Key takeaways
- Costs come from different payees: the state (formation fee, yearly tax or report), Registate (your package) and optional services. Keep them apart when you budget.
- State formation fees in the seven states we list run from $70 to $300. The yearly state charge matters more: $60 minimum in Wyoming, $400 in Delaware, $800 in California.
- A registered agent is required in every state, and it's included in every Registate formation package, so it isn't a separate line.
- The EIN itself is free from the IRS. Federal forms such as Form 5472 have no filing fee, but missing them can cost $25,000.
- A business address or virtual mailbox is optional and billed monthly. Add it only if you need one.
On this page (8)
The four kinds of LLC cost
Most "how much does an LLC cost" answers quote one number. In practice you pay several different parties on different calendars, and mixing them up is how budgets go wrong. It helps to sort every cost into one of four groups.
| Cost type | Who you pay | When | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| State fees | The state where you form | Once at formation, then yearly or every two years | Filing fee, annual LLC tax, annual or biennial report |
| Registate package | Registate | At formation, then renews yearly | Filing the formation, registered agent service, online dashboard |
| Federal filings | No fee to the IRS for the forms themselves | Yearly, by the tax return due date | Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 for many foreign-owned LLCs |
| Optional services | Registate or other providers | Only if you choose them | Business address, virtual mailbox, EIN help, tax preparer |
The rest of this guide prices each group, then puts them together in one scenario. If you haven't picked a state yet, our state comparison shows the fees side by side.
One scenario: year one and every year after
Here is the cost of a single-member LLC formed with Registate's Silver package, with no optional extras. Switch the state to see how the same company costs differently in Delaware and Wyoming. The state lines and the Registate line are labelled separately.
The assumptions behind the numbers
- One owner, formed as an LLC, not a corporation. Corporations pay different state taxes; see LLC vs C-Corp.
- Standard processing. Faster state processing costs extra and is optional.
- The package renews yearly at the same price, as shown on our pricing page. Registered agent service is part of it.
- Wyoming's figure is the $60 minimum. It only rises if the LLC holds more than $300,000 of assets located in Wyoming (source).
- No business address, tax preparer or bank fees. Those depend on your choices and are covered below.
State fees in the seven states we list
These are the states with fees set in our checkout. The formation fee is paid once. The recurring fee is what keeps the LLC in good standing, and each state bills it on its own schedule.
| State | Formation fee | Recurring state fee | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $70 | $800 annual LLC tax (Franchise Tax Board), plus $20 Statement of Information | Tax: 15th day of the 4th month after forming, then every year. Statement: within 90 days, then every 2 years. (source) |
| Delaware | $110 | $400 annual LLC tax (no annual report) | June 1, every year (source) |
| District of Columbia | $99 | $300 biennial report | April 1 of the year after forming, then every 2 years (source) |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 annual report ($400 late fee after May 1) | Between January 1 and May 1, every year (source) |
| New York | $200 | $9 biennial statement. Once, after forming: newspaper publication (cost varies by county) and a $50 Certificate of Publication | Statement: anniversary month, every 2 years. Publication: within 120 days of forming. (source) |
| Texas | $300 | Franchise tax report or Public Information Report. No tax due at or under $2.65M revenue (2026 report). | May 15, every year (source) |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 minimum annual report license tax (more if Wyoming assets are large) | First day of your formation anniversary month, every year (source) |
Two states need a closer look. California's $800 annual LLC tax applies even in a year with no income, which makes it the most expensive state here to keep an LLC open. New York adds a one-time newspaper publication within 120 days of forming, and the newspaper cost depends on the county, so we can't give one number for it.
Delaware and Wyoming, line by line
Delaware: $400 every June 1
A Delaware LLC files a Certificate of Formation for $110 (fee schedule). After that it owes an annual tax of $400, due on or before June 1 for the prior year (source). There is no annual report for LLCs and no proration, so an LLC formed late in the year still owes the full amount for that year (Delaware franchise tax). Paying late adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest a month on the tax and penalty.
Wyoming: $60 minimum in your anniversary month
A Wyoming LLC files Articles of Organization for $100 (fee schedule). Each year it files an annual report with a license tax of $60 or two-tenths of a mill on Wyoming assets, whichever is greater. The report is due on the first day of the month you formed in. Filing online adds a payment processor's convenience fee (source).
