Delaware LLC Cost: $110 to File + $400 Annual Tax (2026)

Make your Delaware business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.

• Your business name checked before filing.
• Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
• Your formation documents together in an online account.

$0 service fee + $110 state filing fee

Start my Delaware LLC

Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Get the paperwork handled and your company underway

With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the Delaware formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.

Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.

What it costs to start a Delaware LLC

A Delaware LLC costs $110 to form for the Certificate of Formation on the Division of Corporations fee schedule revised August 1, 2026 (that amount equals the filing fee plus municipality fee for domestic LLCs). Delaware LLCs do not file an annual report. Instead, budget the flat $400 annual LLC tax due on or before June 1 following each tax year.

Start with the Delaware Division of Corporations fee schedule (revised August 1, 2026) and the alternative-entity tax instructions. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $110 to form plus $400 for the first annual tax equals $510 across those two Division obligations (an LLC effective in 2026 typically owes its first $400 tax by June 1, 2027). That is not an all-in startup budget: permits, insurance, taxes in other jurisdictions, professional help, and subscriptions are separate.

Do not use $300. Some older Division howtoform text still mentions a $300 LLC tax. The controlling figures for this guide are $400 from the live tax instructions, statute (6 Del. C. § 18-1107), and the August 2026 formation letter.

Choose the services you want with your filing

Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.

The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.

Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.

How to start your Delaware LLC

Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:

1. Enter your business details. Choose Delaware, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
2. Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
3. Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.

Your Delaware filing checklist and required next steps

1. Check the name. Search the Division entity database and include Limited Liability Company, L.L.C., or LLC. Optional name reservation is $75 for 120 days. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
2. Arrange the Delaware registered agent and office. The certificate must name the agent and Delaware street address. Use an address you are authorized to provide.
3. Prepare the short-form certificate. Delaware formation is minimal: name, registered agent/office, and signature of an authorized person. Put ownership and management rules in a private operating agreement—not on the public certificate unless you intentionally add optional provisions.
4. Review and submit. Use Delaware eCorp / Document Filing or mail to the Division in Dover. Pay $110, plus any expedite tier you select (24-hour $50, same-day $100, or higher priority tiers on the schedule).
5. Confirm acceptance. Save the filed certificate and receipts. Optional short-form Certificate of Status is $50; long-form $175 on howtoform guidance.

Check your proposed name in the Delaware business search.

How long does approval take?

Standard mail timing varies; paid expedite tiers follow Division cutoff rules on the expedited-services page. A service’s preparation time is separate from Delaware’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; state review follows the service’s preparation.

If a financing or contract depends on the LLC, leave room for name conflicts and corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

Can I file directly with Delaware?

Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the Delaware official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.

Choose your Delaware registered agent

Every Delaware LLC must maintain a registered agent with a Delaware street address. If the business is physically located in Delaware, it may act as its own registered agent under Division guidance. A member may serve only if they provide a qualifying Delaware street address. Out-of-state founders almost always use a commercial Delaware agent. See Delaware how-to-form guidance.

Consider whether you can reliably receive legal documents at that Delaware address during business hours. Compare document-delivery procedures, change-of-agent fees, and renewal costs before choosing.

Plan your address use before filing. The Certificate of Formation publicly lists the Delaware registered office and agent. Other company addresses may appear in private records, banking files, or later tax filings. Hiring an agent does not automatically hide every business address you use elsewhere. Supply accurate information on the certificate.

Delaware LLC annual tax: what happens after formation? (no annual report)

Delaware LLCs do not file an annual report with the Division of Corporations. The recurring Division obligation is the flat annual LLC tax of $400 (alternative entity tax). It is not an income-tax return, and there is no proration—if the LLC is active anytime January 1–December 31 of the tax year, the tax is assessed. See the LLC/LP/GP franchise tax instructions.

Example: an LLC effective in 2026 owes its first $400 tax on or before June 1, 2027. Set reminders for May, verify payment confirmation, and do not confuse this with a report filing. Late payment adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month on tax and penalty.

Registered series have separate series-tax rules ($100 per series on the instructions researched for this guide). If you buy compliance assistance, check that the tax payment was actually submitted—reminders are not receipts.

Starting near year-end? Confirm any future effective date/time rules with the Division when needed. Choose the date around your actual start; the tax year still follows calendar presence rules, so a late-year formation can still create a June 1 obligation the following year.

Get your Delaware LLC filing underway

Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable Delaware charges detailed above.

Start my Delaware LLC

Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Put your approved LLC to work

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Delaware’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
• Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.

Insurance guidance for your Delaware business

Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:

• Delaware cleaning business insurance
• Delaware food truck insurance
• Delaware HVAC insurance
• Delaware landscaping insurance
• Delaware daycare insurance

Continue with the Delaware business guide for the broader startup process.

Delaware LLC questions before you start

This guide is for creating a new Delaware LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Delaware’s foreign-qualification requirements before creating a second company. Out-of-state operators typically need a commercial Delaware registered agent.

Thinking Delaware is the cheap option? Over five years a Delaware LLC costs about $2,110 in state charges, more than 47 other states. See what a Delaware LLC really costs compared with every state.

Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.