Virginia LLC Cost: Filing Fees Explained (2026)
A Virginia LLC costs $100 to form, the fee to file Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011) with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. After that, the only recurring state charge is a $50 annual registration fee due each year by the last day of your LLC's anniversary month. Changing your registered agent (Form LLC-1016) is free, and canceling the LLC (Form LLC-1050) costs $25.
Quick Answer
- Formation fee
- $100 (Form LLC-1011, one-time)
- Annual registration fee
- $50 per year, due by last day of anniversary month
- Late penalty
- $25 added if the annual fee is late
- Name reservation
- $10 for 120 days (Form SCC631, optional)
- Change registered agent
- $0 (Form LLC-1016)
- Cancel the LLC
- $25 (Form LLC-1050)
The Formation Fee: $100 Articles of Organization
The single mandatory cost to create a Virginia LLC is the $100 filing fee for the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011), paid to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). This fee is fixed by statute and is the same whether you file online through the Clerk's Information System or by mail. There is no tiered pricing based on the number of members or the value of the business. For the full formation walkthrough, see how to form an LLC in Virginia.
Filing online through the Clerk's Information System is the fastest and least expensive route, because it avoids mail handling delays. The $100 covers the Commission's review and, on approval, the issuance of your certificate of organization. No filing service is required - the SCC accepts filings directly from business owners at the same price. See the national how much does an LLC cost guide to compare Virginia with other states.
The $100 fee is identical for a single-member LLC and a multi-member LLC, and it does not change based on the industry you are in or the assets you contribute. A foreign LLC - one formed in another state that wants to operate in Virginia - registers instead by applying for a certificate of registration to transact business, which carries its own SCC fee rather than the domestic $100 Articles of Organization fee. This page focuses on the domestic Virginia LLC, the most common case for a business based in the Commonwealth. Whichever path applies, the fee is a one-time formation cost; you do not pay it again to keep the LLC alive.
The $50 Annual Registration Fee (Not an Annual Report)
Virginia's recurring cost is a $50 annual registration fee, not an annual report. This distinction matters: many states require LLCs to file an information report each year, sometimes with a fee. Virginia does not - there is no periodic information report for LLCs. You simply pay the flat $50 fee. Under Va. Code § 13.1-1062, the fee is due on or before the last day of the twelfth month after the month the LLC was organized - in practice, the last day of your anniversary month - and by that date every year thereafter.
The $50 is flat regardless of revenue, unlike some states that scale the fee to income or member count. The SCC mails an assessment as a reminder, but the obligation stands even if you never receive it. For the timing rules and how the fee relates to state income tax, see Virginia LLC annual registration fee and taxes.
Because the fee is tied to your LLC's anniversary month rather than a fixed calendar date, two LLCs formed in different months will have different due dates. An LLC organized in June pays by June 30 each year; one organized in December pays by December 31. The first assessment arrives the year after formation, so a newly formed LLC does not owe the $50 in its formation month - it owes it by the last day of the same month in the following year. Budgeting $50 per year is a reliable planning number for an ongoing Virginia LLC, with no surprises tied to how the business performs.
Complete Virginia LLC Fee Table (2026)
The table below lists every common state fee for a Virginia LLC, each verified against the SCC fee schedule for Virginia limited liability companies. Amounts are effective for 2026 and are set by the Commonwealth, not by any third party.
| Item | Form | Fee (2026) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (form the LLC) | LLC-1011 | $100 | One-time |
| Annual registration fee | - | $50 | Every year |
| Late penalty (missed annual fee) | - | $25 | If late |
| Name reservation (120 days) | SCC631 | $10 | Optional |
| Change of registered agent / office | LLC-1016 | $0 | As needed |
| Articles of Amendment | LLC-1014 | $25 | As needed |
| Articles of Cancellation | LLC-1050 | $25 | To close |
| Reinstatement after cancellation | LLC-1050.4P | $100 + unpaid fees | If canceled |
| Federal EIN | IRS Form SS-4 | $0 | One-time |
Confirm the current amounts on the SCC fee schedule before you file, because the Commission can adjust them. The EIN is always free directly from the IRS; see how to get an EIN.
Registered Agent Cost in Virginia
Virginia does not charge a state fee to name or change your registered agent - the change form, Form LLC-1016, carries no fee. That is unusual; many states charge to update the agent. If you act as your own registered agent and qualify under the statute, your registered-agent cost is $0. If you hire a commercial registered agent service, that is a private, optional expense set by the provider, not a state charge, and is not required to form or maintain the LLC. Learn what the role involves in the national registered agent overview.
Ongoing and Tax-Related Costs
Beyond the $50 annual registration fee, an operating Virginia LLC may owe taxes rather than additional SCC charges. If your LLC sells taxable goods or services, you must register for retail sales and use tax with Virginia Tax; the base combined rate is 5.3%, and it is higher - 6%, 6.3%, or 7% - in certain regions such as Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Registration itself is done on Form R-1.
