Choosing where to incorporate often comes down to two numbers: the initial filing fee and the ongoing annual cost. This index compiles official Secretary of State filing fees for both LLCs and C-Corps across all 50 states, verified against state websites as of Q3 2026. The critical takeaway: filing fees range from $40 (Kentucky) to $500 (Massachusetts) for LLCs, and from $50 (multiple states) to $520 (Nevada) for C-Corps. But the initial fee is only part of the equation. Annual report fees, franchise taxes, and registered agent requirements add recurring costs that vary dramatically by state.
Kentucky ($40 LLC), Colorado ($50 LLC), Arizona ($50 LLC), Iowa ($50 LLC), and Mississippi ($50 LLC) offer the cheapest initial filings. For C-Corps, Arkansas ($45), Mississippi ($50), and Colorado ($50) lead. However, low filing fees do not always correlate with low total cost of ownership. Wyoming charges $100 to file but has zero state income tax and only a $60 annual report fee, making it cheaper over 5 years than states with $50 filing fees but $300+ annual reports.
All fees verified against official Secretary of State websites. Processing times reflect standard (non-expedited) filings.
| State | LLC Filing | C-Corp Filing | Processing Time | Annual Report | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $200 | $200 | 5-7 days | $100 | Business privilege tax applies |
| Alaska | $250 | $250 | 10-15 days | $100 (biennial) | No state income tax |
| Arizona | $50 | $60 | 3-5 days | $0 | No annual report for LLCs |
| Arkansas | $45 | $45 | 3-5 days | $150 | Franchise tax applies |
| California | $70 | $100 | 5-7 days | $25 (biennial) | $800 franchise tax (first year exempt) |
| Colorado | $50 | $50 | 3-5 days | $10 | Lowest annual report fee |
| Connecticut | $120 | $250 | 5-7 days | $80 | Business entity tax |
| Delaware | $90 | $89 | 3-5 weeks | $300 (LLC) / $225+ (Corp) | Franchise tax for corps |
| Florida | $125 | $70 | 5-7 days | $138.75 | No state income tax |
| Georgia | $100 | $100 | 5-7 days | $50 | Low annual maintenance |
| Hawaii | $50 | $50 | 10-15 days | $15 | Lowest annual report |
| Idaho | $100 | $100 | 3-5 days | $0 | No annual report for LLCs |
| Illinois | $150 | $150 | 5-10 days | $75 | Publication requirement in Cook County |
| Indiana | $95 | $95 | 3-5 days | $31 (biennial) | Low ongoing costs |
| Iowa | $50 | $50 | 5-7 days | $30 (biennial) | Low total cost |
| Kansas | $160 | $90 | 3-5 days | $55 | Annual report required |
| Kentucky | $40 | $50 | 3-5 days | $15 | Cheapest LLC filing |
| Louisiana | $100 | $75 | 5-7 days | $35 | Annual report required |
| Maine | $175 | $145 | 5-7 days | $85 | Higher initial cost |
| Maryland | $100 | $120 | 5-7 days | $300 | High annual fee |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $275 | 5-7 days | $500 | Most expensive LLC filing |
| Michigan | $50 | $60 | 5-7 days | $25 | Low ongoing costs |
| Minnesota | $155 | $155 | 5-7 days | $0 | No annual report |
| Mississippi | $50 | $50 | 3-5 days | $0 | No annual report |
| Missouri | $50 | $58 | 5-7 days | $0 | No annual report for LLCs |
| Montana | $70 | $70 | 3-5 days | $20 | No sales tax |
| Nebraska | $100 | $60 | 3-5 days | $26 (biennial) | Low maintenance |
| Nevada | $75 | $520 | 3-5 days | $150 (LLC) / $725 (Corp) | No state income tax, high corp fees |
| New Hampshire | $100 | $100 | 5-7 days | $100 | No sales or income tax |
| New Jersey | $125 | $125 | 5-7 days | $75 | Annual report required |
| New Mexico | $50 | $100 | 5-7 days | $0 | No annual report for LLCs |
| New York | $200 | $125 | 10-15 days | $9 (biennial) | Publication requirement ($1,500+) |
| North Carolina | $125 | $125 | 5-7 days | $200 | Annual report required |
| North Dakota | $135 | $100 | 5-7 days | $50 | Annual report required |
