Incorporation Cost Calculator
Free incorporation cost calculator. Estimate first-year and multi-year incorporation costs including filing, service or attorney fees, registered agent, franchise tax, and setup expenses.
LLC Formation Cost Calculator
Estimate first-year LLC formation costs by combining state filing fees, registered-agent costs, operating-agreement costs, licenses, and formation-service fees.
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Free from IRS directly
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Total One-Time Cost⧉
$794.00
All upfront formation expenses
Annual Recurring⧉
$1,725.00
Renewal + agent + franchise fees
Year 1 Total⧉
$2,519.00
Formation + first year recurring
3-Year Total⧉
$5,969.00
Formation + 3 years recurring
5-Year Total⧉
$9,419.00
Formation + 5 years recurring
Cost per Member⧉
$2,519.00
Split across 1.00 member(s), Year 1
One-Time Cost Breakdown
State Filing Fee
$70.00one-time
Formation Service
$299.00one-time
Registered Agent
$125.00annual
Operating Agreement
$200.00one-time
Business Licenses
$100.00one-time
| State | Filing Fee | One-Time Total | Annual Cost | Year 1 Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WY | $100.00 | $824.00 | $185.00 | $1,009.00 |
| IL | $150.00 | $874.00 | $200.00 | $1,074.00 |
| FL | $125.00 | $849.00 | $263.00 | $1,112.00 |
| TX | $300.00 | $1,024.00 | $125.00 | $1,149.00 |
| DE | $90.00 | $814.00 | $725.00 | $1,539.00 |
| NV | $425.00 | $1,149.00 | $475.00 | $1,624.00 |
| NY | $200.00 | $2,124.00 | $150.00 | $2,274.00 |
| CA * | $70.00 | $794.00 | $1,725.00 | $2,519.00 |
5-Year Cost Projection
| Year | New Costs | Cumulative Total |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $2,519.00 | $2,519.00 |
| Year 2 | $1,725.00 | $4,244.00 |
| Year 3 | $1,725.00 | $5,969.00 |
| Year 4 | $1,725.00 | $7,694.00 |
| Year 5 | $1,725.00 | $9,419.00 |
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the LLC Formation Cost Calculator
Forming a limited liability company usually involves more than one fee. The state filing charge is only the starting point; the real first-year cost can also include a registered agent, an operating agreement, formation-service fees, publication requirements, and business-license costs.
This calculator is a budgeting worksheet for those formation expenses. It is designed to help you compare DIY filing, bundled formation services, and attorney-assisted setups using your own numbers rather than broad marketing ranges.
Use the result as a first-year setup estimate only. Ongoing annual-report fees, franchise taxes, and later compliance costs may apply separately depending on the jurisdiction and the business.
When This Page Helps
The page is useful because it keeps the main LLC setup cost categories in one worksheet and lets you compare different filing scenarios quickly. It is a budgeting tool, not a substitute for checking the actual filing requirements and recurring fees in the state where the LLC will operate.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter your state filing fee.
- Add any registered-agent cost if you are not serving as your own agent.
- Include operating-agreement or formation-service costs if relevant.
- Add business-license, publication, or similar setup costs.
- Review the first-year total and compare filing scenarios.
Formula used
Total LLC Cost = State Filing Fee + Registered Agent (annual) + Operating Agreement + Business Licenses + Publication (if required) + Formation Service FeeExample Calculation
Result: $925
State filing fee $200 + registered agent $125/year + operating agreement $500 + business licenses $100 = $925 total first-year formation cost.
Tips & Best Practices
- Some states have extra setup steps such as publication or expedited-processing fees, so keep those outside costs visible instead of focusing only on the filing fee.
- The EIN itself is issued by the IRS without a government filing fee; paid services usually charge for assistance rather than for the EIN itself.
- Annual-report fees and franchise taxes are separate from the first-year formation total shown here.
- If multiple members are involved, the operating-agreement line should usually be treated more seriously than in a simple single-member filing.
- Use the worksheet to compare scenarios, then confirm the actual state filing schedule before spending money.
What the Worksheet Covers
The page focuses on first-year formation costs: filing fees, agent costs, document-preparation costs, publication, licensing, and optional formation-service charges.
What It Does Not Cover
The worksheet does not promise current state pricing and does not automatically include later annual-report fees, franchise taxes, or foreign-registration costs in other states.
Best Use of the Result
Use the output to compare setup scenarios and build a startup budget, then verify the actual filing schedule with the state filing office or counsel before submitting the formation.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This worksheet adds the first-year LLC setup costs shown in the live calculator: the state filing fee, registered-agent cost, operating-agreement cost, licenses, publication or similar setup charges, and any formation-service fee. It is designed to compare DIY, service, and attorney-assisted setups using user-entered assumptions instead of one-size-fits-all marketing ranges.
The result is a first-year planning estimate only. It does not determine where an LLC should be formed, whether foreign qualification is required in another state, or what later annual-report, franchise-tax, or licensing costs will apply after formation.
Sources
- Choose a business structure (U.S. Small Business Administration) — Official overview of entity-type differences and why structure affects filings, liability, and taxes.
- Register your business (U.S. Small Business Administration) — Official overview of state registration steps and registered-agent requirements.
- Forms, Samples and Fees (California Secretary of State) — Illustrative official state filing-office source for entity forms, fees, and online business-entity submissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer changes over time because filing fees and recurring fees change. A low filing-fee state is not automatically the cheapest overall choice if you will still need to register as a foreign LLC where the business actually operates.
Every LLC needs a registered agent in the formation state. Some owners act as their own agent, while others pay for a commercial service. This page treats that as a cost input rather than assuming one approach.
That depends on the state and the structure of the LLC. Even when not strictly required, many owners still prepare one because it defines how the LLC will actually operate.
Yes. Most state secretary of state websites allow online filing. The process involves: choosing a name, filing Articles of Organization, obtaining an EIN, creating an operating agreement, and getting necessary licenses. Many people complete it in 1–2 hours.
Annual costs include: annual report/franchise tax ($0–$800 depending on state), registered agent fee ($50–$300), business license renewals, and potentially state income taxes. California charges a minimum $800 franchise tax annually.
That depends on how standardized the filing is. A simple one-owner LLC may only need a filing worksheet, while multi-member or higher-risk situations may justify attorney review. This page is there to compare the cost scenarios, not to pick the legal strategy for you.
More in this topic
State Filing Fee Calculator
Free state business filing fee calculator. Estimate LLC or corporation state filing fees, expedited processing, and name reservation costs.
Registered Agent Cost Calculator
Free registered agent cost calculator. Compare multi-state registered-agent budgets, add-on service costs, and related annual state maintenance fees.