DE · State authority guide

Form an LLC in Delaware.

The corporate court capital of the US.

Delaware runs the Court of Chancery, the country's only dedicated business court. Fortune-500 companies form here for predictable rulings and 200+ years of case law. If you plan to raise VC or acquire other companies, this is the state.

$110

State filing fee

1-3 business days

Processing time

$300 franchise tax + $50 report

Annual cost

$300 minimum for LLCs

Franchise tax

Should you form in Delaware?

Pros

Court of Chancery: dedicated business court, judges not juries
200+ years of corporate case law makes outcomes predictable
Standard for VC-backed startups and M&A
No income tax for LLCs doing business outside DE
Registered agent required, high privacy for members

Cons

$300 minimum franchise tax annually, regardless of revenue
Higher formation cost than Wyoming or Montana
Not tax-friendlier than home state if you actually operate elsewhere

Best for

→Startups planning to raise venture capital
→Companies expecting to be acquired
→Holding companies for multiple subsidiaries

How to form your Delaware LLC.

Six steps. We handle all six.

1
Choose a unique name
Ends in LLC or Limited Liability Company. We check availability with the Delaware Division of Corporations in real time.
2
Appoint a registered agent
Must have a physical Delaware address. Our in-house Delaware RA is included for year 1.
3
File Certificate of Formation
Filed same-day with the Division of Corporations. $110 state fee. We handle the entire submission.
4
Get your EIN
IRS assigns your Employer Identification Number in 24 hours. No SSN required for non-residents.
5
Draft your Operating Agreement
Internal document that governs member rights, distributions, and management. We provide a Delaware-specific template.
6
File your BOI report
FinCEN beneficial-ownership filing due within 30 days of formation. Auto-filed as part of every tier.

Delaware vs other states

Compare to

Wyoming

Cheaper annual fees, stronger default privacy. Delaware wins if you plan to raise VC.

Delaware LLC FAQ

Do I have to live in Delaware to form a Delaware LLC?+

No. You can form a Delaware LLC from any US state or any country. You only need a Delaware registered agent, which we provide in-house.

Will I pay Delaware income tax?+

If your LLC doesn't do business in Delaware, no. LLCs that operate elsewhere pay only the $300 annual franchise tax.

Is Delaware better than Wyoming for privacy?+

Both are strong. Delaware records manager names publicly if you file them, but you can list only the registered agent. Wyoming is slightly more anonymous by default.

Start your Delaware LLC today.

We file your Articles, secure your RA, deliver your EIN, and get you a US bank in one go.