Virginia LLC Cost: $100 to File Articles (2026)

Fact-checked and updated September 14, 2026.

A Virginia LLC costs $100 to file Articles of Organization with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). File online through CIS when possible; paper filings cannot be expedited. You can file through the official portal or use ZenBusiness Starter for a $0 formation service fee plus the same state fee. Optional services cost extra.

This guide is for creating a new Virginia LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Virginia’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.

Virginia LLC costs: required fees and optional extras

Start with the SCC LLC forms & fees and the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) filing resources. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $100 for formation plus the recurring state filing in the table is the lean government path—before insurance, local permits, or professional help.

Virginia Tax registrations are separate from the SCC $100 Articles fee and $50 annual registration fee.

Should you file on Virginia SCC CIS or use ZenBusiness?

Choose DIY if you are comfortable completing Articles of Organization instructions, naming a Virginia registered agent, and calendaring ongoing filings. Choose a filing service if you prefer a guided questionnaire. Either way, you make the ownership, address, and management decisions.

ZenBusiness lists Starter at $0 without a base-plan renewal. Its optional first year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199/year; registered-agent service is listed at $199/year (intro pricing may show about $99 for the first year—confirm at checkout). EIN and operating-agreement services are separate Starter purchases. Check the current package terms and checkout selections.

A free introductory service can become a recurring expense. Before paying, review the initial total, renewal amounts, and cancellation terms. Keep a copy of your selections. A reminder is not confirmation that a required state filing was submitted, and the state filing fee remains separate.

Neither path removes your responsibility to read the state’s fee schedule and ongoing filing rules. A guided service helps with paperwork preparation; it does not replace registered-agent duties or tax compliance.

Can you be your own Virginia registered agent?

Virginia SCC filings are designed around CIS for speed. If you need next-day or same-day certainty, pay the online expedite tiers and hit the listed cutoff times—paper cannot be expedited.

Yes, if you maintain a Virginia registered agent (individual resident or qualified entity). SCC records are public.

How to file your Virginia LLC: a practical checklist

1. Check the name in CIS; reservation $10.
2. Name a Virginia registered agent and prepare Form LLC1011 fields.
3. File Articles for $100 online (optional expedite) or by mail to the Clerk.
4. Save the certificate of organization.
5. Calendar the $50 annual registration fee for the anniversary month.

The $50 annual registration fee is easy to miss because it is not a long narrative “annual report” in every owner’s mind—watch SCC assessment emails and anniversary month-end.

How long does approval take?

Online expedite offers next-day or same-day tiers; paper cannot be expedited. ZenBusiness prep is separate from SCC review.

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

Virginia LLC annual registration fee: what happens after formation?

Virginia LLCs pay a $50 annual registration fee to the SCC, generally due by the last day of the anniversary month of organization. This keeps the company in good standing; it is not an income-tax return. Nonpayment can move the company toward automatic dissolution / loss of good standing—cheaper to calendar than to reinstate.

Pay through CIS and watch for SCC assessment notices.

If you buy compliance assistance, confirm the filing was actually submitted—reminders are not proof of filing.

After filing: get the business ready to operate

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Virginia’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.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. An EIN service fee pays someone to assist; it is not an IRS charge. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Separate business finances. 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.
• Check taxes and operating permissions. 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 before buying a BOI filing add-on.

For a simple one-owner operation, organize these tasks into a short checklist. Where ownership, investors, or tax elections are complicated, formation paperwork alone will not resolve those decisions.

Match insurance to the work your LLC performs

Entity formation and insurance solve different problems. Ask the insurer to identify the correct business and operations; ask clients or landlords what coverage and certificate of insurance they require. Use the relevant guide to compare coverage:

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

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

Keep a simple compliance folder: filed Articles, EIN letter, operating agreement, registered-agent contract, and every annual/franchise confirmation. When you hire a bookkeeper or attorney later, that folder saves hours.

Formation creates the legal entity; it does not automatically open tax accounts, local licenses, or bank access. Sequence those tasks after you have SOS/SCC/DFI evidence of filing in hand.

Before you pay any third party, compare three numbers side by side: the official state formation fee, the service’s advertised formation charge, and the renewal price of every add-on in the cart.
A $0 formation offer can still become expensive if registered-agent, compliance, or document add-ons renew automatically.

After the state accepts the filing, update your contracts, invoices, and bank applications to use the exact legal name—including the LLC designator—unless you have also registered a trade name where required.
Mismatched names are a common reason banks and payment processors ask for extra paperwork.

Finally, revisit insurance once the entity exists. Clients and landlords often want the LLC named as the insured and may ask for additional insured status on certificates.
Entity paperwork alone does not transfer coverage from a personal policy to the company.

Keep the SCC entity ID and CIS login in your company records. Annual registration fee notices are easier to handle when you can locate the account without hunting old emails.

Professional LLCs use a different SCC form path (LLC1103) when the business provides qualified professional services—confirm whether your occupation requires a PLLC before filing ordinary Articles.

Virginia LLC questions before you file

What is the Virginia LLC formation fee?

$100 for Articles of Organization (Form LLC1011) with the SCC.

What recurring SCC fee should I budget?

A $50 annual registration fee, generally due by the last day of your anniversary month.

Can I be my own Virginia registered agent?

Yes, if you meet SCC agent eligibility and keep a proper Virginia address.

Can paper Articles be expedited?

No. Expedite is online-only per SCC expedited services guidance.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free after the LLC exists.