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Which state should I form my LLC in?

Tell us where you live and do business. We rank all 50 states and DC by the formation costs you'd actually pay, including registering back home and registered agents. Spoiler: forming out of state usually adds cost.

By FormCost editorial team · Last reviewed October 28, 2026 · How we check sources

1Where you live and work

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Also doing business in other states? Tick each one. Each adds a foreign registration and its yearly fees.

2States ranked by your cost

Frequently asked questions

Should I form my LLC in Delaware, Wyoming or Nevada?

Usually not if you live and run the business somewhere else. You would normally still have to register in your home state as a foreign LLC and pay its fees, plus pay Delaware, Wyoming or Nevada fees and a registered agent there. On our data, Delaware adds $400 a year, Wyoming $60 and Nevada $350, on top of your home state's yearly fees.

When can forming in another state make sense?

Sometimes for companies raising venture capital (often as Delaware corporations rather than LLCs), businesses that genuinely operate in that state, or owners who want a particular state’s law or privacy rules. Those are legal choices worth discussing with an attorney; on state fees alone, forming at home is usually cheaper.

Do I need a registered agent in every state?

Yes, every state you form or register in requires a registered agent with a street address there. You can usually be your own agent in the state where you live; elsewhere, paid agents typically charge about $100–$150 a year.

What is foreign qualification?

Registering an LLC formed in one state to do business in another. Each state sets its own fee and yearly report requirements; our state pages list both, with the official source.