Methodology & sources
Where every number comes from, and how the totals are calculated.
Sources
Every fee on this site is taken from the official page of the state office that sets it — the Secretary of State or Division of Corporations for filings, and the state revenue department or comptroller for taxes. Each fee links directly to that page. Data was last checked October 20, 2026; 50 of 51 jurisdictions have an officially sourced LLC formation fee.
What the totals include
- Year one: the formation or foreign-registration filing, any publication requirement, a first report if the state requires one in the first year, and state minimum taxes owed for the first year — even when they're paid the following spring.
- Every year after: recurring report fees (biennial reports counted at half per year) plus annual state minimum taxes.
- 5-year total: every state fee over the first five years, counting reports in the years they actually fall.
- Optional items — expedited processing and a paid registered agent — are included only when you choose them in the calculator, using the price you enter.
What they don't include
- Taxes that depend on revenue or profit beyond the state minimum (income, gross receipts, or margin taxes above a no-tax-due threshold).
- Local licenses and permits, which depend on your city, county and activity. See city licenses.
- Federal filings such as an EIN, which is free from the IRS.
Keeping it current
States change fees with little notice. Source pages are re-checked on a regular schedule, and every page shows when its data was last checked. If a linked state page disagrees with this site, the state page is correct.
Filing Haystack is general information, not legal or tax advice. It is not affiliated with any government agency.