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Starting an LLC in New York comes with more costs than just filing the initial paperwork. But it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think.
We explain all of the initial and ongoing LLC costs below, as well as give you tips on how to save money.
How much does an LLC cost in New York?
It costs $200 to form an LLC in New York. This is a fee paid for the Articles of Organization.
You’ll file this form with the New York Department of State. And once approved, your LLC will go into existence.
Need to save time? Hire a company to form your LLC:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)
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In addition to this LLC filing fee, there are other costs to be aware of when forming a New York Limited Liability Company.
LLC Formation Costs in New York
There is a $200 one-time state filing fee to form your LLC. You must also pay fees to publish ads in two newspapers about your LLC, and then pay a $50 filing fee for the proof of publication.
There are also ongoing fees (like a $9 Biennial Report fee), which we discuss below.
LLC Costs in New York
| Requirements | Costs |
|---|---|
| LLC Name | $0 |
| Registered Agent | $0 or $125 per year |
| Articles of Organization | $200 |
| Publication Requirement | varies ($300 - $1,200) |
| Certificate of Publication | $50 |
| Operating Agreement | $0 (free on our site) |
| EIN Number | $0 (free through IRS) |
| Biennial Report | $9 (every 2 years) |
| Taxes | varies (filed and/or paid every year) |
New York LLC Articles of Organization Filing Fee ($200)
Starting an LLC costs $200 in New York. This is the state filing fee for a document called the New York Articles of Organization.
The Articles of Organization are filed with the New York Secretary of State. And once approved, this is what creates your LLC.
The $200 fee is a one-time fee. You don’t have to pay any monthly (or annual) fees to start your LLC.
Note: LLCs are the most common business structure used in New York. They are the most popular business entity because they offer liability protection for the LLC owners.
Depending on the state, the Articles of Organization form is sometimes called a Certificate of Organization or Certificate of Formation. Articles of Organization is the most common name – but they all mean the same thing: the form used to create your LLC.
New York LLC Publishing Cost (varies)
New York requires you to publish two notices or advertisements in the newspaper when you file your Articles of Organization. You must publish an ad in one weekly newspaper, and another ad in one daily newspaper. The ads must run for 6 weeks in a row.
The New York Publication Requirement applies to any LLC formed in the state.
The cost of publishing each ad varies because each newspaper sets its own fees. Typically the cost ranges from $300 to $1,200, depending on which newspapers you use.
New York LLC Certificate of Publication filing ($50)
After your notice has run for 6 weeks in the daily and weekly newspapers, you must file the Certificate of Publication with the Department of State. The filing fee is $50.
Each newspaper where you published the LLC notice will send you an Affidavit of Publication and a copy of your ad. You’ll send the Affidavits, the copies of the ads, and the Certificate of Publication to the Secretary of State with the $50 filing fee.
New York business name cost ($0)
Naming your Limited Liability Company doesn’t cost anything. Your New York LLC Name is approved (at no extra cost) when your Articles of Organization filing is approved by the state.
You may have read online that LLC Name Reservations are required. However, this is not true in most states. Most states don’t require a Name Reservation to form an LLC.
How much does a DBA cost? ($25)
A DBA is filed with the state or the county. In New York, a DBA costs $25 to file at the state level. Make sure you also check with the county clerk where your LLC operates in case you also need a county-level DBA certificate.
Note: A DBA is sometimes called a Trade Name, Fictitious Name, Assumed Name or Fictitious Business Name. They all mean the same thing.
Tip: You aren’t required to get a DBA for your LLC. It’s optional. For more information, read our article: Do I need a DBA?
New York Registered Agent Fee ($0 or $125/year)
New York law requires that you designate a Registered Agent when forming your LLC. Luckily, there is no additional filing fee to list a Registered Agent on your Articles of Organization.
A New York Registered Agent is a person or company who receives legal documents and state notices for your LLC. A Registered Agent needs a street address in the state and should generally be available during normal business hours.
