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LLC SchoolhousePlain LLC lessons, one state at a time.

Class 1 · New York

How to Start an LLC in New York (2026): a 8-Step Lesson and the 3 Best LLC Services

Here is who we would send a new founder to for setting up an LLC in New York in 2026: New York Registered Agent.ai ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and NY Registered Agent.org ($199), in grade order. Work through 8 steps below; the state's own fee is $200, plus $9 for the biennial statement.

Taught by the LLC Schoolhouse editors

This lesson at a glance

What the state charges$200Checked against dos.ny.gov, October 2026
Biennial statement$9 every 2 yearsReport and fee go in during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years
What the state collects in three years$209Filing plus recurring state fees
Lesson steps8In order

By the end you will know

  • Where to file in New York and what the fee is
  • How to meet the agent for service of process rule
  • What comes after formation
  • Who we would hire to file

Our graded picks for New York

The order follows five published criteria; read how we grade for the details.
Start here

1. New York Registered Agent.ai: best for a small first bill

$199 plus state fee, then $99/year

First in the class in New York is New York Registered Agent.ai: it forms the New York LLC for $199 and covers the agent for year one, after which the agent renews at $99.

Mainstay Filing costs more over three years, and that hands this service the top spot.

The biennial statement is not covered by its price.

What the price covers

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • A low $99 renewal
  • $199 and the state fee
  • Year one of agent service is in the price

Where it loses points

  • You file the biennial statement
  • It charges $99 for the EIN step
Any state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for skipping the biennial statement paperwork

$199 yearly, renewing at $199

For number 2 we picked Mainstay Filing: $199 a year hands off the formation, the agent for service of process role and the biennial statement to someone else.

Over three years it costs $200 more than New York Registered Agent.ai, and cost makes up 32% of the grade.

You never file the biennial statement yourself; only the $9 state fee is added.

What the price covers

  • The filing is done for you
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Biennial statement prepared and filed
  • The EIN application
  • The state fee is passed through at cost

Marks in its favor

  • The EIN application is included
  • $199 at renewal
  • $199 yearly, everything in one

Where it loses points

  • New York Registered Agent.ai renews for $100 less
Local choice

3. NY Registered Agent.org: best for founders who prepare their own reports

$199 plus state fee, then $99/year

Next on the report card comes NY Registered Agent.org, graded third: it forms the New York LLC for $199 and covers the agent for year one, after which the agent renews at $99.

The biennial statement is not covered by its price.

It costs exactly what New York Registered Agent.ai does.

What the price covers

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • A low $99 renewal
  • Year one of agent service is in the price
  • $199 and the state fee

Where it loses points

  • You file the biennial statement
  • It charges $99 for the EIN step

The grades and prices at a glance

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1New York Registered Agent.ai$199$99/yr$397Visit New York Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3NY Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Posted prices, read November 13, 2026. The $200 state fee is extra in every row.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Step
    1

    Choose the LLC's name

    Your first task is a name search in the records kept by the New York Secretary of State, because a taken name in New York can get your filing returned.

    Jot down two backup names before you search.

  2. Step
    2

    Choose a agent for service of process

    The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional. If one is designated: a person who lives in New York or has a business address there, an LLC formed or authorized in New York, or a corporation formed or authorized in New York.

    New York has no registered-office requirement. The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC and mails a copy of any papers served to the address the company has on file. A designated registered agent's street address goes on the filing.

    You can hire any of the graded services for this job.

    Where this comes from: Checked against nysenate.gov, October 2026

  3. Step
    3

    Choose between DIY and a service

    Either way the state keeps $200. A filing service adds $199, and our grades show which one is worth it.

  4. Step
    4

    Hand in the Articles of Organization

    To form the LLC, pay $200 and give the Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f) to the New York Secretary of State; the authority is NY Limited Liability Company Law § 203.

    Where this comes from: Checked against dos.ny.gov, October 2026

  5. Step
    5

    Take care of New York's extra requirement

    • Publication: within 120 days, a notice runs for six weeks in two county newspapers (the papers set their own charges), then a Certificate of Publication is filed for $50.
    • Tax Department LLC fee (Form IT-204-LL): $25 a year for a single-member LLC with New York-source income; partnership LLCs pay more.

    Where this comes from: Checked against tax.ny.gov, October 2026

  6. Step
    6

    Get the company a tax ID (EIN)

    After the state approves your LLC, apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number; banks and payroll companies ask for it. Mainstay Filing includes the EIN application in its yearly price.

  7. Step
    7

    Sign an operating agreement

    Think of the operating agreement as the LLC's rulebook: who owns what, kept by you and not sent to the state.

  8. Step
    8

    Keep the LLC active

    Mark the biennial statement on your calendar: $9, every two years, with the deadline during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years.

    Where this comes from: Checked against dos.ny.gov, October 2026

Costs, step by step

Cost itemGoes toTotal
Filing the LLCState$200
Biennial statementState$9 every two years
Help from a serviceThe provider$199 in year one
State fees for three yearsState$209
State amounts come from New York's official schedules (see the references); service prices come from each company's site. The three-year state total adds the filing, the reports from year two and any yearly minimum tax.

How the grade worked out

Tuition over three years decided first place in New York. It is worth 32% of the grade, and the rest comes from homework the price handles, year-two price, fit with the state's lesson plan and pricing a beginner can read.

Paying New York Registered Agent.ai for three years adds up to $397, which is $200 below the Mainstay Filing total.

Common questions

What is the price of forming a New York LLC?

The state's fee is $200. Add $199 if a service files it for you.

Which form creates the LLC?

It is the Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f), and you hand it to the New York Secretary of State.

Is an agent for service of process required?

The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional.

What does New York require each year?

Expect to file the biennial statement every two years, paying $9 by the deadline: during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

The state takes filings directly from owners, so you can skip the service; expect $200 plus an agent for service of process.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

New York Registered Agent.ai first, then Mainstay Filing and NY Registered Agent.org; New York Registered Agent.ai leads on tuition over three years.

More lessons

Class references

  1. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations is covered in the official page at dos.ny.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
  2. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations is covered in the official page at filing.dos.ny.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
  3. New York report due date is covered in the official page at nysenate.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
  4. NY Limited Liability Company Law § 203 is covered in the official page at nysenate.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
  5. New York formation fee: Filing fee, official source is covered in the official page at dos.ny.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
  6. New York registered agent statute is covered in the official page at nysenate.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
  7. New York other cost: Publication, official source is covered in the official page at nysenate.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
  8. New York other cost: Certificate of Publication, official is covered in the official page at dos.ny.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
  9. New York other cost: Tax Department LLC fee is covered in the official page at tax.ny.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
  10. November 13, 2026: the pricing page for New York Registered Agent.ai
  11. November 13, 2026: the New York service page for Mainstay Filing
  12. November 13, 2026: the pricing page for NY Registered Agent.org