Delaware LLC cost
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A Delaware LLC costs $110 to form and $400 a year to keep. The $400 is a flat annual tax, due June 1 for the year before, starting the June 1 after the year you form. It isn't prorated and it's owed whether the LLC earns anything or not. If the business operates in Delaware, add a state business license, $75 a year for most services. If you live in another state, a Delaware LLC usually costs more, not less: you'll pay your home state's fees too, plus a Delaware registered agent.
- To form
- $110
- Cheapest way to file
- Year one total
- $185
- $110 filing + up to $75 business license (prorated in year one)
- Every year after
- $400/yr
- Annual tax, plus $75 business license if you operate in Delaware
Our recommendation
Budget $185 for year one and $475 for year two
Form in Delaware only if you live here or the business actually operates here. If you live in another state, form there; a New Jersey freelancer saves about $525 a year that way. If Delaware is your home, upload the Certificate through eCorp, skip expediting unless you need a date, and register for the $75 business license when you start. Set your own June 1 reminder, because the tax notice goes to your registered agent, not to you.
Every Delaware LLC fee, line by line
What's required, what's optional, and where the total climbs past the filing fee.
| Item | Cost | Required? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation | $110 | Yes | Same fee uploaded or mailed |
| Name reservation | $75 | Optional | Holds the name for 120 days |
| Registered agent service | $0 if you qualify / about $125-$149/yr commercial | Yes (agent); commercial optional for residents | Non-residents must hire one |
| Expedited: 24-hour | +$50 | Optional | Next business day |
| Expedited: same day | +$100 | Optional | Received before 2:00 PM Eastern |
| Expedited: 2-hour | +$500 | Optional | Received by 7:00 PM Eastern |
| Expedited: 1-hour | +$1,000 | Optional | Received by 9:00 PM Eastern |
| Certified copy of the Certificate | +$50 | Optional | Plus $2 per page |
| Certificate of Good Standing (short form) | $50 | Optional | Some banks ask for it |
| EIN | Free | Recommended | IRS direct |
| Operating agreement | Free if you draft it yourself | Recommended | Internal; not filed |
| Delaware business license | $75/yr ($90 retail) | If doing business in Delaware | Prorated first year; expires December 31 |
| Gross receipts tax | Varies | If licensed in Delaware | Above the $100,000/month exclusion for most categories |
| Annual LLC tax | $400/yr | Yes (recurring) | Due June 1 for the prior year |
| Late annual tax penalty | +$200 + 1.5%/month interest | Only if late | Interest runs on tax and penalty |
| Revival after cancellation | $220 + back taxes | Only if canceled | After 3 years unpaid |
| Foreign LLC registration in your home state | Varies (New Jersey: $100) | If you operate outside Delaware | Plus that state's annual fees |
| Total (bare minimum DIY, Delaware resident) | $110 to form, then $400/yr + $75 license | — | Self-serve agent; first $400 is due the June 1 after the year you form |
| Total (typical first year with commercial agent) | $185-$310, then about $600/yr | — | Formation + business license + agent; $400 tax starts the following June 1 |
What you pay Delaware, and when
The recurring dates are the ones people miss. Put each one on your calendar the day the LLC is approved.
- Certificate of Formation
- $110
- When you form, uploaded through eCorp or mailed to Dover.
- Delaware business license
- $75
- If you do business in Delaware. Prorated in year one, then renewed by December 31. $90 for general retail.
- Annual LLC tax
- $400
- June 1 every year, for the year before. Your first one is the June 1 after the year you form.
- Late tax penalty
- +$200
- Plus 1.5% interest a month on the tax and penalty. Unpaid for 3 years, the LLC is canceled.
- Revival after cancellation
- $220+
- Only if canceled, plus every year of unpaid tax, penalties, and interest.
Delaware registered agent cost
Delaware requires a registered agent at a physical Delaware street address, and the statute rules out agents who work only through a virtual office or mail forwarding. If you live in Delaware, you or your LLC can serve as the agent for free. If you don't, you need a commercial agent. The agent also receives Delaware's annual tax statement, which is how most owners hear about the June 1 deadline, so pick one that forwards mail reliably. Northwest includes the first year with formation, then charges $125 a year. Delaware residents with a stable in-state address can skip it.
Delaware LLC cost vs nearby states
Cheaper elsewhere doesn't mean cheaper for you. If you live and work in Delaware, an out-of-state LLC still has to register here and pay Delaware's fees too.
| State | Upfront cost | Ongoing state cost |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $110 | $400/yr |
| Maryland | $100 standard / $150 expedited | $300/yr |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7/yr |
| New Jersey | $100 | $75/yr |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60+/yr |
FAQ
How much does an LLC cost in Delaware?
$110 to file the Certificate of Formation, then a $400 annual tax every June 1 for the year before. If the business operates in Delaware, add a state business license, usually $75 a year. If you don't live in Delaware, add a commercial registered agent (about $125 to $149 a year with the services we track) and your home state's foreign registration fees.
When is the Delaware $400 LLC tax due, and what if I pay late?
June 1 every year, for the previous calendar year. An LLC formed in 2026 pays its first $400 by June 1, 2027. Paying late adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest a month on the tax and penalty; two months late, $400 becomes about $618. After 3 years unpaid, the LLC is canceled.
Is a Delaware LLC cheaper if I don't live in Delaware?
No. Your home state will make the LLC register there as a foreign LLC and pay its fees anyway. A New Jersey LLC costs $100 to form and $75 a year. A Delaware LLC run from New Jersey costs about $600 a year: $400 to Delaware, $75 to New Jersey, and roughly $125 for a Delaware agent.
Do I need a Delaware business license for my LLC?
If you do business in Delaware, yes: generally $75 a year for the first location ($90 for general retail), prorated in your first year, and it expires every December 31. If you live and work outside Delaware and only use a Delaware registered agent, you generally don't.
How much is a registered agent in Delaware?
Free if you're a Delaware resident or the LLC has a Delaware office and serves as its own agent. Everyone else needs a commercial agent, typically about $125 to $149 a year with the services we track. The agent also receives the annual tax notice, so pick one that forwards mail reliably.