| Ohio | $99 | $99 | 3-5 days | $0 | No annual report |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $50 | 3-5 days | $25 | Low ongoing costs |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 | 5-7 days | $100 | Annual report required |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $125 | 5-7 days | $7 (decennial) | Very low ongoing cost |
| Rhode Island | $150 | $230 | 5-7 days | $50 | Annual report required |
| South Carolina | $110 | $135 | 5-7 days | $0 | No annual report |
| South Dakota | $150 | $150 | 5-7 days | $50 | No state income tax |
| Tennessee | $300 | $100 | 5-7 days | $300 (LLC) | High LLC annual fee |
| Texas | $300 | $300 | 5-7 days | $0 (if revenue <$2.47M) | Franchise tax threshold |
| Utah | $54 | $70 | 3-5 days | $20 | Low total cost |
| Vermont | $125 | $125 | 5-7 days | $35 | Annual report required |
| Virginia | $100 | $75 | 3-5 days | $50 | Annual registration fee |
| Washington | $180 | $180 | 5-7 days | $60 | No state income tax |
| West Virginia | $100 | $50 | 5-7 days | $25 | Low ongoing costs |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $100 | 5-7 days | $25 | Annual report required |
| Wyoming | $100 | $100 | 3-5 days | $60 (LLC) / $50 (Corp) | No state income tax, privacy-friendly |
| Washington DC | $99 | $220 | 5-7 days | $300 (biennial) | Higher ongoing costs |
Based on formations processed through Lovie in H1 2026, here is where tech founders actually choose to incorporate. Delaware dominates C-Corp formations because of its established case law and investor familiarity. Wyoming leads for LLCs due to zero state income tax, strong privacy protections, and low annual fees ($60). The gap between these two states and the rest has widened in 2026 compared to 2025, suggesting founder education around state selection is improving.
| Rank | State | Share of Formations | Median Processing Time | Most Common Entity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 41% | 2.8 days (expedited) | C-Corp (78%) |
| 2 | Wyoming | 22% | 1.9 days | LLC (91%) |
| 3 | Florida | 9% | 4.1 days | LLC (85%) |
| 4 | Texas | 7% | 3.7 days | LLC (72%) |
| 5 | California | 6% | 5.2 days | LLC (68%) |
Initial filing fees are misleading without ongoing costs. Here is the true 5-year cost for the most popular formation states. California's $800 annual franchise tax makes it the most expensive state for small LLCs despite its low initial filing fee. Texas offers the lowest 5-year total for businesses under the revenue threshold.
| State | Initial Filing | 5-Year Annual Costs | 5-Year Total | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming LLC | $100 | $300 (5 × $60) | $400 | Privacy, no income tax |
| Delaware C-Corp | $89 | $1,125+ (franchise tax) | $1,214+ | VC-backed startups |
| Florida LLC | $125 | $694 (5 × $138.75) | $819 | No income tax, local presence |
| Texas LLC | $300 | $0 (under $2.47M) | $300 | Revenue under threshold |
| California LLC | $70 | $4,100 ($800 × 4 + $100) | $4,170 | Local requirement only |
| Nevada LLC | $75 | $750 (5 × $150) | $825 | No income tax, asset protection |
Filing fees are sourced from each state's Secretary of State website and verified quarterly. Processing times combine official state estimates with Lovie's own filing completion data. Lovie platform statistics are anonymized and aggregated from formations completed between January 1 and June 30, 2026. This page is scheduled for quarterly updates (next update: October 2026). If you notice a fee discrepancy, the official state website is always authoritative.
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State-specific formation guides, cost breakdowns, compliance checklists, and expert comparisons — updated for 2026.