Deal alert! Our favorite company, Northwest, is forming LLCs for $39 (60% off!) See details.
Note: If you’re still learning about what an LLC is and the benefits, please refer to these articles: What is an LLC and LLC asset protection.
Below is a list of the documents to form an LLC in all 50 states. The most common name is Articles of Organization, but the forms are also known as Certificate of Formation and Certificate of Organization.
Once approved by the state, these documents are what “officially” forms your LLC and allows you to conduct business.
You’ll notice there is an additional column in the table for secondary forms. Some states require you to file two forms to form your LLC.
Take Georgia for example; they require you to file an Articles of Organization as well as a Transmittal Form.
Or Louisiana, which requires 3 forms; Articles of Organization, Transmittal Information, and Initial Report.
Submitting your LLC Formation Documents to the state is not the only step needed to create your LLC. There are more steps and legal requirements in each state, that if not met, can result in the state shutting down your LLC.
Please refer to our 50 State LLC Guides for more details and step-by-step instructions for each state.
Need to save time? Hire a company to form your LLC:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)
(check out Northwest vs LegalZoom)
What’s the best state to form an LLC?
In order to avoid having to register a Foreign LLC and pay 2 state filing fees, it’s best to form your LLC where you are doing business, which is most likely your home state.
If you are forming an LLC for real estate investing, it’s best to setup your LLC in the state where your property is located.
Please don’t be mislead by the hype. If you don’t live in these states (Delaware, Wyoming, Nevada), don’t form your LLC there. We have a full video you can watch on this here: best state to form an LLC.
LLC Filing Documents for all 50 States
Here are the LLC forms for each state:
Important: Although you will see the same name of forms repeat themselves, remember that each state has their own version and will not accept another state’s form.
The LLC filing fee is a one-time payment which is made to the state in order to create your LLC. This payment is usually made to the Secretary of State’s Office, but is not always the case, depending on what state you’re forming your LLC in.
LLC filing forms & fees (as of 2023):
| State | LLC Filing Form(s) | LLC Filing Fee | Instructions & Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Certificate of Formation, Cover Letter, Name Reservation | $200 | Alabama Certificate of Formation |
| Alaska | Articles of Organization | $250 | Alaska Articles of Organization |
| Arizona | Articles of Organization, Cover Sheet, Statutory Agent Acceptance, Membership Attachment | $50 | Arizona Articles of Organization |
| Arkansas | Articles of Organization | $45 | Arkansas Articles of Organization |
| California | Articles of Organization | California Articles of Organization | |
| Colorado | Articles of Organization, Additional Members (if 2 or more members) | $50 | Colorado Articles of Organization |
| Connecticut | Certificate of Organization | $120 | Connecticut Certificate of Organization |
| Delaware | Certificate of Formation, Cover Letter | $90 | Delaware Certificate of Formation |
| Florida | Articles of Organization | $125 | Florida Articles of Organization |
| Georgia | Articles of Organization, Transmittal Form | $100 | Georgia Articles of Organization |
| Hawaii | Articles of Organization | $50 | Hawaii Articles of Organization |
| Idaho | Certificate of Organization | $100 | Idaho Certificate of Organization |
| Illinois | Articles of Organization | $150 | Illinois Articles of Organization |
| Indiana | Articles of Organization | $95 | Indiana Articles of Organization |
| Iowa | Certificate of Organization | $50 | Iowa Certificate of Organization |
| Kansas | Articles of Organization | $160 | Kansas Articles of Organization |
| Kentucky | Articles of Organization | $40 | Kentucky Articles of Organization |
| Louisiana | Articles of Organization, Transmittal Information, Initial Report | $100 | Louisiana Articles of Organization |
| Maine | Certificate of Formation | $175 | Maine Certificate of Formation |
| Maryland | Articles of Organization | $100 | Maryland Articles of Organization |
| Massachusetts | Certificate of Organization | $500 | Massachusetts Certificate of Organization |
| Michigan | Articles of Organization | $50 | Michigan Articles of Organization |
| Minnesota | Articles of Organization | $155 | Minnesota Articles of Organization |
| Mississippi | Certificate of Formation | $50 | Mississippi Certificate of Formation |
| Missouri | Articles of Organization | $50 | Missouri Articles of Organization |
| Montana | Articles of Organization, Cover Letter, Request for Copy | Montana Articles of Organization | |
| Nebraska | Certificate of Organization | $105 | Nebraska Certificate of Organization |
| Nevada | Articles of Organization | $425 | Nevada Articles of Organization |
| New Hampshire | Certificate of Formation | $100 | New Hampshire Certificate of Formation |
| New Jersey | Public Records Filing (becomes Certificate of Formation) | $125 | New Jersey Certificate of Formation |
| New Mexico | Articles of Organization, Document Delivery Instructions | $50 | New Mexico Articles of Organization |
| New York | Articles of Organization | $200 | New York Articles of Organization |
| North Carolina | Articles of Organization, Cover Sheet | $125 | North Carolina Articles of Organization |
| North Dakota | Articles of Organization | $135 | North Dakota Articles of Organization |
| Ohio | Articles of Organization | $99 | Ohio Articles of Organization |
| Oklahoma | Articles of Organization | $100 | Oklahoma Articles of Organization |
| Oregon | Articles of Organization | $100 | Oregon Articles of Organization |
| Pennsylvania | Certificate of Organization, Docketing Statement | $125 | Pennsylvania Certificate of Organization |
| Rhode Island | Articles of Organization | $150 | Rhode Island Articles of Organization |
| South Carolina | Articles of Organization | $110 | South Carolina Articles of Organization |
| South Dakota | Articles of Organization | $150 | South Dakota Articles of Organization |
| Tennessee | Articles of Organization | $300 | Tennessee Articles of Organization |
| Texas | Certificate of Formation, Consent to Serve as Registered Agent | $300 | Texas Certificate of Formation |
| Utah | Certificate of Organization | $70 | Utah Certificate of Organization |
| Vermont | Articles of Organization | $125 | Vermont Articles of Organization |
| Virginia | Articles of Organization, Request for Certified Copy | $100 | Virginia Articles of Organization |
| Washington | Certificate of Formation | $200 | Washington Certificate of Formation |
| Washington DC | Articles of Organization | $99 | Washington DC Articles of Organization |
| West Virginia | Articles of Organization | $100 | West Virginia Articles of Organization |
| Wisconsin | Articles of Organization | $130 | Wisconsin Articles of Organization |
| Wyoming | Articles of Organization | $100 | Wyoming Articles of Organization |
LLC Annual Fees for all 50 States
For LLC annual fees, please see here: LLC annual fees by state.
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.