Get your LLC set up without chasing every office yourself

By StartBusinessByStatePublisher: Robert Smith Research process

Starting a small business should not mean living on government websites for a week.

Filing the LLC with your state is only the first piece. You need to meet your state’s registered-office and registered-agent rules for receiving legal mail; hiring a commercial agent is optional. You often need a free tax ID from the IRS. You want a simple agreement on paper. Later, your state may ask for a yearly report. Miss a step and you can stall a bank account, a lease, or a client contract.

If you want that setup handled for you — not a scavenger hunt across secretary-of-state portals — use the buttons below. This page is the done-for-you path. The fee tables and DIY how-tos stay linked at the bottom if you change your mind.

Get my LLC set up with ZenBusiness

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Free government options (like the IRS EIN page) are still linked when those are the better first step.

Start your LLC in your state

Each state guide shows what that state charges to file, how to file, registered agent rules, and the yearly report or tax that comes after.

What “set up” usually includes

Most first-time owners need the same handful of jobs done. None of this is legal advice for your trade or your state. It is the usual checklist.

File the LLC with your state — creates the company on paper.
Meet your state’s registered-office and agent rules — most states require an agent to receive legal documents. Minnesota requires a registered office but makes naming an agent optional. A paid service is not automatically required.
Get an EIN when you need one — banks and payroll often ask for this tax ID. The IRS application is free.
Prepare your operating agreement — your LLC’s rulebook. Some states require one and set deadlines; banks may also ask for it.
Stay in good standing — yearly or every-other-year reports in most states. New U.S. LLCs no longer file a federal BOI report.
Get paid — cards or invoices so customers can pay you.
Check licenses and permits — federal, state, county or municipal requirements depend on your activities and location. These are separate from forming the LLC.

Two easy ways to buy help

Stay with one company. Many people use ZenBusiness to file the LLC and keep a registered agent. One account. One set of emails. We do not push their banking, website, or bookkeeping add-ons here — this page is about getting formed and staying current.

Use different companies for different jobs. Compare ZenBusiness formation, registered agent, EIN and annual report services, selecting only what you need. Review separate charges and renewal terms. Use Square to take payments. Use 1-800Accountant for books or tax help. Use our free operating agreement tool. This fits if you only need help with one piece.

What to do, in order

Step 1 — File the LLC

Someone fills out Articles (or a Certificate) of Organization and sends them to your state. You get notified when it is approved. Registered agent service may carry a separate fee; check the package and renewal terms.

Form your LLC with ZenBusiness
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Step 2 — Keep a registered agent on file

Most states require an eligible registered agent with an in-state street address. You may be able to serve yourself if you meet the state’s rules; buying a commercial service is optional. Minnesota requires a registered office but makes naming an agent optional. A service can use its address in the agent field, but that does not automatically keep other addresses in your filing private.

Get a registered agent — ZenBusiness

Step 3 — Get an EIN (tax ID)

Banks and payroll often ask for an Employer Identification Number. The IRS issues EINs free. To apply online, your organization must be formed in the U.S. or its territories, have its principal place of business there, and provide the responsible party’s SSN or ITIN. You must be the responsible party or an authorized representative. If you cannot use the online tool, the IRS explains other application methods. Form the LLC before applying; paid application help is optional.

EIN help via ZenBusiness
Free IRS EIN application

Step 4 — Write an operating agreement

This is your LLC’s internal rulebook. Some states legally require an agreement; the form and deadline vary. For example, New York requires a written operating agreement before formation, at formation or within 90 days after filing the Articles. Keeping an agreement with company records is different from filing it with the state. Banks may also request one. Check your state’s rules before relying on a template; purchasing a drafting service is optional.

Use our free LLC operating agreement generator (Word and PDF, no signup).

Step 5 — Stay current with the state

Filing once is not the end. Most states want a report every year or every two years. Some also have a franchise or privilege tax. A service can remind you and file when it is due.

State charges can change between formation and your next report. Check our 2026 state LLC fee-change tracker for confirmed increases, cuts, and payment dates.

Annual report help — ZenBusiness

Step 6 — BOI report: new U.S. LLCs don’t file one

Beneficial Ownership Information is a federal FinCEN rule. It is not your state yearly report. Under FinCEN’s final rule issued August 11, 2026 (effective August 14, 2026), companies formed in the United States are exempt and do not file BOI reports. Only certain foreign companies registered to do business in a U.S. state still report. See FinCEN’s BOI page. Don’t pay anyone to file a BOI report for a new U.S. LLC.

Step 7 — Get paid

Once the LLC exists, most service businesses need a way to take cards or send invoices.

Set up payments with Square

Step 8 — Books and tax help

Bookkeeping is separate from filing with the state. If you want CPA-style help, talk to 1-800Accountant.

Talk to 1-800Accountant

Step 9 — Licenses (only if your work needs them)

Licenses and permits can come from federal, state, county or municipal agencies, depending on your business activities and location. Forming an LLC does not itself grant those approvals. Check your industry and state guides, then confirm requirements with the agencies that regulate your work. The SBA’s licensing and permit guidance explains the different levels. Formation companies sometimes sell license reports — optional helpers, not a substitute for agency rules.

Common questions

Do I need a registered agent if I form through a service?

Most states require an eligible registered agent, whether you file yourself or use a formation service. Minnesota requires a registered office but makes naming an agent optional. Where an agent is required, you may qualify to serve yourself; paying for a commercial service is optional. Check eligibility, what the formation package includes and any separate renewal charges.

Can I get an EIN for free?

Yes. EINs are free from the IRS. Online eligibility requires a U.S.- or territory-formed organization, a principal place of business in the U.S. or its territories, and the responsible party’s SSN or ITIN. Apply as the responsible party or an authorized representative. If you do not qualify online, use the IRS’s applicable alternative application method. Paying an intermediary is optional.

What is the difference between forming the LLC and staying compliant?

Forming creates the company. Staying compliant is everything afterward — yearly reports, franchise or privilege taxes where they apply, a current registered office and agent where required, and any federal reports that still apply to you.

Will one company do everything?

One company can often handle filing the LLC and the registered agent. Payments, books, and trade licenses usually still involve other tools or government offices.

When does BOI apply?

For a new U.S. LLC, it doesn’t. FinCEN’s August 2026 final rule exempts companies formed in the United States. Only certain foreign companies registered to do business in a U.S. state still file.

Quick answers to common LLC questions: LLC or sole proprietorship? · What is a registered agent? · How is an LLC taxed? · How do I pay myself from an LLC? · LLC vs. S corp

Prefer to file pieces yourself?

That is fine. Use these when you want the DIY route — after you have decided which pieces you will handle alone:

LLC cost by state — what the state charges
LLC processing times by state — how long filings take
Free LLC operating agreement generator
State-by-state LLC guides — costs, filing steps and yearly reports for all 50 states and DC

Get my LLC set up with ZenBusiness