At the income-tax level, a Virginia LLC is a pass-through entity that files Form 502; members report income on their individual returns. The LLC can instead elect the pass-through entity tax at 5.75% on Form 502PTET. Locally, a Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax may apply; see how to get a business license in Virginia. None of these are SCC formation costs - they depend on how and where your business operates.
"Hidden" Costs to Watch For
The most common avoidable cost is the $25 late penalty under Va. Code § 13.1-1064, added when the annual registration fee is paid late. Worse, if the fee is not paid on or before the last day of the third month after its due date, the LLC is automatically canceled - and reinstating it costs $100 plus all delinquent fees, filed on Form LLC-1050.4P. Setting a calendar reminder for your anniversary month is the cheapest insurance.
Optional filing-service fees are not state costs. Because you can file directly with the SCC for the statutory fees above, any additional charge you see quoted comes from a private provider, not Virginia. This guide describes the state's own fees only.
Two other charges catch owners off guard, though both are optional. First, if you amend your Articles of Organization - for example, to change the LLC's name - you file Articles of Amendment (Form LLC-1014) for a $25 fee. Second, if you let the LLC lapse and later need it back, the reinstatement charge is $100 plus every unpaid annual registration fee and penalty that accrued while it was canceled, which can add up quickly for an LLC that sat canceled for several years. Neither is required in a well-run LLC, so both are avoidable with timely filings. If you sell taxable goods, remember that registering for sales tax is a separate compliance step handled by Virginia Tax, not an SCC formation fee.
How Virginia's Cost Compares
At $100 to form and $50 per year, Virginia sits in the middle-to-low range of state LLC costs. Its flat $50 annual fee is far below states with revenue-scaled franchise taxes, and its $0 registered-agent change fee is among the cheapest. Because Virginia has no separate annual information report, the ongoing compliance burden is light: one flat payment a year. For a cross-state view and the mechanics of forming elsewhere, see how to form an LLC and what is an LLC.
Cost to Close a Virginia LLC
When you are done, closing a Virginia LLC costs $25 to file Articles of Cancellation (Form LLC-1050) with the SCC, after you complete winding up. There is no separate state tax-clearance fee for the LLC itself. Leaving the LLC open simply keeps the $50 annual fee accruing until the company is canceled for nonpayment, so an intentional cancellation is usually cheaper than walking away. See how to dissolve an LLC in Virginia for the full process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Virginia?
It costs $100 to file the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011) with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. That is the only mandatory state charge to form the LLC. Optional costs include a $10 name reservation.
What is the Virginia LLC annual fee?
Virginia charges a $50 annual registration fee each year, due by the last day of your LLC's anniversary month. It is a flat fee, not an income-based charge, and there is no separate annual report to file.
Is there a fee to change a Virginia registered agent?
No. Filing Form LLC-1016 with the State Corporation Commission carries no fee. Virginia is one of the few states that does not charge for this change.
What happens if you do not pay the Virginia annual registration fee?
A $25 penalty is added. If it remains unpaid on or before the last day of the third month after the due date, the LLC is automatically canceled. Reinstatement then costs $100 plus all delinquent fees.
How much does it cost to dissolve a Virginia LLC?
Filing Articles of Cancellation (Form LLC-1050) with the State Corporation Commission costs $25. You must complete winding up before filing. There is no additional state tax clearance fee for a Virginia LLC.
Related
- How much does an LLC cost (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Virginia
- Virginia LLC annual registration fee and taxes
- Virginia registered agent requirements
- How to dissolve an LLC in Virginia
- How to get a business license in Virginia
- How to get an EIN
- What is an LLC
Sources
- Virginia State Corporation Commission - Virginia Limited Liability Companies: Forms & Fees (Form LLC-1011 $100; LLC-1016 no fee; LLC-1014 $25; LLC-1050 $25; SCC631 $10; reinstatement LLC-1050.4P $100).
- Virginia State Corporation Commission - Clerk's Information System (CIS) (online filing portal).
- Code of Virginia - § 13.1-1062, Annual registration fee ($50; anniversary-month due date).
- Code of Virginia - § 13.1-1064, $25 penalty and automatic cancellation.
- Code of Virginia - § 13.1-1011, Articles of Organization.
- Code of Virginia - § 13.1-1050, Articles of Cancellation.
- Virginia Tax - Retail Sales and Use Tax rates (5.3% base; regional 6%–7%).
- Virginia Tax - Pass-Through Entities (Form 502).
- Virginia Tax - Elective Pass-Through Entity Tax (5.75%; Form 502PTET).
- Code of Virginia - § 58.1-3703, Local BPOL license authority.
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
- Legal Information Institute (Cornell LII) - Limited Liability Company (LLC).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and Virginia Tax before acting.