None of these steps is hard on its own. What catches people is reaching a step before the thing it depends on exists. The IRS's EIN guidance says to form the entity with the state first and apply for the EIN afterward, so an EIN application made before approval is out of order. A bank account opened before either one is out of order twice.

The EIN itself costs nothing. The IRS issues it for free, and its EIN page warns against paying a third party to get one for you. Many older guides also list a step you can now skip: FinCEN's beneficial ownership page says companies formed in the United States are exempt from BOI reporting.

The order is the part that holds in every state. What changes is the office name, the form, the filing portal and the fee, and each state page covers those for its own state, naming the office that publishes each requirement. Some things, like how long approval takes in practice, can only be known by filing. Where a state doesn't publish something, its page says so rather than guessing.

Start here

If you're not sure you can do this without help, start with the page below. It covers what the work involves and where people tend to get stuck.

  • Is it Hard to Start an LLC on Your Own?

If you know your state and want to get moving, go to your state below. Each state has two pages. One covers what to have ready before you start, and the other walks through the filing itself.

If you'd rather have someone file for you, a formation service can do it. ZenBusiness offers three plans:

  • Starter: $0 plus your state's fee.
  • Pro: $199 a year.
  • Premium: $299 a year.

Its registered agent service is a separate $199 a year on every plan, Premium included. It drops to $99 for the first year if you form with them. Some older pages, including parts of ZenBusiness's own help centre, still show a different Premium price with the agent bundled in. That is out of date.

A service doesn't change the order of the steps or remove the state's own fee. If you sign up through a link on this site, we may earn a commission. That's also why each state page walks you through doing it yourself, so you can decide whether a service is worth paying for.

By state

California

  • How Do You Register an LLC Yourself on California bizfile?
  • What Do You Need to File a California LLC without Hiring Anyone?

Florida

  • How Do You Register an LLC Yourself on Sunbiz in Florida?
  • What Do You Need to File a Florida LLC without Hiring Anyone?

Georgia

  • How Do You Register an LLC Yourself with the Georgia Secretary of State?
  • What Do You Need to File a Georgia LLC without Hiring Anyone?

Michigan

  • Can You File a Michigan LLC on Your Own Through LARA?
  • What Do You Need to File a Michigan LLC without Hiring Anyone?

New York

  • How Do You Register an LLC Yourself with the New York Department of State?
  • Can You File a New York LLC on Your Own without a Service?

Texas

  • Is Filing a Texas Certificate of Formation Complicated for a Beginner?
  • How Do You File a Texas LLC Yourself with the Secretary of State?

Sources

This page is general information, not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and change over time.