There is no additional cost if you will be your own Registered Agent, or have someone you know be your LLC’s Registered Agent.
However, you have the option of hiring a Registered Agent service. This will cost you between $100 to $300 per year. But Registered Agent service companies offer other helpful business services and can protect your privacy.
Hiring a Registered Agent service is a good idea if:
- You don’t have an address in the state (NY law requires Registered Agents to have a physical address in the state
- You want to keep your address off public record (depending on which company you hire, you may be able to use their address to keep your address private)
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
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LLC Operating Agreement Fee ($0)
A New York LLC Operating Agreement is a written contract between the LLC Members. Operating Agreements include detailed information about LLC ownership, how the LLC is managed, and how profits are distributed.
Single-Member LLCs and Multi-Member LLCs should draft an Operating Agreement, keep it with their business records, and give a copy to each Member.
Most websites charge $50 to $200 for LLC Operating Agreements.
Here at LLC University®, we offer free LLC Operating Agreement templates for all types of LLCs.
LLC EIN Number Fee ($0)
An EIN Number is also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).
This number is used to file income taxes, to open an LLC bank account, and to hire employees (if applicable).
Although many websites charge a service fee to get an EIN for your LLC, it can actually be done for free.
You can obtain an EIN for your LLC from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at no cost. The online filing can be completed in a few minutes.
New York LLC Biennial Report Fee ($9 every 2 years)
New York requires you to keep your LLC’s information up to date by filing a Biennial Report (aka a Biennial Statement)
This keeps your LLC in good standing and in compliance with state law so it can continue operating. You simply confirm the information on the Biennial Statement, file it with the New York Department of State, and pay the Biennial Statement fee.
The New York LLC Biennial Statement costs $9 every 2 years. This fee is paid every other year for the life of your LLC. (Unlike other states that have an annual filing fee for these reports, New York requires the filing every 2 years.)
New York Business License and Permit Fees (varies)
Depending on where your LLC does business in New York and the industry you’re in, you may need to obtain additional Business Licenses or Permits. For example, you may need to get a City Business Permit.
The costs for these other business licenses or permits will vary depending on location and industry, but usually the fees are not very high. Some licenses and permits are issued at the state level, and others are issued by a municipality (the town, city, or county).
LLC Taxes (varies)
There are many different types of New York LLC taxes that owners must pay, so this annual cost varies widely.
Some of the taxes LLC owners pay include:
- Federal taxes
- State income tax
- Local income tax
- Business taxes
- Self-employment taxes
- Sales and use tax
- Annual franchise tax
- Payroll tax (if you have employees)
- Property tax (if the LLC owns property)
Your LLC taxes depend on your industry and amount of business activity, so we’re not able to provide an estimate. Every business is different, and your specific circumstances determine what taxes apply to your LLC.
Note: By default, a Single-Member LLC is taxed like a Sole Proprietorship. And a Multi-Member LLC is taxed like a Partnership.
Hiring an Accountant
How much your small business pays in taxes is best determined by working with a qualified accountant in New York.
The amount you’ll pay your accountant will vary. However, most accountants will charge $300 per year for a simple tax return, or up to $900 for more detailed filings.
Note: We recommend speaking with a few accountants in New York to make sure they can help you meet all of your federal, state, and local tax obligations. We offer detailed tips on How to Find an Accountant.
New York Department of State
If you have any questions about the cost of opening a New York LLC, you can contact the Division of Corporations at the New York Department of State (aka New York State Department).
New York LLC Cost FAQs
It costs $200 to start your LLC. This is a one-time filing fee for the LLC Articles of Organization.
You will also pay between $300 and $1,200 for the newspaper ads to meet the publication requirement. And a $50 filing fee to submit the Certificate of Publication to the Department of State.
Some LLCs may need a business license in New York. This depends on your industry and where your LLC is located. The cost of local business permits varies.
All New York LLCs need to pay $9 every other year for the Biennial Report. These state fees are paid to the Secretary of State. And this is the only state-required fee paid every 2 years. You have to pay this to keep your LLC in good standing.
