Start your business clearly
Form your LLC without the legal fog.
Understand the steps, costs and filings before you submit anything.
Choose your state
Business details
File and stay compliant
Everything you need to understand how to open an LLC, choose the right state, prepare your paperwork and take the next step towards becoming a business owner.
No confusing legal jargon. No unnecessary complications. Just a clear path from business idea to registered company.
State-specific requirements · Filing costs · Step-by-step guidance
Starting a business is exciting. Figuring out the paperwork? Not so much.
Between choosing a business name, understanding state filing requirements, finding a registered agent and working out what everything costs, it's easy to feel overwhelmed before you've even begun.
Open an LLC makes the process easier to understand.
Explore the requirements for your state, learn what documents you'll need and understand the costs involved before you submit your application.
Whether you're launching your first business, turning a side hustle into a company or formalising an existing operation, we'll help you understand what comes next.
Forming a limited liability company involves a few important decisions and some essential paperwork. The exact requirements depend on your state, but the general process follows these steps.
Source: Small Business Administration
Decide where to form your LLC. For many small business owners, forming in the state where they operate is the most straightforward option.
Explore state-specific filing requirements, registration costs and ongoing obligations before making your decision.
Find a name that represents your business and meets your state's naming requirements.
Check whether your preferred name is available through your state's business registry before moving forward.
Your LLC needs a registered agent who can receive official correspondence and legal documents on its behalf.
Learn who can serve as your registered agent, what the role involves and whether a professional service makes sense for your business.
Submit your Articles of Organization, or your state's equivalent formation document, to the appropriate state agency.
Understand what information you'll need, where to submit your paperwork and which state filing fees apply.
Establish how your LLC will be managed, how decisions are made and what responsibilities each owner has.
An operating agreement helps create a clearer foundation for your business, even when your state doesn't require one.
Determine whether your LLC needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN), arrange the relevant licences and permits, and prepare to manage your business finances.
You can apply directly to the IRS for an EIN at no charge.
Source: Internal Revenue Service
A limited liability company is a popular business structure for entrepreneurs who want to establish a separate legal entity without necessarily taking on the organisational complexity of a corporation.
Here's why an LLC could make sense for your business.
An LLC generally separates your personal assets from your business's debts and obligations, although that protection has important exceptions.
Build your business with a legal structure designed to help separate your personal and business finances.
LLCs offer different potential tax treatments depending on their ownership and any elections made with the IRS.
Understand the options available and explore which arrangements may suit your circumstances.
Start an LLC on your own or with business partners.
An LLC can provide flexibility in how your business is owned and managed, subject to applicable state rules.
Establish a legal entity for your business, with the ability to enter into contracts, hold assets and operate under its registered name.
LLC protections, tax treatment and ownership rules depend on your circumstances and applicable law.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration
Find the Right Filing Requirements for Your Business
Every state has its own rules for forming and maintaining an LLC.
Registration fees, processing times, annual reports and tax obligations can all differ depending on where you form your company.
Choose your state to understand the requirements that apply to your business.
Know What You're Paying Before You File
The cost of starting an LLC depends on the state you choose and the services you need.
Your initial state filing fee is only one part of the picture. Registered agent services, annual reports, state taxes and other ongoing obligations may also affect your total cost.
Don't just look at what it costs to form your LLC. Understand what it may cost to maintain it.
Your Home State, Delaware or Wyoming?
Choosing where to form your LLC is one of the first decisions you'll make.
You may have heard about forming a company in Delaware or Wyoming, but registering in another state isn't automatically the right move.
If you primarily operate your business in your home state, forming your LLC there can help you avoid having to register the same company as a foreign LLC in another state and potentially paying two sets of fees.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration
Explore your options before you decide.
Understand your local registration requirements and whether forming where you operate is the most straightforward approach.
Explore Your StateExplore Delaware's LLC formation process, filing requirements and ongoing obligations.
Explore Delaware LLCLearn about Wyoming's LLC registration requirements, costs and what to consider if you operate elsewhere.
Explore Wyoming LLCOpening your LLC is an important milestone, but it's not the only thing to think about.
Explore the practical steps that help you prepare for operating your new company.
Understand how to document ownership, management and important business decisions.
Learn MoreLearn when you need an EIN and how to apply through the IRS.
Learn MoreUnderstand how to keep your business finances organised and separate from your personal spending.
Learn MoreExplore annual reports, state obligations and other requirements that may apply after formation.
Learn MoreYour business starts here
Open Your LLC. Build Your Future.
Every business begins with a first step.
Whether you're ready to register today or still figuring out where to begin, Open an LLC helps you understand the process, compare your options and move forward with confidence.
Choose your state and discover what it takes to get your business started.
Your business. Your next chapter.