State hub · Michigan
Michigan LLC true cost (2026)
Michigan state side: $50 formation filing, $25 for Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) in the 3-year model, ~$125 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #13 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Michigan state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Corporations Division. Filings go through www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | LARA Corporations Division Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700) nonrefundable filing fee $50.00. Online filing via MiBusiness Registry Portal. Optional expedited review fees may apply (confirm on current LARA expedite form). Veteran fee waiver may apply if majority initial membership interests are held by qualifying veterans. |
| Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) | $25 | LARA official annual filings page: LLC Annual Statement fee $25.00. PLLC combined annual statement/report $75. If formed after September 30, no statement due on the February 15 immediately succeeding formation. Late LLC statement: $50 penalty if after February 15. Annuals must be filed online via MiBusiness Registry Portal (paper discontinued for annuals). |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $125 | Articles $50 + three Annual Statements at $25 each ($75) = $125. Excludes PLLC higher fees, late penalties, restoration fees, expedites, and commercial RA. |
When Michigan actually bills you
Michigan's recurring filing is due February 15 each year — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Michigan charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | $50 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) | $25 | $75 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) | $25 | $100 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) | $25 | $125 |
Provider + Michigan state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Michigan state subtotal of $125.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $414 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $622 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $423 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $872 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Michigan ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Michigan sits at #13 — the 13th cheapest three-year state charter — at $125 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $90 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $155 below the $280 median, and $2,385 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Michigan lands in the cheaper half of the table.
Ranking caveat for Michigan: Exact current expedite fee schedule line items on MiBRP checkout (confirm at filing).
- Just cheaper: Colorado ($125), Utah ($113).
- Just pricier: Indiana ($127), Pennsylvania ($146).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Michigan)
- Michigan LLC must maintain a resident agent with a Michigan address. Entity cannot serve as its own resident agent. Commercial RA common for non-residents.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Michigan state fees is $125, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Michigan, is about 70% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Late annual statement: $50 penalty; continued non-filing leads to not-in-good-standing and eventual name availability issues.
- Restoration of good standing: Certificate of Restoration $50 plus $25 per missing annual statement year.
- No Michigan franchise/privilege tax on standard LLCs — do not confuse SOS statement with tax filings.
Who Michigan is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Cost-conscious Michigan operators — low formation ($50) and low annual statement ($25).
Often a poor fit when…
- Professional LLCs that owe the $75 combined annual statement/report instead of $25.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Michigan LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Michigan?
$50 to Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Corporations Division for the formation filing. LARA Corporations Division Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700) nonrefundable filing fee $50.00. Online filing via MiBusiness Registry Portal. Optional expedited review fees may apply (confirm on current LARA expedite form). Veteran fee waiver may apply if majority initial membership interests are held by qualifying veterans. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Michigan LLC fees after year one?
$25 for the Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700), due February 15 each year. LARA official annual filings page: LLC Annual Statement fee $25.00. PLLC combined annual statement/report $75. If formed after September 30, no statement due on the February 15 immediately succeeding formation. Late LLC statement: $50 penalty if after February 15. Annuals must be filed online via MiBusiness Registry Portal (paper discontinued for annuals). Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Michigan LLC really cost over three years?
$125 in Michigan state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $414 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $872 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Michigan.
Do I need a registered agent in Michigan?
Yes. Michigan LLC must maintain a resident agent with a Michigan address. Entity cannot serve as its own resident agent. Commercial RA common for non-residents. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Michigan figure above.
Is Michigan a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Michigan ranks #13 of 51 at $125 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Michigan three-year number is built
Articles $50 + three Annual Statements at $25 each ($75) = $125. Excludes PLLC higher fees, late penalties, restoration fees, expedites, and commercial RA. Figures are re-derived from the cited Michigan sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Michigan state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- item: unverified — check source —
- Re-check live Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Corporations Division fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Michigan LARA — Annual Reports and Annual Statements (LLC fee $25)
- Michigan LARA — LLC Annual Filings requirements
- Michigan LARA — LLC filing information PDF (annual statement $25; due Feb 15)
- MiBusiness Registry Portal hub
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Michigan's $125 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Michigan math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.