What it costs to form an LLC with each service, state by state (2026)
Mainstay Filing is our best overall pick at $199 for the first year with the registered agent, EIN application and annual report included. This table puts it next to the entry packages of four other services, with each state’s own filing fee added, so the number is what you pay on day one: from $35 to $749.
- State fees from official sources, checked August 2026 to October 2026
- Provider prices verified October 2026
- Agent included in every figure
Year-1 total by state and service
| State | State fee | Mainstay Filing | Northwest | ZenBusiness | Bizee | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $236 | $435 | $275 | $335 | $236 | $485 |
| Alaska | $250 | $449 | $289 | $349 | $250 | $499 |
| Arizona | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Arkansas | $45 | $244 | $84 | $144 | $45 | $294 |
| California | $70 | $269 | $109 | $169 | $70 | $319 |
| Colorado | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Connecticut | $120 | $319 | $159 | $219 | $120 | $369 |
| Delaware | $110 | $309 | $149 | $209 | $110 | $359 |
| Florida | $125 | $324 | $164 | $224 | $125 | $374 |
| Georgia | $110 | $309 | $149 | $209 | $110 | $359 |
| Hawaii | $51 | $250 | $90 | $150 | $51 | $300 |
| Idaho | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Illinois | $150 | $349 | $189 | $249 | $150 | $399 |
| Indiana | $95 | $294 | $134 | $194 | $95 | $344 |
| Iowa | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Kansas | $85 | $284 | $124 | $184 | $85 | $334 |
| Kentucky | $40 | $239 | $79 | $139 | $40 | $289 |
| Louisiana | $125 | $324 | $164 | $224 | $125 | $374 |
| Maine | $175 | $374 | $214 | $274 | $175 | $424 |
| Maryland | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $699 | $539 | $599 | $500 | $749 |
| Michigan | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Minnesota | $155 | $354 | $194 | $254 | $155 | $404 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Missouri | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| Montana | $35 | $234 | $74 | $134 | $35 | $284 |
| Nebraska | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Nevada | $425 | $624 | $464 | $524 | $425 | $674 |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| New Jersey | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| New Mexico | $50 | $249 | $89 | $149 | $50 | $299 |
| New York | $200 | $399 | $239 | $299 | $200 | $449 |
| North Carolina | $125 | $324 | $164 | $224 | $125 | $374 |
| North Dakota | $135 | $334 | $174 | $234 | $135 | $384 |
| Ohio | $99 | $298 | $138 | $198 | $99 | $348 |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Oregon | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $324 | $164 | $224 | $125 | $374 |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $349 | $189 | $249 | $150 | $399 |
| South Carolina | $110 | $309 | $149 | $209 | $110 | $359 |
| South Dakota | $150 | $349 | $189 | $249 | $150 | $399 |
| Tennessee | $300 | $499 | $339 | $399 | $300 | $549 |
| Texas | $300 | $499 | $339 | $399 | $300 | $549 |
| Utah | $59 | $258 | $98 | $158 | $59 | $308 |
| Vermont | $155 | $354 | $194 | $254 | $155 | $404 |
| Virginia | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Washington | $200 | $399 | $239 | $299 | $200 | $449 |
| West Virginia | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $329 | $169 | $229 | $130 | $379 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $299 | $139 | $199 | $100 | $349 |
Mainstay Filing
$199 first year, agent included, plus state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Head-to-head comparisons
- Mainstay Filing vs Northwest Registered Agent: $39 package, agent included the first year
- Mainstay Filing vs ZenBusiness: $0 Starter package plus $99 agent
- Mainstay Filing vs Bizee: $0 Basic package, agent free the first year
- Mainstay Filing vs LegalZoom: $0 Basic package plus $249 agent
How we count year 1
Year 1 is the package price, plus a registered agent for the first year, plus the state filing fee. Northwest Registered Agent includes its agent in year 1; Bizee gives the first year free; ZenBusiness and LegalZoom sell the agent separately, so their agent price is added. Nothing is added for optional extras such as expedited filing.
Questions
What is the cheapest LLC service for the first year?
Counting a registered agent, Bizee is lowest in year 1 because its agent is free for the first year ($0 package plus the state fee), then $149 a year. Mainstay Filing is $199 in year 1 and $199 again at renewal, and that price already includes the agent, the EIN application and each annual report.
Which service is best overall?
Our pick is Mainstay Filing. One $199 yearly price covers the formation filing, a registered agent, the EIN application and the annual report, and the first-year price is the renewal price.
Is the state fee included in these prices?
No. Every total on this site adds the state’s own filing fee ($35 to $500), which every route to forming an LLC pays.
Why compare the first year only?
The first-year price is what you pay on the day you sign up. What happens after is a separate question that changes the ranking, so we show it side by side on the head-to-head pages.
How current are the prices?
Provider prices were read from each company’s own pages and checked October 2026. State fees are tied to official sources with the date checked; see sources.