Best LLC Formation Services in New York

New York is one of only three states that require LLC publication. You must publish in one daily and one weekly newspaper in your LLC's county within 120 days of filing. Skipping this puts your LLC out of good standing and can lead to administrative dissolution.

New York requires every LLC to have a written operating agreement by law, even for single-member LLCs. Most states treat this as optional. If a formation service includes a free operating agreement template, that is real value here.

Unlike neighboring Delaware or Wyoming, New York does not offer anonymous LLCs. Your name and address will appear on public filings with the Department of State. If privacy is your main concern, forming in New York is the wrong move.

New York's franchise tax starts at a $25 minimum annually, based on New York source gross income. Compare that to Delaware's $300 flat annual franchise tax or New Jersey's $500 minimum for C-corps. For small LLCs, New York's annual costs are lower than you might expect after that initial publication hit.

1. Complete the publication requirement within 120 days. Publish a notice of formation in two newspapers (one daily, one weekly) designated by the county clerk in the county where your LLC is located. Costs range from $600 in cheaper counties to over $2,000 in Manhattan. After six consecutive weeks of publication, obtain affidavits from both newspapers.
2. File a Certificate of Publication with the Department of State. The filing fee is $50. Include the affidavits of publication from both newspapers. Until this is filed, your LLC is not in full compliance.
3. Draft a written operating agreement. New York law requires every LLC to adopt one. It does not need to be filed with the state, but you must have it on record. This governs member rights, profit distribution, and management structure.
4. Get an EIN from the IRS. This is free and takes about 5 minutes online at irs.gov. You need it to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file taxes.
5. File your Biennial Statement every two years. The fee is $9, and it is due during the calendar month your Articles of Organization were originally filed, every two years. Miss it and your LLC falls out of good standing.
6. File a BOI report with FinCEN. If your LLC was formed in 2024, you had until January 1, 2026 to file. LLCs formed in 2026 must file within 30 days of formation. This is a federal requirement, not a state one, but it applies to nearly all small LLCs.

• Publication Requirement ($600-$2,000+) - Every New York LLC must publish a notice of formation in two newspapers for six weeks, and this cost depends entirely on your county.
• Certificate of Publication Filing ($50) - After completing publication, you must file this certificate with the Department of State, adding another fee on top of the newspaper costs.
• County Clerk Designation - You cannot pick your own newspapers. The county clerk designates which daily and weekly newspaper you must use, and some counties only have expensive options.
• Name Reservation ($20) - If you want to hold your LLC name before filing, New York charges $20 to reserve it for 60 days.