Form an LLC in any state, for free.
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is the most common structure for new US businesses. It shields personal assets, taxes profits as pass-through, and is simpler to maintain than a corporation. We form it in your state at no service cost.
What it costs to form an LLC in your state
Our service fee is $0. The only thing you pay is the state filing fee, passed through at cost. Pick your state to see exact pricing and processing time.
A Limited Liability Company, explained without the jargon.
An LLC is a legal business structure that creates a separation between you (the owner) and your business. If the business is sued or owes money it cannot pay, the LLC takes the hit; your personal assets, home, car, savings, are protected, as long as you follow the rules.
For tax purposes, a single-member LLC is treated as a "disregarded entity" by default, meaning profits flow to your personal tax return on Schedule C. A multi-member LLC files Form 1065 as a partnership. Either can elect S-Corp tax treatment to reduce self-employment tax above a profit threshold.
LLCs work for: solo founders, small businesses, real estate investors, professional service firms, family businesses, and anyone who wants liability protection without the formalities of a corporation. They do not work as well for: VC-funded startups (which typically need a Delaware C-Corp) or for businesses planning to grant traditional stock options to employees.
Is this the right service for you?
First-time founders
You are starting your first business as the only owner. An LLC gives you liability protection at a low cost and minimal paperwork.
Partners or co-founders
Two or more owners who want to share profits, define management roles, and protect personal assets. We provide a customizable operating agreement.
Real estate investors
One LLC per property limits liability between holdings. We support series LLCs in states that allow them, and parent-subsidiary structures.
Consultants & freelancers
Professional service providers earning more than $50–60k who want liability protection and the option to elect S-Corp later.
Side businesses
Anyone running a business outside W-2 employment who wants tax separation, business banking, and a layer of legal protection.
Family businesses
Operating businesses that pass between generations. The LLC structure simplifies ownership transfer and continuity planning.
Everything we deliver as part of this service.
Each item below is performed by our team and confirmed in your dashboard. State filing fees are passed through at cost as a separate line item.
- Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of your chosen state
- Federal EIN (Employer Identification Number) obtained from the IRS
- Operating Agreement, customized to your member structure
- Registered Agent service for the first year (renews at $149/yr or included on Growth)
- Business street address that satisfies state requirements (keeps your home address private)
- BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) report prepared and filed with FinCEN
- Business email on your custom domain, set up the day your LLC is approved
- Document vault with searchable copies of every filing and confirmation
- Compliance Center tracking your state's annual report and franchise tax deadlines
- Penalty-free guarantee: if we miss a filing on our part, we pay the state penalty
- Proposed business name (we run an availability check)
- State of formation (your home state is usually best)
- Member names and ownership percentages
- Business purpose statement (broad is fine in most states)
- Manager-managed or member-managed designation
- Principal office address (we provide one if you prefer privacy)
Four steps. We do most of them.
Choose a name and state
Enter a proposed name. We run a real-time availability check against the Secretary of State and USPTO trademarks. We also check domain availability so you can lock the name everywhere at once.
Tell us about the members
Members are the owners. We collect names, ownership percentages, and management structure. Most LLCs are member-managed (owners run it). Manager-managed is for passive owners with hired managers.
We prepare and file
Our team prepares the Articles of Organization, EIN application, operating agreement, and BOI report. Articles get e-filed with the state. Your EIN typically returns within minutes.
Get confirmed, start operating
When the state approves, we upload the stamped Articles to your document vault, finalize your operating agreement, and stand up your Registered Agent. Most customers are operating within 24 hours.
What you save by filing through us.
Compared to the alternatives most founders consider.
- You can save the service fee
- Free if your time is free
- No support if rejected
- No BOI, EIN, or RA included
- High chance of small errors
- Operating agreement is on you
- Compliance tracking is on you
- Filed for you
- Registered Agent often paid extra
- Limited support after filing
- Upsells throughout
- No compliance automation
- Software is bolted on
- Free formation, every plan
- EIN, operating agreement, BOI included
- 1 year Registered Agent free
- Business email + domain
- Compliance Suite included on Growth
- Penalty-free guarantee
- Cancel anytime
“I formed my LLC, got the EIN, opened banking, and had a custom-domain email all in a single afternoon. Same money I would have paid LegalZoom, zero. The platform paid for itself the next month when it caught a sales-tax deadline I would have missed.”
The File.Business Promise
If we miss a filing deadline on a service you pay us to manage, we pay the state penalty. If you change your mind in the first 60 days, we refund our service fee in full. Your data stays yours, always.
Frequently asked questions.
Is $0 LLC formation really free?
Which state should I form my LLC in?
How long does it take?
What if I want to elect S-Corp tax treatment later?
Do I need an operating agreement if I am the only member?
What is a Registered Agent and do I really need one?
What is the BOI report?
Can I form an LLC if I am not a US citizen?
What happens after my LLC is approved?
Can I dissolve the LLC later if it does not work out?
Pair this with the services that follow.
Form a Corporation
If you plan to raise outside capital or issue stock, a Corporation is usually the right structure.
Explore →Make the S-Corp Election
Cut self-employment tax once your LLC profits cross the threshold.
Explore →Registered Agent
Included for one year with every formation, in any state.
Explore →BOI Reporting
Required for nearly every new LLC. We file it for you, free.
Explore →Form your LLC in a 5-minute guided flow.
We walk you through entity choice, state, ownership, package, and add-ons. Save and resume any time. Specialist review before we file.
since 2017
from 8,200+ reviews
covered
for formation
Real outcomes from real founders
Composite stories from 220,000+ businesses we have helped form and operate since 2017. Names changed; outcomes are typical.
What it actually costs to form your business
Pick your state. We show our service price, the state's filing fee, and your year-one total. No hidden costs.
From "I want to start a business" to fully compliant in five steps
Each step has a target time, a status indicator, and a clear owner. We do most of it. You sign and approve.
Pick name + state
Instant name availability across 51 jurisdictions. Our quiz suggests the right state if you are unsure.
Articles of Organization
$0 service fee. State fee at cost. Same-day in DE, WY, NV, FL, TX. Other states in 5 to 15 business days.
EIN from the IRS
Free, filed direct with the IRS. International founders without SSN: we fax Form SS-4 and get your EIN in 4 business days.
Open business banking
Mercury, Relay, Chase, or Brex. Pre-filled with your formation documents. International-founder accounts at Mercury and Relay.
Stay compliant
Annual reports auto-filed in all 51 jurisdictions. BOI tracking for foreign-owned entities. Penalty-free guarantee on Pro+.
Three short videos for the most common questions
Two minutes each. Designed for founders who want the gist before they sign up.
How formation actually works
From "I have a name" to "I have an LLC" · every step, in real time.
The 2025 BOI rule, in plain English
Who has to file, who is exempt, and what changes for foreign-formed entities.
What we actually file for you
Annual reports, BOI, state changes, S-Corp deadlines. The exact list.
220,000 founders, every kind of business.
One platform for one business, or ten.
Multi-entity dashboard at no extra charge. International founders supported with ITIN, EIN-via-SS-4-fax, and partner banking. The platform scales with you.
Four steps from request to delivery
File.Business runs your filing on a single concierge workflow. You provide what we need; we handle the rest.
Tell us what you need
2-minute intake. We confirm the filing type, jurisdiction, and any supporting documents required.
We prepare the filing
Our specialists draft the document, validate against state requirements, and queue for your review where required.
We submit to the state
Filed through the state portal. We pay the state fee, track the submission, and resolve any state correspondence.
Confirmation in your vault
state-required document delivered to your SOC 2 encrypted document vault, with deadline tracking for the next filing.