State hub · Virginia
Virginia LLC true cost (2026)
Virginia state side: $100 formation filing, $50 for Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing) in the 3-year model, ~$250 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #24 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Virginia state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Virginia State Corporation Commission (Clerk of the Commission). Filings go through www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $100 | Virginia SCC Forms and Fees: Form a new Virginia LLC (LLC1011) — $100. Professional LLC (LLC1103) also $100. File online via Clerk's Information System (CIS) or by form. |
| Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing) | $50 | Virginia LLCs do not file a traditional annual report. SCC assesses a flat $50 annual registration fee. Late payment: $25 penalty. If unpaid through the last day of the third month after the due date, the LLC is automatically canceled by operation of law. Reinstate with $100 + unpaid fees/penalties. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $250 | Articles $100 + three annual registration fees at $50 each ($150) = $250. Excludes late penalties, reinstatement, amendments, and commercial RA. |
When Virginia actually bills you
Virginia's recurring filing is due Last day of the month in which the LLC was organized or registered; assessed each year after the year of formation — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Virginia charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $100 | $100 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing) | $50 | $150 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing) | $50 | $200 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing) | $50 | $250 |
Provider + Virginia state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Virginia state subtotal of $250.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $539 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $747 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $548 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $997 |
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 Virginia ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Virginia sits at #24 — the 24th cheapest three-year state charter — at $250 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $215 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $30 below the $280 median, and $2,260 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Virginia lands in the cheaper half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Alabama ($228), New York ($209).
- Just pricier: Kansas ($265), Georgia ($280).
- 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 (Virginia)
- Virginia LLC must maintain a registered agent and registered office in Virginia. Assessment notices are mailed to the registered agent — keep RA info current. RA/office updates for LLCs are listed as no fee on SCC forms page for standard LLC1016/LLC1017 filings.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Virginia state fees is $250, 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 Virginia, is about 54% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- No annual 'report' does not mean no annual payment — the $50 registration fee is mandatory.
- Automatic cancellation after ~3 months past due (plus $25 penalty once late).
- Do not confuse LLC rules with stock corporations (share-based fees + annual report).
Who Virginia is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Virginia-nexus businesses comfortable paying a flat $50/year registration fee without a lengthy annual report form.
Often a poor fit when…
- Inactive entities that may forget the anniversary-month fee and risk automatic cancellation.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Virginia LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Virginia?
$100 to Virginia State Corporation Commission (Clerk of the Commission) for the formation filing. Virginia SCC Forms and Fees: Form a new Virginia LLC (LLC1011) — $100. Professional LLC (LLC1103) also $100. File online via Clerk's Information System (CIS) or by form. 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 Virginia LLC fees after year one?
$50 for the Annual Registration Fee (no LLC annual report filing), due Last day of the month in which the LLC was organized or registered; assessed each year after the year of formation. Virginia LLCs do not file a traditional annual report. SCC assesses a flat $50 annual registration fee. Late payment: $25 penalty. If unpaid through the last day of the third month after the due date, the LLC is automatically canceled by operation of law. Reinstate with $100 + unpaid fees/penalties. 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 Virginia LLC really cost over three years?
$250 in Virginia state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $539 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $997 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Virginia.
Do I need a registered agent in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia LLC must maintain a registered agent and registered office in Virginia. Assessment notices are mailed to the registered agent — keep RA info current. RA/office updates for LLCs are listed as no fee on SCC forms page for standard LLC1016/LLC1017 filings. 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 Virginia figure above.
Is Virginia a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Virginia ranks #24 of 51 at $250 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 Virginia three-year number is built
Articles $100 + three annual registration fees at $50 each ($150) = $250. Excludes late penalties, reinstatement, amendments, and commercial RA. Figures are re-derived from the cited Virginia sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Virginia 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
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Virginia State Corporation Commission (Clerk of the Commission) fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Virginia SCC — Virginia Limited Liability Companies forms and fees (formation $100)
- Virginia SCC — Annual Registration Fees FAQ (LLC $50)
- Virginia SCC — Maintaining Your Business (LLC annual fee $50; $25 late penalty)
- Virginia SCC Clerk's Information System
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Virginia's $250 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Virginia math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.