LLC state comparison and annual cost calculator
Filing fees, annual fees, franchise taxes and deadlines for 8 popular states in one table. Pick a state and a registered agent to see what you'll pay in the first year and every year after. Each figure is checked against state and IRS websites.
What will forming in this state cost?
Calculated in your browser
8 states at a glance
Statutory state fees only; registered agent, address and tax preparer are extra
| State | Filing fee | State fees / year | Annual filing and deadline | If you're late | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming WY | $100 | From $60 | Annual report with license tax ($60 or 0.02% of in-state assets, whichever is greater), due in your formation anniversary month | Delinquent the following month; administratively dissolved after 60 days; $100 to reinstate | Official |
| New Mexico NM | $50 | $0 | No annual report for LLCs | — | Secondary |
| Delaware DE | $110 | $400 | Annual LLC tax for the prior year, due June 1; no annual report. Raised from $300 in 2026 | $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest on tax and penalty | Official |
| Florida FL | $125 | $138.75 | Annual report, filed January 1 to May 1 | $400 late fee after May 1, cannot be waived | Official |
| Texas TX | $300 | $0* | Franchise tax report and Public Information Report (PIR), due May 15. *No tax due below $2,650,000 in annual revenue, but both reports are still required | $50 per late report; 5%–10% penalty on unpaid tax; right to transact business can be forfeited | Official |
| Colorado CO | $50 | $25 | Periodic report, filed within two months either side of your anniversary month | $50 late penalty | Official |
| Nevada NV | $425 | $350 | Annual list $150 plus state business license $200, due by the last day of your anniversary month. Filing fee includes the initial list and license | $75 late list penalty; $100 late license penalty | Statute |
| California CA | $70 | From $800 | $800 minimum franchise tax, due the 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year; $20 Statement of Information within 90 days of formation, then every two years. An extra LLC fee applies above $250,000 in California income | 5% of unpaid tax plus 0.5% a month (up to 25%), plus interest | Partly secondary |
Source labels: Official a state or IRS web page; Statute the text of state law; Secondary not confirmed on an official page.
How to choose
Wyoming or New Mexico
The lowest state fees. Wyoming costs from $60 a year and keeps ownership details private; New Mexico costs $50 to file with no annual report, but its rules are discussed less, so confirm with the Secretary of State before you file.
Delaware
The most developed corporate case law, familiar to investors and lawyers. The cost is a $400 annual LLC tax. Most companies convert to a Delaware C-Corp when they raise, so you can switch later.
Form in that state
If you have staff, an office or a warehouse in California, you will usually have to register there as a foreign LLC and pay the $800 minimum tax even if you formed in Wyoming. Where you operate matters more than where you form.
Federal requirements in every state
- EIN: without an SSN or ITIN, fax Form SS-4 to the IRS (304-707-9471 from outside the US); you usually get it back within 4 business days, or about 4 weeks by mail. International applicants can also apply by phone at 267-941-1099. It's free; you don't need an agent.
- Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120: required every year for a foreign-owned single-member LLC, even with no income. Due April 15 for calendar-year filers, extendable by 6 months with Form 7004. The penalty is $25,000 per form filed late, plus another $25,000 if it is still missing 90 days after an IRS notice. It cannot be e-filed: fax it (855-887-7737) or mail it.
- BOI (beneficial ownership) report: LLCs formed in the US are permanently exempt (FinCEN final rule, effective August 14, 2026). Anyone asking you to pay for a BOI filing is most likely running a scam.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-US resident form a US LLC?
Yes. No state requires LLC members to be US citizens or residents, and non-residents can file online with a passport. You need a registered agent in the state of formation, and after formation you apply for an EIN with Form SS-4.
Wyoming or Delaware?
Most one-person online businesses that don't plan to raise US venture capital choose Wyoming: a $100 filing fee and a $60 minimum annual license tax. Delaware costs $110 to file plus a $400 annual LLC tax (raised from $300 in 2026); its advantage is mature case law that investors know, which suits companies planning to raise money.
How much does a US LLC cost per year?
State fees range from $0 a year (New Mexico, and Texas below the revenue threshold) to $800 or more (California's minimum franchise tax). Add a registered agent, typically $100–$200 a year. A foreign-owned single-member LLC must also file Form 5472 with the IRS every year; an accountant's fee for that is extra. Use the calculator above for your own total.
Does a foreign-owned LLC have to file with the IRS?
Yes. A foreign-owned single-member LLC (a disregarded entity) files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, due April 15 for calendar-year filers, extendable with Form 7004. The penalty for not filing on time is $25,000 per form. Form 5472 cannot be e-filed; it must be faxed or mailed.
Do US LLCs still file BOI reports in 2026?
No, not if the LLC was formed in the US. FinCEN's final rule, issued August 11, 2026 and effective August 14, made the 2025 exemption permanent: US companies do not file BOI reports. Only entities formed under foreign law and registered to do business in the US still report.
Can a virtual mailbox be the registered agent address?
No. A registered agent needs a physical street address in the state where someone accepts legal papers during business hours, which is why most people hire a professional registered agent. Texas explicitly forbids a mailbox as the registered agent address. Your company's mailing address can be a virtual mailbox or a residential address.
Sources
Verified on 2026-11-05
- Wyoming Secretary of State fee schedule (effective 2026-07-01): https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/Docs/BusinessFees.pdf
- Delaware LLC tax instructions: https://corp.delaware.gov/alt-entitytaxinstructions/ ; fee schedule: https://corpfiles.delaware.gov/Fee_Schedule/AugustFee2026.pdf
- New Mexico LLC Act, NMSA §53-19-63 (filing fee); "no annual report" is from secondary sources and was not confirmed on a Secretary of State page
- Florida annual report help: https://efile.sunbiz.org/llc_ar_help.html
- Texas Secretary of State, Form 205 instructions: https://www.sos.texas.gov/corp/instructions/205.shtml ; Texas Comptroller franchise tax: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/franchise/
- Colorado Secretary of State fees: https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/fees/business.html
- Nevada Revised Statutes chapters 86 and 76: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-086.html
- California FTB penalties and interest: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/pay/penalties-and-interest/index.html ; Statement of Information: https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements (the $70 filing fee is from the 2018 fee schedule)
- IRS Form 5472 instructions: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i5472 ; Form SS-4 instructions: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iss4
- FinCEN BOI: https://www.fincen.gov/boi
Compiled from official sources available in November 2026. Items labeled "Secondary" were not confirmed directly on a state website. State fees can change at any time, so check the state's website before you file. This page is not legal or tax advice; if you operate in the US, have multiple members or have US-source income, talk to a licensed accountant or attorney.