How to Start an LLC in New York

What it costs to start an LLC in New York

The one cost nobody can avoid is the state's filing fee: $200. It goes to New York whether you file the Articles of Organization yourself or pay someone to do it. After that, the cost that matters most is the recurring one, because it comes back every two years for as long as the LLC exists.

State fees verified October 2026 and charged by the state, not by us. Our fee is separate and optional. If the state's fee changes before we file, we refund or invoice the difference.

New York requires newspaper publication within 120 days of formation (typically $300–$1,200 depending on county, paid to newspapers directly). We file the articles; publication is arranged and paid by you directly with the newspapers.

So the minimum to form a New York LLC is $200, paid to the state. With our service it is $299. For how New York compares with other states, see LLC cost by state.

How to start an LLC in New York, step by step

Six steps take you from an idea to an LLC that is formed and in good standing. The first three happen before New York approves anything; the last three start once you have the approved Articles of Organization.

1. Choose a name and check it's available

Your LLC's name must end with a designator such as "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company", and it must be distinguishable from every other business already on New York's records. Words that suggest a regulated business, such as "bank" or "insurance", usually need extra approval.

Search the name in New York's business records on dos.ny.gov before you file. A name that is taken or too close to an existing one is the most common reason a filing comes back. Our guide to LLC name rules covers the details.

2. Set up your address for legal notices

Registered agent required; Secretary of State is designated agent. A post-office address (any location) to which Secretary of State mails process is required. You can still appoint one, and many owners do, so legal papers reach a reliable address during business hours.

3. File the Articles of Organization

The Articles of Organization is the document that creates your LLC. New York takes it online at dos.ny.gov, and the filing fee is $200. It asks for the company name, the registered agent, a mailing address, and the people forming the company. Whoever signs it as organizer does not have to be an owner, which is how filing services sign on your behalf.

What becomes public: Organizer printed name and signature; filer name and mailing address. No members/managers listed. service-of-process mailing address is public.

Once New York approves the filing, your LLC exists. Keep the approved Articles of Organization; banks ask for it.

4. Adopt an operating agreement

The operating agreement sets out who owns the LLC, how decisions get made, how profits are split, and what happens if an owner leaves. It is not filed with the state. New York requires one: Adopt a written operating agreement (not filed) (within 90 days after filing the Articles).

You can write your own, use an attorney for complex ownership, or add our $79 self-help template from your order page after checkout. See Do you need an operating agreement?

5. Get an EIN from the IRS

An Employer Identification Number is your LLC's federal tax ID. Banks ask for it to open a business account, and you need it to hire employees. Apply directly with the IRS at irs.gov once New York has approved your LLC, so the name on the application matches the state record exactly. The IRS does not charge for it.

6. Meet New York's after-formation requirements

These are the filings and registrations New York expects after formation. Put each one on a calendar the day your LLC is approved.

• Publish a copy of the articles or a notice in two newspapers (designated by the county clerk of the county of the office) once a week for six consecutive weeks. When: within 120 days after filing of the Articles; otherwise authority to do business is suspended. Cost: newspaper charges vary widely by county (typically far higher in NYC counties).
• File Certificate of Publication with the newspapers' affidavits of publication. When: within the same 120 days. Cost: $50.
• Adopt a written operating agreement (not filed). When: within 90 days after filing the Articles. Cost: $0.
• Biennial Statement. When: every two years in the calendar month of original filing. Cost: $9.

Beyond the state, most new LLCs also open a business bank account and check for state tax registrations and local licenses that fit their line of business. Our checklist, what to do after forming your LLC, walks through them.

How long it takes to form an LLC in New York

Two clocks run here: the time it takes to get the Articles of Organization submitted, and the time New York takes to review it.

• New York's review: varies with the state's workload; New York does not post a fixed turnaround in the research we use.
• State expedite: $25 (24-hour), $75 (same day, by noon), $150 (2-hour, hand delivered/faxed by 2:30 pm); not required for online filings per Business Express.
• Our submission: standard orders go to the state within 3 business days. Same-day orders (+$50) placed by 2 PM Eastern on a business day are submitted that day.

Our same-day option speeds up our submission, not the state's review. State expedite fees, where New York offers them, are separate charges paid to the state. More in how long it takes to form an LLC.

New York LLC requirements at a glance

• A name ending in "LLC" or an equivalent designator, distinguishable from names already on file.
• Registered agent required; Secretary of State is designated agent. A post-office address (any location) to which Secretary of State mails process is required.
• A Articles of Organization filed with New York, with the $200 state fee.
• Newspaper publication after filing: File Certificate of Publication with the newspapers' affidavits of publication.
• A written operating agreement, within 90 days after filing the Articles.
• New York's recurring requirement: $9 every 2 years, due end of anniversary month (biennial).

File it yourself or have us file it

Both routes give you the same New York LLC, and the state fee is the same either way. The difference is who does the work and who you call when something comes back.

Filing it yourself

1. Search your name in New York's records on dos.ny.gov.
2. Decide which address will receive legal notices.
3. Complete the Articles of Organization online at dos.ny.gov and pay $200 to the state.
4. Watch for approval and save the filed document.
5. Calendar New York's after-formation deadlines.

Cost: $200. If your details are straightforward and you are comfortable with state forms, this is a perfectly good way to do it.

Having us file it

People choose a service when they want the filing right the first time without learning New York's form, or when their time is worth more than the fee. For $99 on top of the state fee we:

• check the name against New York's records before anything is filed;
• prepare the Articles of Organization from a short online application;
• submit it within 3 business days, or the same business day for +$50;
• email you the approved documents and New York's next deadlines;
• answer questions by email and phone.

Cost: $299, with the state fee passed through at cost on its own line.

Start your New York LLC or read more about our New York LLC filing service.