Delaware LLC cost: filing fee, annual costs & how to form
Forming an LLC in Delaware costs $410 in state charges in the first year, then about $300 a year to maintain. Here is every state charge, the deadlines, typical processing times, and the formation steps in order.
Delaware LLC cost summary
| Articles of Organization | $110 |
| Recurring state report | None required |
| Franchise / minimum tax | $300 / year |
| First-year total (state charges) | $410 |
| Ongoing cost per year | $300 |
| Foreign LLC registration (if formed elsewhere) | $200 |
Totals exclude optional costs: a hired registered agent (~$100–$300/yr), publication where required, and expedited processing.
Deadlines & processing
| Filing office | Delaware Division of Corporations |
| Recurring due pattern | No annual report; the LLC tax is due June 1 |
| Standard processing | The Division publishes no standard processing time; formation guides describe standard turnaround as several business days, with a priced expedited ladder — 24-hour ($50–$100), same-day ($100–$200), 2-hour ($500), and 1-hour ($1,000) service (LegalClarity’s Delaware fee guide). |
Run your own numbers
The calculator on the homepage totals any state’s filing fee, recurring charges, and franchise-tax minimum — with optional registered agent service added: Open the LLC cost calculator →
How to form an LLC in Delaware, step by step
- Confirm the name is available and distinguishable in Delaware’s database.
- Engage a Delaware registered agent — required, and the agent is the state’s only routine contact for the LLC.
- File the Certificate of Formation — $110.
- Get a free EIN and keep your operating agreement and records with your agent or at your principal office (nothing further is filed in Delaware).
- Calendar June 1: pay the flat annual LLC tax — $300 for the 2025 tax year, $400 for 2026 and later — online through the Division of Corporations.
Delaware quirks that change the real cost
- No annual report and no public member disclosure — but the flat tax makes Delaware more expensive every year than Wyoming or Nevada for a small LLC.
- Missing June 1 triggers a $200 late penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.
- A Delaware LLC that actually operates in another state usually must register there as a foreign LLC too — the Delaware fees do not replace your home state’s.
Registered agent: hire one or be your own?
A commercial agent typically costs $100–$300 a year; acting as your own is free if you meet the address rules. The full cost guide: Registered agent cost guide →
First-year cost, in one view
Year one in Delaware: $110 to file, plus $300 of franchise/minimum tax = $410. From year two, budget $300 a year, plus a registered agent if you hire one. Operating in Delaware but formed elsewhere? Registration as a foreign LLC costs $200 — see the foreign LLC guide.
Other state guides
TexasFloridaCaliforniaNew YorkWyomingNevadaArizonaColorado
Educational information only. LLC Cost Guide is not a law firm, accounting firm, or filing service, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Fees and deadlines change; confirm the current figures with your Secretary of State (or Division of Corporations) before filing, and consult a licensed attorney or CPA for advice about your specific situation.