United States / Tools / Compare state compliance costs
Compare state compliance costs
Three states side by side for one entity type, drawn from the verified 50-state dataset. Published fees only. It ranks nothing, because where to incorporate is not a cheapest-fee question.
| You pick | an entity type and up to three states. |
|---|---|
| It pulls | each state's report, cadence, due rule, fee and late penalty from the verified 50-state dataset — it adds no figures of its own. |
| You get | them side by side. It ranks nothing: where to incorporate is a legal and tax question, not a cheapest-fee question. |
A worked example
Delaware, California and Wyoming side by side for the same LLC are three different regimes — different cadences, different fees, and in one case no report at all. Read them as facts to calendar, not as a league table.
2 of 2 rows independently confirmed against an official state source
| State | Report | Frequency | Due rule | Fee | Late penalty | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | None required | annual (tax only, no report) | Fixed: due June 1 each year. | $400 flat annual tax. No proration, regardless of when the entity became active during the year. | $200 flat penalty, plus 1.5% interest per month on the tax and penalty. | Confirmed |
| California | Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) | biennial | Due within 90 days of formation, then every 2 years during the calendar month the LLC was originally formed. There's a 6-month filing window around that anniversary. | $20, online filing only. | $250 ($50 for exempt organizations). The Franchise Tax Board assesses and collects it on the SOS's behalf once the SOS's delinquency notice goes unanswered for 60 days. Only the SOS can waive it. | Confirmed |
An estimate, not a quote. Each state's Secretary of State (or equivalent) office produces the figure that actually applies to you — check there before you rely on a number. Figures are published government fees, not CapEasy pricing, and some rows are flagged “needs verification” where the state’s own site blocked automated reading this session — check those directly before relying on them.
What this deliberately leaves out
This compares published annual/biennial report fees and deadlines only — not formation fees, registered-agent cost, franchise or income tax beyond what’s shown, or any other running cost of a state. It never ranks states or suggests one is cheaper to incorporate in: where to form or register an entity is a legal and tax decision, and belongs with a US attorney or CPA who knows your specific business. Figures verified 2026-08-17; many index or change annually, so treat this as a starting point, not the current number.
What to do with this number: Put every state you are registered in on one calendar, formation state included. Where to incorporate is a question for a US attorney or CPA — this table deliberately ranks nothing.
The figures behind this tool, with their sources and verification dates: the companion guide. When the statute or schedule changes, the guide and the tool move together.