC?, Can You File All the LLC Paperwork Yourself without Any Help? and Filing Your Own LLC, State by State.
By the numbers
Fees, as the states publish them
| Where | What is charged | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Articles of Organization filing fee | $70.00 | ca.gov |
| Statement of Information fee | $20.00 | ca.gov | |
| Florida | New LLC total filing cost | $125.00 ($100 filing + $25 registered agent) | fl.gov |
| Annual report fee | $138.75 | fl.gov | |
| Georgia | Articles of Organization fee | $110.00 ($100 filing + $10 service charge) | ga.gov |
| Annual registration fee | $60.00 (online and paper) | ga.gov | |
| Michigan | Annual statement fee | $25.00 | michigan.gov |
| Late penalty on the annual statement | $50.00 if received after February 15 | michigan.gov | |
| New York | Articles of Organization filing fee | $200.00 | ny.gov |
| Biennial Statement fee | $9.00 | ny.gov | |
| Texas | Certificate of Formation filing fee | $300.00 | texas.gov |
| Assumed name certificate fee | $25.00 | state.tx.us | |
| Federal | An EIN is free directly from the IRS | $0 (free) | irs.gov |
Asked and answered
Questions this site answers
- Is filing California Articles of Organization hard to do alone?
- Can I file a California LLC on my own without a service?
- Is filing a Florida LLC on Sunbiz complicated for a beginner?
- Can I file my Florida LLC directly through Sunbiz instead of using a service?
- Is registering a Georgia LLC online complicated for a beginner?
- Can I file a Georgia LLC on my own without a service?
- How do I register an LLC myself with Michigan LARA?
- Is filing Michigan Articles of Organization hard to do alone?
- What do I need to file a New York LLC without hiring anyone?
- What do I need to file a Texas LLC without hiring anyone?