How Much Does an LLC Cost in 2026? (All 50 States Ranked by Price)

How much does an LLC cost in 2026? Most people overpay by $800. And here's the real breakdown. Here's the problem.

Filing fees are only half the story. Wyoming charges $100 to file, but your total first year cost hits $349 with a registered agent. Delaware's $90 filing fee jumps to $439 when you add the $300 annual franchise tax. Every state charges different filing fees, annual report costs, and franchise taxes.

A Delaware LLC owner files in January 2026 and pays $90 upfront. By March, the state bills them $300 for franchise tax. By December, they owe another $50 for the annual report. That's $440 in year 1, not $90.

Most founders miss the recurring fees and blow their budget by month six. Here's what actually matters. Most people fail here. They Google cheapest LLC state and see California at $70 or Kentucky at $40.

They file immediately. Then the annual fees arrive. California charges $800 per year minimum franchise tax. Kentucky adds $15 annual reports, but zero franchise tax.

Your $70 California LLC costs you $870 in year 1. Your $40 Kentucky LLC costs $55. The filing fee is never the full story. Always add registered agent costs, annual reports, and franchise taxes before you file.

Step one, find your state's filing fee. Most states charge between $50 and $300. Wyoming is $100. Delaware is $90.

Nevada is $425. California is $70. Texas is $300. Florida is $125.

Visit your Secretary of State website and look for LLC formation fee or articles of organization cost. Write down that number. Then add $99 for a registered agent because every state requires one and Bastion Formations offers it at $99 per year with no hidden renewal spikes. Step two, add the annual fees.

This is important. Delaware charges $300 franchise tax every year. California charges $800 minimum franchise tax. Illinois charges $75 annual report.

Wyoming charges $60 annual report plus $2 per page. Texas has zero franchise tax for most small LLC's. Add your state's annual fee to the filing fee. Now you have your real firstear cost.

For example, Wyoming total is $100 filing plus $99 registered agent plus $60 annual report, which equals $259 in year 1. Here's the problem most DIY filers face. You form your LLC in January for $100. By June, you get a letter demanding $300 in franchise tax.

you didn't budget for it. You're now behind on payments and your LLC falls into bad standing. The state can dissolve your entity or block you from opening bank accounts. Before you file, visit the Secretary of State fee schedule and write down every recurring charge.

Here's the exact wording to use when comparing total costs across states. Open a spreadsheet. Column one, state name. Column two, filing fee.

Column three, registered agent annual cost. Column four, annual report or franchise tax. Column five, total year 1. Column six, total year two.

Most people skip year two, but that's where the real difference shows up. California year 1 is $70 filing plus $99 agent plus $800 tax, which is $969. Year 2 is just $99 agent plus $800 tax, which is $899. Wyoming year 1 is $100 filing plus $99 agent plus $60 report, which is $259.

Year 2 is $99 agent plus $60 report, which is $159. Over 5 years, California costs $4,265. Wyoming costs $895. That's a $3,370 difference for the same legal protection.

Total LLC cost equals filing fee plus registered agent plus annual report or franchise tax. Always calculate year 1 and year 2 separately. Filing fees range from $40 to $500 by state. Add registered agent at $99 per year minimum.

Annual franchise taxes can hit $800 in California. If this breakdown helped, smash like, hit subscribe, and visit Bastion Formations to form your LLC in any state with transparent pricing. Visit https/bastions. com.