If you hired a Registered Agent service, you’ll have an annual subscription fee to pay each year. This is usually about $125 per year.
Some LLCs may need a business license in NY. This depends on your industry and where your LLC is located. You’ll need to check with your municipality to see if there are any annual renewal fees for the business permit.
You aren’t required to hire a professional service company to form your LLC. You’re allowed to form your LLC yourself if you’d like.
However, if you want to save time and make sure your LLC is filed correctly, we recommend hiring Northwest Registered Agent.
Northwest Registered Agent has excellent customer service and they include Registered Agent services free for the 1st year. They also offer other services, like an Operating Agreement and filing your Biennial Report.
Check out Best LLC Services for more suggestions.
No, you aren’t required to hire an attorney to form your LLC. You’re allowed to form your LLC yourself if you’d like.
However, some people may want to hire an attorney if their LLC has a complex ownership or management structure, has investors, or requires industry-specific documentation.
A business attorney usually charges between $800 and $2,500 to form an LLC.
Here are the steps to starting an LLC in New York:
- Choose an LLC business name and make sure it’s available
- Choose who will be your New York Registered Agent
- File the New York Articles of Organization
- Complete and sign an LLC Operating Agreement
- Publish 2 newspaper ads, and then file the Proof of Publication
- Get a Tax ID Number (EIN) from the IRS
- Open an LLC bank account
- Check whether you need a business or sales tax license in New York
You can get an LLC cheaply by filing your formation documents yourself. You’ll also save money by being your own Registered Agent, and using our free LLC Operating Agreement template.
By forming your LLC yourself, being your own Registered Agent, and using our Operating Agreement template you can save over $400.
How long it takes to get an LLC in New York depends on how you file your Articles of Organization.
If you file your LLC online, it will be approved immediately. On the other hand, filing by mail takes about 2-3 weeks (plus mail time). That’s why we strongly recommend filing online if you can.
Once its approved by the Department of State, your LLC is open for business. You can start doing things while your newspaper ads are running, you don’t have to wait for them to end.
It varies. Some banks charge monthly fees ($10 to $20 per month), but these can sometimes be avoided by meeting certain requirements. For example, if you make a certain number of direct deposits or maintain a specified minimum balance, then they’ll waive the monthly fees.
And you might be able to find a bank that doesn’t charge any monthly fees.
Before you open your LLC business bank account, we recommend calling and asking if there are ways to avoid the monthly maintenance fees.
A Foreign LLC is an LLC formed in another state that must register (aka Foreign Qualify) in New York. This is because the LLC is doing business in both states.
The New York Foreign LLC cost is $250. That’s the fee to register an LLC in New York after it was formed in another state first.
If you form an LLC in New York first, it is called a “Domestic LLC”. If you formed your LLC in another state, it would be a Foreign LLC once you register it in New York.
Yes, New York is a great state to start a business. New York doesn’t charge a state business license fee, has quick approval times and helpful representatives at the New York Department of State if you have questions.
However, the most important factors in deciding where to start a business are where you live and where you’re doing business.
Meaning, if you live in or do business in New York, then you should start your business there. While many websites talk about tax rates and advantages of certain states, none of that applies if it’s not the state where you live and do business. And just because a certain state has cheaper LLC fees doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to form your LLC there.
For example, if you form an LLC in Wyoming, but live in and conduct business in New York, you’ll also need to register your Wyoming LLC in New York (and pay fees). And you’ll end up paying New York taxes anyway. This ends up leading to more costs and more headaches with no advantages.
In summary, if you are a New York resident, then yes, New York is the best state to form an LLC. If you don’t live in and do business in New York, then no, New York probably isn’t a good state to start an LLC.
References
New York Secretary of State: Fee Schedules
New York Secretary of State: Business FAQs
New York Secretary of State: Articles of Organization for Domestic LLC
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.
New York LLC Guide
Looking for an overview? See New York LLC
