How to Start an LLC in New York
For $99 a year, get a New York agent with a registered address on file, same-day scanning of legal documents, and compliance reminders before state deadlines.
An LLC in New York is established through a single formation filing, requires an agent at all times, and carries a short list of annual maintenance items. $200 state fee, a handful of business days processing, and a small ongoing-fees layer round out the cost picture. Below you'll find the entire process, the cost details, and where we save you the busywork.
File Your New York LLC — $199
Hand off the filing for $199. Our team handles preparation and lodging through New York Department of State; state turnaround is around a handful of business days.
What an LLC Does for You in New York
The LLC structure exists so small companies can have asset protection without the cost and overhead of running a corporation. Across New York's business community, the LLC dominates as the small-business entity of choice for its protection-plus-simplicity package.
All-In New York LLC Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (New York Department of State) | $200 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every New York LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $9 (biennial statement) |
$199 is our filing service. The state fee is collected by New York Department of State. Registered agent product is a separate $99 per year line.
Important New York-specific notes: IMPORTANT: Publication requirement within 120 days of formation: six weeks of ads in two local newspapers ($300-$1,500+ depending on county) plus $50 Certificate of Publication fee. Biennial Statement $9 due every 2 years. Filing fee is $200 + $5 copy fee = $205 total. NYC-based LLCs subject to additional Unincorporated Business Tax.
How to Form Your New York LLC, Step by Step
1. Name Your New York LLC
New York entity name requirements: include an LLC indicator (LLC, L.L.C., LLC entity), avoid duplicating any existing registered business name. Before you settle on a name, run it through New York Department of State's online entity search to confirm nothing similar already exists.
Names suggesting you are a financial institution, insurance company, or government office are restricted unless you have the underlying licensure.
2. Line Up Your Registered Agent
Every New York LLC is mandated to maintain a continuously appointed agent with an in-state actual address and reliable presence throughout the business day. Anything you list as agent information is publicly accessible at New York Department of State. There's no private filing option here.
Our agent product in New York is $99 a year. We're the address on the public filing; you keep yours private.
3. File Your Formation Document at New York Department of State
This is the filing that creates the entity: submit your Articles to New York Department of State after paying the $200 state fee. The filing covers the LLC's name, the primary business address, agent identity and address, the management designation (member or manager-run), and the organizer(s) doing the filing.
Visit the New York Department of State website for Online submission. It's faster, and increasingly the only practical channel.
State processing runs roughly a handful of business days. Expedite tiers is sometimes offered for an additional charge.
4. Prepare an Operating Agreement
New York treats operating agreements as internal documents — not filed, not reviewed by the state, but indispensable for actually running the business. It establishes who owns what share, how money is distributed, who decides what, and what happens when members come or go. No operating agreement means New York's LLC statute fills the gaps, often in ways that don't fit how you wanted the LLC to operate.
5. Register for the LLC's EIN
The Employer Identification Number functions as your LLC's federal-level tax ID. Banks ask for it before opening a business account, payroll providers require it, and federal tax returns include it. Use the IRS website to apply. The form is a ten-minute affair, and your EIN issues at the end.
There's no reason to pay for an EIN through a third party: the IRS provides them free in about a few minutes.
6. Manage the Recurring Obligations
After New York Department of State approves your formation, the maintenance work begins:
- Keep an active registered agent connected to a in-state street address every day the LLC exists
- Submit the biennial report by the state's biennial deadline
- Keep clear separation between the business's money and your personal money (separate cards, separate ledgers)
- Meet federal taxes and New York's tax filings when they're due
Failing to keep up can lead to administrative dissolution by New York Department of State. Once dissolved, you lose the liability shield until reinstatement.
If you'd rather outsource: $199 covers the whole filing through our service.
The Registered Agent Requirement
New York law makes the registered agent a requirement for each LLC, with no exemption available. The agent's job is to:
- Keep a brick-and-mortar address in New York (P.O. Boxes don't count on their own)
- Be present throughout the workday to take in service of court process
- Pass along all received mail and notices quickly enough that the LLC keeps full response time
Acting as your own registered agent is legal but exposes your private address. Once it's listed, anyone running a New York entity search can find it.
Our $99/year plan covers the agent role in New York — we're the address shown to the public; yours stays out of sight.
Common New York LLC Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in New York?
$200 to New York Department of State covers the formation filing. That's in the upper-middle of the national range. In addition, the annual report fee is $9 (biennial statement).
How long does it take to form an LLC in New York?
A handful of business days is the usual processing window in New York.
Does New York require an annual report?
Reports run on a biennial cycle in New York. The fee per filing is $9 (biennial statement).
Do I need a registered agent for my New York LLC?
Yes. New York LLCs must designate a registered agent with a New York street address continuously from formation.
Can I form an LLC in New York if I live in another state?
Yes. Out-of-state owners can form New York LLCs freely. — and the one state-specific item is the New York agent; our $99/year service is exactly that.
File Your New York LLC Today
Filing the LLC yourself through New York Department of State works fine by submitting through the New York Department of State website. $200 is the state filing fee, the agent obligation remains regardless of how you file.
We're the registered agent that goes on your formation document. For $99 per year, your filing carries our New York address, mail is scanned to your portal the day it arrives, and we ping you before every compliance date.
Build Your New York LLC — $199
Want the agent product without the LLC formation? Our agent-only agent product is priced at $99 yearly.
More to know about New York LLCs or our registered agent product? See our FAQ or contact us across business hours.
File today, we'll handle the rest
$199 covers our New York LLC formation service. New York's $200 state filing fee is separate, and so is the $99/year registered agent every New York LLC must keep on file.