Registered agent and business address
Every state requires an LLC to keep a registered agent with a street address in that state, to receive legal papers and state notices. Hiring one separately is a yearly cost, but with Registate it's included in every formation package, so it doesn't appear as its own line in the ledger. How registered agent service works.
A registered agent address is not a business address. If you need a US address to put on invoices, bank or platform applications, or to receive everyday mail, that is an optional monthly cost. Our Wilmington, Delaware plans, for example:
| Plan | Price | Billing | Address type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address Only | $8.99/mo | First 6 months, then $14.99/mo | Real street address (PMB) |
| Mailbox Volume | $16.99/mo | Billed monthly | Real street address (PMB) |
| Mailbox Advanced | $75/mo | Billed monthly | Coworking address (Member #) |
| Verified Business Address | $500/mo | 12-month commitment | Commercial office (Suite) |
You can start without an address, or with the most affordable plan, and move up if a bank or marketplace asks for more. The differences are explained in virtual mailbox vs virtual office and on the virtual mailbox page.
Federal costs: small fees, large penalties
The federal side of an LLC is cheap in fees and expensive in mistakes. Three items come up for most non-US owners.
- EIN. The IRS issues Employer Identification Numbers free of charge (source). Registate's EIN support is an optional paid service that prepares and follows up on the application for you; the price is shown at checkout.
- Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120. A foreign-owned single-member LLC generally files these every year, even with no income. There's no filing fee, but the penalty for not filing is $25,000 (source). Most owners pay a tax preparer for this; fees vary by preparer.
- BOI reporting. Under FinCEN's current rule, companies created in the United States are exempt from beneficial ownership reporting, and FinCEN never charges a fee to file (source).
How to build your own budget
- 1
- 2Add the Registate packageIt's paid at formation and renews yearly. It includes the registered agent. Compare what each package covers on pricing.
- 3Add only the extras you'll useA business address, EIN help or faster state processing. Each is shown as its own line at checkout before you pay.
- 4Add federal filing helpBudget for a tax preparer if the LLC must file Form 5472 or other returns.
- 5Put the due dates in your calendarDelaware: June 1. Wyoming: the first day of your anniversary month. Other states: see the table. Processing times vary; the state and the IRS set them.
Sources, checked September 2026: Wyoming business FAQ, Wyoming fee schedule, Delaware franchise tax, Delaware LLC tax instructions, Delaware fee schedule, IRS EIN, IRS Form 5472 instructions, FinCEN BOI. Other states: linked in the state fee table.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest state to form an LLC in?
It depends on whether you count only the filing fee. Among the seven states we list, California has the lowest formation fee at $70 but charges an $800 annual LLC tax. Wyoming charges $100 to form and a $60 minimum each year. Texas charges $300 to form, and many small LLCs owe no franchise tax there but still file a yearly report. Compare the yearly cost, not just the formation fee.
Is the state filing fee included in the Registate package price?
No. The state fee is set by the state and paid to the state. At checkout it's added as its own line next to the package price, so you see both before you pay.
Do I have to pay for a registered agent separately?
Not with Registate. Every state requires an LLC to have a registered agent, and registered agent service is included in every Registate formation package.
When is the first Delaware LLC tax due?
Delaware's $400 LLC tax is due on or before June 1 for the prior year, and it isn't prorated. An LLC formed in 2026 owes its first $400 by June 1, 2027, even if it was formed in December.
When is the first Wyoming annual report due?
On the first day of the month you formed in, one year after forming. The license tax is $60 or two-tenths of a mill on the LLC's Wyoming assets, whichever is greater. An LLC is dissolved if the report is still missing 60 days after the due date.
Does getting an EIN cost money?
The IRS issues EINs free of charge. Registate's EIN support is an optional paid service that prepares and follows up on the application for you.
Do I need a US business address, and what does it cost?
It's optional. The registered agent address included in your package is for legal notices, not everyday mail. If you need an address for invoices, banks or platforms, Registate's plans are billed monthly or yearly and vary by location; see the pricing page.
Are there federal fees for a foreign-owned LLC?
The IRS doesn't charge to file Form 5472 or the pro forma Form 1120, and FinCEN doesn't charge for BOI filings (US-created companies are currently exempt). The real costs are a tax preparer's fee and the $25,000 penalty for not filing Form 5472.
What renews every year?
Your Registate formation package, which includes registered agent service, renews yearly. Separately, your state's yearly tax or report is owed to the state on the state's own due date. Address plans renew monthly or yearly, depending on the billing you chose.