# Can you form an LLC for free? Source: https://joinopenfile.com/guides/form-an-llc-for-free Index: https://joinopenfile.com/llms.txt In most cases you can't form an LLC for free, because every state charges a filing fee. You can avoid paying a service by filing with the state yourself, so your only required cost is the state fee. That fee runs from $35 in Montana to at least $500 in Massachusetts, and some states waive it for qualifying veterans. Updated November 1, 2026 ## What you have to pay The state filing fee is the one cost you can't skip. Montana charges $35, Kentucky $40, Wyoming $100, Delaware $110 and Texas $300. Nevada is $425 to start, made up of $75 for the articles, $150 for the initial list and $200 for the state business license. Find yours on [our state fee list](https://joinopenfile.com/llc/cost). New York adds the cost of publishing a notice in two newspapers. That price depends on your county. ## What you can do for free Filing the form yourself. No service is required, and [how to start an LLC](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/how-to-start-an-llc) has the steps. Getting your EIN. The IRS charges nothing. See [how to get an EIN](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/how-to-get-an-ein). Being your own [registered agent](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/registered-agent), if you live in the state. Writing your own [operating agreement](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/operating-agreement). ## What free offers leave out When a service advertises a $0 LLC, that means $0 for its own fee. You still pay the state. Read the checkout page closely and look at what renews each year. The bigger costs often come after you form. California charges an $800 annual LLC tax until you cancel the company, even if it does no business. Delaware charges $400 a year. Nevada's annual list and license come to $350. Massachusetts charges $500 for each annual report. Ohio asks for no annual report at all. Check [annual report costs](https://joinopenfile.com/annual-report) before you assume a low filing fee means a cheap LLC. ## Fee waivers for veterans Some states waive formation fees for veteran owners. Texas exempts a qualifying new veteran-owned business from certain filing fees and from franchise tax until its fifth anniversary or until it stops qualifying. The company must be formed in Texas on or after January 1, 2022 and be 100 percent owned by honorably discharged veterans. Each owner first gets a Veteran Verification Letter from the Texas Veterans Commission. Kentucky exempts veteran-owned businesses organized after August 1, 2018 from the fee for LLC articles of organization. The terms differ everywhere, so ask your Secretary of State what applies to you. ## When paying for help makes sense Filing yourself is reasonable for many owners. Help can be worth paying for if a mistake would cost you time, if you have no SSN for the EIN, or if you want someone tracking your deadlines. Compare what's included, and see [our pricing](https://joinopenfile.com/pricing). ## Questions Is there a state with no LLC filing fee? No. Every state and DC charges one. The lowest we track is Montana's $35. What is the cheapest state to form an LLC? Montana has the lowest filing fee we track at $35. That only helps if you run the business in Montana. Otherwise you'd usually register in your home state too and pay both. Can I skip the annual fees? Not if your state charges them. Skipping a required report can cost you the company. Texas, for example, can end a company's existence for failing to file a report. Do I have to pay for a registered agent? No. If you live in the state, you can usually serve as your own agent for free. What if I can't afford the state fee right now? You can operate as a sole proprietor and form an LLC later. Check whether your state or city requires a DBA or license in the meantime. [Start my business](https://joinopenfile.com/start) $0 + state and processing fees. Takes seconds. ## Sources - [Texas Secretary of State: Business information for veterans](https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/veterans.shtml) - [Kentucky Revised Statutes 14A.2-165](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=50476) - [California Franchise Tax Board: Limited liability company](https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html) - [Delaware Division of Corporations: LLC tax instructions](https://corp.delaware.gov/alt-entitytaxinstructions/) - [Nevada Secretary of State: LLC formation instructions](https://bizhub.nv.gov/cms-webhook-bff/uploads/bizhub/LLC_Formation_V4_1_9e5c396592.pdf) ## Keep reading - [How to start an LLC](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/how-to-start-an-llc) - [How to get an EIN for your business](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/how-to-get-an-ein) - [What is the best state to form an LLC?](https://joinopenfile.com/guides/best-state-to-form-an-llc)