An LLC in Virginia costs $100 to form and $50 a year to keep active. Those two payments go to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) and are the only charges every LLC owner has to pay. Everything else — a registered agent service, faster processing, local business license taxes, help drafting an operating agreement — is optional or situational, and the final number depends on which of those you actually need.
The $100 Formation Fee
Filing the Articles of Organization with the SCC creates your LLC, and the fee is $100 whether you file online or by mail.1State Corporation Commission. Virginia Limited Liability Companies You pay it once. Standard processing takes a few business days.
If you need the LLC formed sooner, the SCC sells two faster tiers. Next-day service adds $50 or $100 to the base fee (file by 2:00 PM EST for a response by 4:00 PM the next business day). Same-day service adds $200 (file by 10:00 AM EST for a response by 4:00 PM that day).2State Corporation Commission. Online Expedited Services Most people don’t need either.
The $50 Annual Registration Fee
Every Virginia LLC owes a $50 registration fee each year. The first one is due by the last day of the twelfth month after the month you formed the LLC, and the same date repeats annually.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 13.1 Chapter 12 Article 11 – Annual Registration Fees An LLC formed in March 2026 would owe its first $50 by March 31, 2027.
Miss that deadline and the SCC adds a $25 late penalty.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 13.1 Chapter 12 Article 11 – Annual Registration Fees If the fee is still unpaid by the last day of the third month after your due date, the SCC can cancel the LLC outright.4State Corporation Commission. Annual Registration Fees Set a calendar reminder a few weeks ahead of your anniversary month.
Registered Agent: Free or $50 to $300 a Year
Virginia requires every LLC to keep a registered agent in the state at all times. The agent accepts legal documents and official notices for the LLC and must be available during regular business hours at a physical Virginia address.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 13.1-1015 – Registered Office and Registered Agent
You can serve as your own agent for free if you meet those requirements. Many owners pay for a professional service instead, usually $50 to $300 a year depending on what’s bundled in. The reasons people pay are practical: your home address stays off public records, and you don’t risk missing a lawsuit filing because you were out of the office.
Optional SCC Fees
A few smaller SCC charges show up only if you need them:
- Name reservation: $10 to hold a chosen LLC name for 120 days before you file. Skip this if you’re ready to file now.1State Corporation Commission. Virginia Limited Liability Companies
- Certificate of Good Standing: $6, downloadable instantly through the SCC’s online system. Banks and lenders sometimes ask for one; so does any state where you want to register your LLC to do business.6State Corporation Commission. Certificates and Copies
Local Business License Tax (BPOL)
Separate from the SCC fees, Virginia localities can impose a Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL) tax on businesses operating within their borders. Whether you owe it, and how much, depends on where your LLC is located and what it earns.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 58.1 Chapter 37 – License Taxes
State law lets localities over 50,000 people charge a license fee up to $100, with lower caps in smaller localities. The tax itself only kicks in once gross receipts cross a threshold set locally — state law sets minimums of $100,000 in larger localities and $50,000 in mid-sized ones, and individual cities and counties can set higher thresholds. Rates range from $0.16 to $0.58 per $100 of gross receipts, depending on business type.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 58.1 Chapter 37 – License Taxes Your local commissioner of the revenue can tell you what your LLC actually owes.
Operating Agreement and EIN
Virginia does not require you to file an operating agreement with the SCC.8State Corporation Commission. Limited Liability Company FAQs It doesn’t even have to be in writing.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 13.1-1023 – Operating Agreement Still, having one in writing is where many multi-member LLCs avoid later disputes over profit splits, decision-making, and member exits. A template you fill out yourself is free. An attorney-drafted agreement typically runs $500 to $1,500 depending on complexity.
An EIN is a federal tax ID your LLC needs if it has employees, more than one member, or elects corporate taxation. The IRS issues EINs for free in minutes through its website.10Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Third-party sites that charge for one are selling you a form you can submit yourself at no cost.
What the First Year Actually Costs
Add it up and the numbers settle into a predictable range:
- Articles of Organization: $100 (required)
- Annual registration fee: $50 (required, due within 12 months)
- Registered agent: $0 if you serve yourself, $50 to $300 for a service
- Name reservation: $10 (optional)
- Expedited processing: $50 to $200 (optional)
- Operating agreement: $0 for a template, $500 to $1,500 if attorney-drafted
- EIN: free from the IRS
- Certificate of Good Standing: $6 as needed
- Local BPOL tax: varies by locality and revenue
A single-member owner who acts as their own registered agent and uses a template operating agreement can get up and running for around $150 in the first year. Add a professional registered agent and an attorney-drafted operating agreement and the first year lands closer to $600 to $1,900. After that, the baseline to stay in good standing is $50 a year, plus whatever you pay for a registered agent and any local tax your city or county charges.