Which LLC formation service should you use in your state? (2026)
Pick your state in the table. Each page answers one question, which LLC service to use there, and shows what five services cost in year one and year two. Our pick is Mainstay Filing.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, plus the state fee at cost
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
- State fees from official sources, August 2026 to October 2026
- Provider prices checked October 2026
Choose your state
| State | State filing fee | Year 1 with Mainstay Filing | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $236 | $435 | $833 |
| Alaska | $250 | $449 | $947 |
| Arizona | $50 | $249 | $647 |
| Arkansas | $45 | $244 | $942 |
| California | $70 | $269 | $687 |
| Colorado | $50 | $249 | $697 |
| Connecticut | $120 | $319 | $877 |
| Delaware | $110 | $309 | $1,507 |
| Florida | $125 | $324 | $999.50 |
| Georgia | $110 | $309 | $827 |
| Hawaii | $51 | $250 | $673 |
| Idaho | $100 | $299 | $697 |
| Illinois | $150 | $349 | $897 |
| Indiana | $95 | $294 | $724 |
| Iowa | $50 | $249 | $677 |
| Kansas | $85 | $284 | $772 |
| Kentucky | $40 | $239 | $667 |
| Louisiana | $125 | $324 | $792 |
| Maine | $175 | $374 | $942 |
| Maryland | $100 | $299 | $1,297 |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $699 | $2,097 |
| Michigan | $50 | $249 | $697 |
| Minnesota | $155 | $354 | $752 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $249 | $647 |
| Missouri | $50 | $249 | $647 |
| Montana | $35 | $234 | $672 |
| Nebraska | $100 | $299 | $722 |
| Nevada | $425 | $624 | $1,722 |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $299 | $897 |
| New Jersey | $100 | $299 | $847 |
| New Mexico | $50 | $249 | $647 |
| New York | $200 | $399 | $806 |
| North Carolina | $125 | $324 | $1,122 |
| North Dakota | $135 | $334 | $832 |
| Ohio | $99 | $298 | $696 |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $299 | $747 |
| Oregon | $100 | $299 | $897 |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $324 | $736 |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $349 | $847 |
| South Carolina | $110 | $309 | $707 |
| South Dakota | $150 | $349 | $857 |
| Tennessee | $300 | $499 | $1,497 |
| Texas | $300 | $499 | $897 |
| Utah | $59 | $258 | $692 |
| Vermont | $155 | $354 | $842 |
| Virginia | $100 | $299 | $797 |
| Washington | $200 | $399 | $937 |
| West Virginia | $100 | $299 | $747 |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $329 | $777 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $299 | $817 |
How we choose
- Second-year price first. A cheap first year that jumps is the usual regret, so the year-2 column sits next to year 1.
- What the price includes. Registered agent, annual-report filing and EIN application count; a bundle that sells them separately does not.
- State rules. Where a state has no annual report or lets you act as your own agent, the extras are worth less, and the page says so.
Mainstay Filing comes first because one price covers all of it and does not rise. See when filing yourself is the better call.
Questions
What is the best LLC formation service?
For most owners Mainstay Filing: $199 a year covers the formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and annual report, and it renews at the same $199. The other four we price cost less in year 1 or more in year 2, depending on the package.
Does the best service change from state to state?
The ranking does not, because every provider passes the same state fee through. What changes is the total: the filing fee runs from $35 to $500, and 6 states have no annual report at all, which makes the annual-report filing worth nothing there.
Which providers do you compare?
Mainstay Filing, Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness, Bizee and LegalZoom, from their own pricing pages, checked October 2026.