The state fee is the same whichever route you choose. Each state sets its own amount in its published fee schedule, usually kept by the Secretary of State or an equivalent filing office.
A service adds its own charge on top. ZenBusiness, for example, publishes a Starter plan at $0 plus the state fee, a Pro plan at $199 per year, and a Premium plan at $299 per year. Its registered agent service is a separate $199 per year on every tier, including Premium, discounted to $99 for the first year when you form with ZenBusiness.
Some costs are identical on both routes. According to the IRS's "Get an Employer Identification Number" page, an EIN costs $0 when you get it directly from the IRS, and you should never pay a third party for one. The IRS also says to form your entity with the state before you apply for the EIN.
After formation, most states charge recurring fees, such as an annual or periodic report, and every LLC needs a registered agent, either you or a paid one. Those amounts vary by state and come from the same published schedule. On federal reporting, FinCEN's beneficial ownership guidance states that companies formed in the United States are exempt from BOI reporting.
The real question is whether a service's charge buys you something you would otherwise have to do yourself.
What you pay, by line item
| Charge | Filing yourself | Using a service | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| State formation filing fee | Set by your state; varies | Same state fee, paid through the service | Your state's published fee schedule (Secretary of State or equivalent) |
| Service fee | None | Set by the provider; ZenBusiness Starter $0, Pro $199/yr, Premium $299/yr | ZenBusiness published pricing, 2026 |
| Registered agent | $0 if you serve as your own and your state allows it; otherwise a paid agent | ZenBusiness: $199/yr on every tier, $99 first year when forming with them | Your state's rules; ZenBusiness published pricing, 2026 |
| Annual or periodic report | Set by your state; varies | Same state fee; some services file it for you | Your state's published fee schedule |
| Late filing penalties | Set by your state; varies | Same state penalties | Your state's published fee schedule |
| EIN | $0 directly from the IRS | $0 from the IRS; never pay a third party | IRS, "Get an Employer Identification Number" |
| Order of steps | Form the LLC with the state first, then apply for the EIN | Same | IRS, "Get an Employer Identification Number" |
| Federal BOI report | Not required for US-formed companies | Not required for US-formed companies | FinCEN, Beneficial Ownership Information |
What a service actually does for the money
No government page compares filing yourself with hiring a service. The state tells you what it charges, and a service tells you what it charges. What nobody spells out is what the difference buys.
Mostly, you are paying for three things. The first is preparing and submitting the formation filing, which most states let you do online yourself. The second is a registered agent, which is a recurring cost if you do not act as your own. The third is ongoing reminders and filings, such as the annual report, where a missed deadline brings the state's late penalty.
Filing yourself is often the better call. That holds if you live in the state where you are forming, have a physical address there you are comfortable listing on the public record, and can keep track of your annual report date. In that case the formation filing is usually a single online form, and the EIN is a free application you make directly with the IRS once the state has accepted your filing. A service adds little to that.
A service makes more sense in other situations: you are forming in a state where you do not live, you would rather not put your home address on public filings, or you want the registered agent, reminders and paperwork handled in one place. The comparison is not the formation fee, which on a $0 tier is nothing. It is the recurring registered agent charge against what serving as your own agent would cost you in address privacy and availability.
Providers compared
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. This site earns a commission on some of these links. That does not change which option this page recommends.
| Provider | What it is known for |
|---|---|
| Bizee | Low-cost formation packages aimed at first-time founders |
| LegalZoom | Long-established legal services brand, with options for attorney access alongside formation |
| Northwest Registered Agent | Registered agent service first, with a strong emphasis on privacy |
| ZenBusiness | Tiered formation plans with a separately priced registered agent |
Prices for Bizee, LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent change often, so check each provider's current pricing as of 2026 before you decide. None of them changes the state fee.
For readers whose situation calls for a service, ZenBusiness is a reasonable fit because its pricing is easy to read. The Starter tier is $0 plus the state fee, so you are not paying extra just to have the filing submitted. The registered agent is priced openly as its own line: $99 in the first year when you form with them, then $199 per year. In practice, a Starter customer who adds the agent pays $99 to ZenBusiness in year one and $199 in each later year, plus whatever the state charges. Pro ($199/yr) and Premium ($299/yr) cost more, and the registered agent is still separate on both.
If you would pick a service mainly for the registered agent, compare that line directly with Northwest Registered Agent, whose business is built around it. If you only need the filing submitted and can be your own agent, filing with the state yourself costs less than any service.
FAQ
What are the LLC formation state filing fees, registered agent costs, and annual report fees?
Each is set separately. The formation filing fee and the annual report fee come from your state's published fee schedule and vary from state to state. A registered agent costs nothing if you serve as your own and your state allows it. A commercial agent costs whatever that provider charges. ZenBusiness, for example, charges $199 per year, or $99 for the first year when you form with them.
What does the state charge to register a limited liability company, and is there an annual report fee?
The state filing fee to register an LLC is set by each state and published by its filing office. Most states also require a recurring annual or periodic report with its own fee, and they charge penalties when it is late. For exact figures, read your state's current schedule and note the date you read it.
Is an EIN free for an LLC, and can I apply online?
Yes to both. The IRS's "Get an Employer Identification Number" page lists the cost as $0 and offers an online application. Never pay a third party for an EIN, and form your LLC with the state before you apply.
Does my LLC need to file a beneficial ownership (BOI) report?
Not if it was formed in the United States. FinCEN states that US-formed companies are exempt from federal BOI reporting. New York's own LLC Transparency Act likewise applies only to LLCs formed under the law of a foreign country.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service, “Get an employer identification number”
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting”
This is general information, not legal advice, and requirements vary by state and change over time.