How to Start an LLC in 2026: Step-by-Step

Starting an LLC is a state filing, not a federal one. You file one document with one state, pay that state's fee, and the state creates your company. Everything else on this page is either preparation for that filing or housekeeping that follows it.

The process is the same shape in every state, with six steps. What changes from state to state is the price, the name of the document, a handful of local rules, and what you owe every year afterward. This guide walks through the steps in order and links to a detailed guide for each state at the end.

Before you file: three decisions

Which state

Form your LLC in the state where you live and run the business. That answer is right for most small businesses, even though Delaware and Wyoming get a lot of attention online. An LLC that does business in a state other than the one it was formed in usually has to register there as a "foreign" LLC too, which means two filing fees, two registered agents, and two sets of annual reports. We cover the exceptions in Should you form your LLC in Delaware or Wyoming?

Who the members are

The owners of an LLC are called members. A single-member LLC has one owner; a multi-member LLC has two or more. Know who the members are and what share each one owns before you file, because the operating agreement and your tax setup depend on it.

Who manages it

Most small LLCs are member-managed: the owners run the business directly. A manager-managed LLC hands day-to-day authority to one or more managers, which suits companies with passive investors. Many states ask which one you are on the formation document, so decide first.

Step 1: Choose a name and check it's available

Every state requires an LLC's name to include a designator such as "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company", and to be distinguishable from names already on its records. Words that suggest a regulated business, such as "bank", "insurance" or "university", usually need approval from another agency.

Search your state's business database before you file, and check that the matching domain name and social handles are free if they matter to you. A state approving your name does not mean nobody else holds a trademark on it, so a quick trademark search is worth the ten minutes. Our LLC name rules guide covers what you can and can't use.

Step 2: Name a registered agent

A registered agent is the person or company that accepts lawsuits and state notices for your LLC. The agent needs a street address in the state and has to be available there during business hours. You can be your own agent if you meet those requirements; many owners use a service instead to keep their home address off the public record and to make sure nothing is missed while they are away.

The details vary. In 13 jurisdictions our research shows the agent must sign or affirm consent as part of the filing (Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming). In New York and West Virginia, the formation filing does not require a registered agent at all. See Do you need a registered agent? for the trade-offs.

Step 3: File your articles of organization

This is the step that creates the company. Most states call the document the Articles of Organization (35 of 51 jurisdictions); the others call it the Certificate of Formation and Certificate of Organization. The form is short: the LLC's name, its registered agent, an address, sometimes the management structure, and the signature of an organizer. The organizer is simply the person who signs and submits it, and does not have to be an owner.

Filing fees range from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts. The middle of the range is $100, and 28 of 51 jurisdictions charge $100 or less. Nearly every state takes the filing online, and some approve online filings within minutes, while others take several weeks. The full fee table and processing times by state have the specifics.

When the state approves the filing, your LLC exists. Save the approved document as a PDF and a printout; your bank will ask for it.

Step 4: Adopt an operating agreement

An operating agreement is the LLC's internal rulebook: who owns what, who decides what, how money comes out, and what happens if a member leaves, dies, or wants to sell. It is not filed with the state, but it matters. Banks often ask for it, co-owners need it, and a single-member LLC that has one is better placed to show it runs as a separate business. A few states require one outright. Read more in Do you need an operating agreement?

Step 5: Get an EIN from the IRS

An Employer Identification Number is your LLC's federal tax ID. You need one to hire employees, a multi-member LLC needs one to file its partnership return, and nearly every bank asks for it before opening a business account. Apply directly with the IRS at irs.gov after the state approves your LLC, so the legal name on the application matches the state record. The IRS does not charge for an EIN.

Step 6: Handle the after-formation filings

The work does not end at approval. A new LLC typically needs to:

• open a business bank account and keep business money in it;
• register for state taxes it will collect or pay, such as sales tax or payroll withholding;
• get any city, county, or state licenses its line of business needs;
• put the state's recurring report on a calendar.

Most states require an annual report; 7 require one every two years (Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and New York), and 6 have no recurring report for LLCs (Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina and Alabama). A few add a one-time requirement after filing: Arizona, Nebraska and New York require newspaper publication of the new LLC in at least some cases. Missing a report is how companies end up administratively dissolved, so treat the due date like a tax deadline. Our after-formation checklist covers each item.

What it costs to start an LLC in 2026

The unavoidable cost is the state filing fee, between $35 and $500 depending on the state. Everything else is either free (the EIN, being your own registered agent, writing your own operating agreement) or optional (a filing service, a registered agent service, an attorney). Then budget for the recurring report or tax, which ranges from nothing to several hundred dollars a year.

File it yourself or have us do it

Every state accepts formation filings directly from business owners, for the state fee alone. If you are comfortable with an online form and your setup is simple, filing yourself works well: search the name, line up an agent, complete the form on the state's site, and pay by card.

People pay for a service when they want someone else to check the name, get the details right the first time, and keep track of what the state needs next. Ours costs $99 on top of the state fee ( $149 for same-day submission), with the state fee passed through at cost on its own line. Either way, you end up with the same LLC.

Step-by-step guides for every state

Each state guide covers that state's fee, document name, registered agent rules, processing time, and after-formation requirements. The figure beside each state is its filing fee.