How much does it cost to form an LLC? The one-time state filing fee runs about $35 to $500 depending on your state (Wyoming is $100), the EIN is free from the IRS, and then there are recurring yearly costs. For non-US founders the budget that matters is the first-year total and the yearly total, not just the filing fee.
The state filing fee (about $35 to $500; Wyoming $100) and your EIN (free from the IRS). An operating agreement is usually included.
A registered agent (required when you have no U.S. address) and the state's annual report or franchise tax. This is the cost most founders forget.
Possible paid help to file the EIN without an SSN, a U.S. mailing address, and an ITIN only if you personally need one.
How much does it cost to form an LLC? There is no single number, because the bill is really a stack of smaller costs, and a few of them repeat every year. The good news is the stack is short and predictable once you can see it. Below is what each piece costs, where non-US founders tend to under-budget, and why the cheapest state on paper is not always the cheapest in practice.
If you are still deciding where to register, the best state for non-resident founders guide compares the fee side; this page is about the total cost of forming and keeping an LLC, wherever you choose. It is part of forming a U.S. company as a non-resident, and it is general education, not legal or tax advice.
What you actually pay for
A U.S. LLC has a small set of costs. Some are one-time, some recur every year. Here is the whole stack:
Cost | When | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
State filing fee (Articles of Organization) | One-time | About $35 to $500 by state (Wyoming is $100) |
EIN (federal tax ID) | One-time | Free from the IRS |
Operating agreement | One-time | Usually included as a template |
Registered agent | Every year | An annual fee; required if you have no U.S. address |
Annual report or franchise tax | Every year | Varies by state (Wyoming about $60 minimum; Delaware $300) |
Optional extras | Varies | EIN filing help without an SSN, a U.S. mailing address, expedited filing, or an ITIN if you personally need one |
The one-time costs
The state filing fee is what you pay the state to file your Articles of Organization and create the LLC. It varies a lot by state: roughly $35 at the low end (Montana) up to about $500 (Massachusetts), with most states in between and an average around $130. Wyoming is $100. Always confirm the current figure with your state's Secretary of State, since fees change.
The other one-time cost is your EIN, the federal tax ID your LLC needs for banking and filings. There is no IRS fee for it.
The recurring costs founders forget
This is where budgets go wrong. Two costs come back every year, and neither is the headline filing fee.
The first is a registered agent. Every state requires one, and for a non-US founder it is not optional, because the agent provides the physical in-state address you do not have. You pay an annual fee for it, usually in the low hundreds with a commercial provider.
The second is the state's annual report or franchise tax, the yearly fee to keep the LLC in good standing. It varies widely: Wyoming's annual report has roughly a $60 minimum, while Delaware charges a $300 yearly LLC tax. Miss it and the state can dissolve the company, so it belongs on a calendar.
Why the "cheapest state" can cost the most
It is tempting to pick the state with the lowest filing fee. But the filing fee is a one-time, often small, part of the total, and chasing it can backfire. If you form in a low-fee state but actually operate in another state (an office, employees, inventory, regular local activity), that other state can require you to register there too, pay its fees, and keep a second registered agent. Now you are paying twice.
For most remote non-US founders with no fixed U.S. footprint, the cost question and the state question collapse into the same answer: a simple, low-maintenance state. For founders with real U.S. operations, the operating state usually matters more than a $50 difference in filing fees.
What you should not have to pay for
A few costs are commonly padded onto LLC formation, and they are worth recognizing. The EIN is one: the number is free from the IRS, so a charge there is for filing help, not for the EIN itself. An operating agreement is another, since a workable template is usually included and you rarely need to buy one separately for a single-member LLC. "Compliance" or "premium" packages often bundle reminders and mail handling you may or may not need, so judge them on whether they save you real work rather than on fear of missing a deadline. A registered agent should also be a clear annual line, not a vague recurring charge. None of this means cheaper is always better; it means you should be able to see what each dollar buys before you pay it.
A typical first-year and yearly cost
A Wyoming setup makes the math concrete, using public state figures. The state filing fee is $100. The EIN is free. A registered agent runs an annual fee, often in the low hundreds with a commercial provider. The Wyoming annual report has about a $60 minimum.
So a realistic first year is the $100 filing plus the registered agent, and after that the recurring cost is mainly the registered agent plus the roughly $60 report. The filing fee, the figure most people quote, is frequently the smallest line in the stack. CORPBOLT folds the state filing, registered agent, and EIN filing into one flat formation price, so you see your total up front rather than assembling it piece by piece; check the current pricing before you budget, and confirm state figures with the state.
Quick FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC?
Plan for a one-time state filing fee of about $35 to $500 (Wyoming is $100) plus a free EIN, then recurring yearly costs: a registered agent and the state's annual report or franchise tax. The yearly costs, not the filing fee, are usually the bigger long-term number.
Is the EIN free?
Yes. The IRS does not charge for an EIN. You only pay if you use a service to file the application for you, which some non-US founders do because they cannot use the online tool without an SSN.
Do I have to pay for a registered agent?
If you are a non-US founder with no U.S. address, yes, in practice. Every state requires a registered agent with a physical in-state address, and that is what the annual fee covers. It is a recurring cost, not a one-time one.
What are the ongoing yearly costs of an LLC?
Mainly the registered agent and the state's annual report or franchise tax. Amounts vary by state (for example, Wyoming's annual report is about $60 minimum; Delaware's LLC tax is $300). Budget for both every year.
Is the cheapest state the cheapest overall?
Not always. A low filing fee can be outweighed by having to register and pay a second time in the state where you actually operate. For a remote founder with no fixed U.S. presence, a simple low-maintenance state is usually cheapest overall.
Can I form an LLC for free?
Not entirely. The state filing fee is unavoidable, but the EIN is free and an operating agreement template is usually included. The lowest honest cost is a low-fee state plus a registered agent, rather than a "free LLC" offer that recovers the cost through add-ons later.
How this article was prepared
This guide was written for non-US founders by CORPBOLT's formation team and checked against primary sources: the U.S. Small Business Administration on choosing a business structure, the Wyoming Secretary of State for the filing fee and annual report figures used as examples, and the IRS, which confirms there is no fee for an EIN. State fees change often, so the amounts here are a planning guide rather than a quote; confirm current figures with your state before you budget. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Official references
U.S. Small Business Administration: Choose a business structure
Wyoming Secretary of State: LLC Articles of Organization instructions (filing fee)
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