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Founder Primer

LLC paperwork, boiled down for founders.

Primer · Start an LLC

How to Start an LLC: Lessons for All 50 States (2026)

Fifty pages, one per state, on starting an LLC. Each draws on that state's own forms and fees, with sources.
From the Founder Primer desk

Pages by state

1 Alabama
$236 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
2 Alaska
$250 when it is filed · Biennial report $100
Top pick: Alaska Registered Agent.co
3 Arizona
$50 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
4 Arkansas
$45 when it is filed · Yearly report $150
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
5 California
$70 when it is filed · Statement of Information $20
Top pick: CA Registered Agent.org
6 Colorado
$50 when it is filed · Periodic report $25
Top pick: CO Registered Agent.org
7 Connecticut
$120 when it is filed · Annual report $80
Top pick: CT Registered Agent.org
8 Delaware
$110 when it is filed · Annual LLC Tax $400
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
9 Florida
$125 when it is filed · Annual report $138.75
Top pick: FL Registered Agent.org
10 Georgia
$110 when it is filed · Annual registration $60
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
11 Hawaii
$51 when it is filed · Yearly report $12.50
Top pick: Hawaii Registered Agent.co
12 Idaho
$100 when it is filed · Annual report free
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
13 Illinois
$150 when it is filed · Yearly report $75
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
14 Indiana
$95 when it is filed · Business entity report $32
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
15 Iowa
$50 when it is filed · Biennial report $30
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
16 Kansas
$85 when it is filed · Information report $90
Top pick: KS Registered Agent.org
17 Kentucky
$40 when it is filed · Annual report $15
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
18 Louisiana
$125 when it is filed · Annual report $35
Top pick: LA Registered Agent.org
19 Maine
$175 when it is filed · Annual report $85
Top pick: Maine Registered Agent.co
20 Maryland
$100 when it is filed · Business Entity Annual Report $300
Top pick: MD Registered Agent.org
21 Massachusetts
$500 when it is filed · Yearly report $500
Top pick: Massachusetts Registered Agent.co
22 Michigan
$50 when it is filed · Annual statement $25
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
23 Minnesota
$155 when it is filed · Annual renewal free
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
24 Mississippi
$50 when it is filed · Annual report free
Top pick: Registered Agent MS.org
25 Missouri
$50 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: Missouri Registered Agent.co
26 Montana
$35 when it is filed · Annual report $20
Top pick: Montana Registered Agent.co
27 Nebraska
$100 when it is filed · Biennial report $25
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
28 Nevada
$425 when it is filed · Yearly report $350
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
29 New Hampshire
$100 when it is filed · Annual report $100
Top pick: New Hampshire Registered Agent.co
30 New Jersey
$100 when it is filed · Annual report $75
Top pick: Registered Agent NJ.org
31 New Mexico
$50 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
32 New York
$200 when it is filed · Biennial statement $9
Top pick: New York Registered Agent.ai
33 North Carolina
$125 when it is filed · Annual report $200
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
34 North Dakota
$135 when it is filed · Annual report $50
Top pick: North Dakota Registered Agent.co
35 Ohio
$99 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
36 Oklahoma
$100 when it is filed · Annual certificate $25
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
37 Oregon
$100 when it is filed · Annual report $100
Top pick: Oregon Registered Agent.co
38 Pennsylvania
$125 when it is filed · Annual report $7
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
39 Rhode Island
$150 when it is filed · Yearly report $50
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
40 South Carolina
$110 when it is filed · nothing yearly
Top pick: South Carolina Registered Agent.co
41 South Dakota
$150 when it is filed · Annual report $55
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
42 Tennessee
$300 when it is filed · Annual report $300
Top pick: TN Registered Agent.org
43 Texas
$300 when it is filed · Yearly report free
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
44 Utah
$59 when it is filed · Annual Report/Renewal $18
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
45 Vermont
$155 when it is filed · Annual report $45
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
46 Virginia
$100 when it is filed · Annual Registration Fee $50
Top pick: VA Registered Agent.org
47 Washington
$200 when it is filed · Annual report $70
Top pick: WA Registered Agent.org
48 West Virginia
$100 when it is filed · Annual report $25
Top pick: WV Registered Agent.org
49 Wisconsin
$130 when it is filed · Annual report $25
Top pick: Mainstay Filing
50 Wyoming
$100 when it is filed · Annual report $60
Top pick: Mainstay Filing

In more than one state?

Across the country we would start with Mainstay Filing. Nationwide picks.

Sources by state

  1. Alabama: alison.legislature.state.al.us, read October 2026
  2. Alaska: akleg.gov, read August 2026
  3. Arizona: azcc.gov, read October 2026
  4. Arkansas: sos.arkansas.gov, read October 2026
  5. California: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read August 2026
  6. Colorado: coloradosos.gov, read October 2026
  7. Connecticut: business.ct.gov, read October 2026
  8. Delaware: delcode.delaware.gov, read October 2026
  9. Florida: flsenate.gov, read October 2026
  10. Georgia: sos.ga.gov, read October 2026
  11. Hawaii: cca.hawaii.gov, read October 2026
  12. Idaho: legislature.idaho.gov, read October 2026
  13. Illinois: ilsos.gov, read October 2026
  14. Indiana: forms.in.gov, read August 2026
  15. Iowa: legis.iowa.gov, read October 2026
  16. Kansas: sos.ks.gov, read October 2026
  17. Kentucky: sos.ky.gov, read October 2026
  18. Louisiana: static.sos.la.gov, read October 2026
  19. Maine: legislature.maine.gov, read October 2026
  20. Maryland: egov.maryland.gov, read October 2026
  21. Massachusetts: sec.state.ma.us, read October 2026
  22. Michigan: legislature.mi.gov, read September 2026
  23. Minnesota: revisor.mn.gov, read October 2026
  24. Mississippi: sos.ms.gov, read August 2026
  25. Missouri: sos.mo.gov, read October 2026
  26. Montana: sosmt.gov, read October 2026
  27. Nebraska: nebraskalegislature.gov, read October 2026
  28. Nevada: leg.state.nv.us, read October 2026
  29. New Hampshire: gc.nh.gov, read October 2026
  30. New Jersey: pub.njleg.gov, read October 2026
  31. New Mexico: nmonesource.com, read October 2026
  32. New York: dos.ny.gov, read October 2026
  33. North Carolina: sosnc.gov, read October 2026
  34. North Dakota: sos.nd.gov, read October 2026
  35. Ohio: codes.ohio.gov, read October 2026
  36. Oklahoma: sos.ok.gov, read October 2026
  37. Oregon: sos.oregon.gov, read October 2026
  38. Pennsylvania: pa.gov, read October 2026
  39. Rhode Island: docs.sos.ri.gov, read October 2026
  40. South Carolina: scstatehouse.gov, read October 2026
  41. South Dakota: sdlegislature.gov, read October 2026
  42. Tennessee: sos.tn.gov, read October 2026
  43. Texas: sos.texas.gov, read October 2026
  44. Utah: commerce.utah.gov, read October 2026
  45. Vermont: legislature.vermont.gov, read October 2026
  46. Virginia: law.lis.virginia.gov, read October 2026
  47. Washington: sos.wa.gov, read October 2026
  48. West Virginia: sos.wv.gov, read October 2026
  49. Wisconsin: dfi.wi.gov, read October 2026
  50. Wyoming: wyobiz.wyo.gov, read October 2026