Start a Delaware LLC
How to start an LLC in Delaware →
Name, registered agent, Certificate of Formation and bank account, step by step.
Delaware LLC cost →
What it costs to form and to keep, and a three-year comparison.
Delaware LLC name check →
Check a name against Delaware naming rules before you file.
Delaware operating agreement →
Required by Delaware law. Create yours free.
Run a Delaware LLC
Delaware annual report rules →
Delaware has no annual report. What it requires instead.
Delaware LLC annual tax →
Who owes it, when it is due and how to file.
Delaware registered agent →
Every Delaware LLC needs one. Ours is included in year one.
Compliance deadline tracker →
Every federal and Delaware deadline for your LLC.
Changing or closing it: add or remove a member, change your registered agent, move to another state, dissolve the LLC.
Delaware LLC at a glance
Formed with
Delaware Division of Corporations
Formation document
Certificate of Formation
Recurring filing
No annual report
Online filing
Yes
Delaware has no annual report for LLCs; the yearly filing is the annual LLC tax.
Annual LLC tax paid to the Delaware Division of Corporations on or before June 1 each year by every LLC active on the Division's records at any time in the prior calendar year. It is not prorated, and late payment adds a penalty plus monthly interest.
Must contain "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C." or "LLC", and it must be distinguishable from names already on the Delaware register.
- Delaware LLCs file no annual report; the only yearly state obligation is the annual LLC tax.
- Every Delaware LLC must keep a registered agent with a physical street address in Delaware.
- Formation documents can be filed through the Division's online Document Filing and Certificate Request Service or by mail; email and fax filings are not accepted.
Forming a Delaware LLC from outside the US?
The steps above are written for people who live in the US. If you live abroad, the bank account and tax filings work differently.
Delaware LLC for non-residents →Sources
Nearby states
All states
Frequently asked questions
How do I start an LLC in Delaware?
Choose a name, appoint a registered agent in Delaware, and file a Certificate of Formation with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Then write an operating agreement and open a business bank account. Our step-by-step guide covers each one.
How much does a Delaware LLC cost?
Delaware charges a one-time filing fee to form an LLC. With StartGlobal it is $399 in total, with that fee, your operating agreement and first-year registered agent included.
Does a Delaware LLC file an annual report?
Delaware has no annual report for LLCs; the yearly filing is the annual LLC tax.
Does Delaware tax LLCs?
Annual LLC tax paid to the Delaware Division of Corporations on or before June 1 each year by every LLC active on the Division's records at any time in the prior calendar year. It is not prorated, and late payment adds a penalty plus monthly interest.
Is an operating agreement required in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware law says an LLC agreement "shall be entered into or otherwise existing", and allows it to be written, oral or implied.
