Step by step · Delaware
3 Best LLC Services in Delaware (2026): What You Get
The gist
- What the state charges to file
- $110, at filing only
- What recurs
- $400 per year
- Registered agent
- Yes, by law
- Who we recommend
- Mainstay Filing, Delaware Registered Agent.ai then DE Registered Agent.org
Delaware: the ranked picks
Prices come from each company's own pricing page. The ranking is explained on how we pick.1. Mainstay Filing: best for knowing the yearly bill in advance
$199 a year, with the $110 state fee on top
Why Mainstay Filing? $199 a year covers the formation, the registered agent and every annual tax.
The extra $200 compared with Delaware Registered Agent.ai covers jobs you would otherwise do yourself.
Annual LLC Tax filing is part of the service; the only addition is the state's $400.
Includes
- Formation, filed by Mainstay
- Registered agent throughout the year
- Annual tax taken care of for you
- The EIN application
- State fees billed at cost
Points in its favor
- Takes care of the EIN application
- $199 annually for everything listed
- Costs $199 when it renews
Where it falls short
- Carries a $100 annual premium over Delaware Registered Agent.ai
2. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for keeping three-year cost down
$199 plus the state fee, followed by $99 a year
Our second recommendation, Delaware Registered Agent.ai, earns it since it charges $199 to form the LLC, with the agent included in year one, then $99 a year.
You need to set aside time for the Annual LLC Tax, because it is not included.
Includes
- State filing done for you
- A first year of agent service
Points in its favor
- Forms the LLC for $199
- The agent renews at $99
- Year-one agent service is included
Where it falls short
- Nothing in the price touches the Annual LLC Tax
- An EIN application is $99 more
3. DE Registered Agent.org: best for owners comfortable doing their own reports
$199 plus the state fee, followed by $99 a year
Our third recommendation, DE Registered Agent.org, earns it since it charges $199 to form the LLC, with the agent included in year one, then $99 a year.
You need to set aside time for the Annual LLC Tax, because it is not included.
With the same prices as Delaware Registered Agent.ai, this is a near tie.
Includes
- State filing done for you
- A first year of agent service
Points in its favor
- Year-one agent service is included
- The agent renews at $99
- Forms the LLC for $199
Where it falls short
- Nothing in the price touches the Annual LLC Tax
- An EIN application is $99 more
How they stack up
| # | Provider | Opening price | Each year after | Total, 3 years | What you get | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199/yr | $597 | Formation, filed by Mainstay; registered agent throughout the year; annual tax taken care of for you | Learn more at Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Delaware Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | state filing done for you; A first year of agent service | Learn more at Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | DE Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | state filing done for you; A first year of agent service | Learn more at DE Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The questions, one by one
How much does it cost to start an LLC here?
Set aside $110 for the state and $199 for a service.
Add the state's three years of fees, from filing onward, and you reach $910. delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
Where does the formation paperwork go?
You submit one document, the Certificate of Formation of a Limited Liability Company, to the Delaware Secretary of State.
Read the law: 6 Del. C. § 18-201. delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
Does the state insist on a registered agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
The LLC itself, a Delaware resident, or a business entity formed in Delaware or authorized to do business there.
delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
What do I owe after the LLC is formed?
Keep up with the Annual LLC Tax each year ($400). According to the state, it is due annual alternative-entity tax due on or before June 1, which is easy to miss.
Filing late carries a $200 penalty.
legis.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
Can I skip the service?
Yes. Doing it yourself costs only the state's fees, $910 over three years.
Hiring one adds $397 to $597 across three years.
What put number one on top?
Mainstay Filing scores best on how much work the price handles, worth 28% of our ranking.
What three years cost carries 34% and how much work the price handles carries 28%. Three smaller criteria decide close calls.
We give weight to a report that gets filed on time, so the bundle ranks first.
Checklist for Delaware, with sources
| Item | Detail | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $110 | delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026 |
| Registered agent | Yes, by law | delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026 |
| Annual LLC Tax | $400 every year | legis.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026 |
| What the state collects in three years | $910 | Our total of the rows above |
FAQ
Will they apply for my EIN?
Applying for an EIN costs $99 with Delaware Registered Agent.ai or $99 with DE Registered Agent.org, and nothing extra with Mainstay Filing.
Is there a penalty for a late report?
Delaware adds $200.
How much is each one after three years?
Mainstay Filing: $597 | Delaware Registered Agent.ai: $397 | DE Registered Agent.org: $397, and state fees come extra.
What are your sources?
Delaware's official documents supply the state fees, and the companies' price pages supply the service fees.
Is a service required?
Not required. Services charge to do the paperwork for you.
What is the best LLC service for Delaware?
Mainstay Filing, because it files the annual tax for you, which none of the others do, for $199 a year. Then Delaware Registered Agent.ai and DE Registered Agent.org.
Documents and pricing pages behind this page
- Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, found at corp.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
- Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, found at corp.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
- Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, found at legis.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
- Delaware report due date, found at delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed August 2026
- 6 Del, found at delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed August 2026
- Delaware registered agent statute, found at delcode.delaware.gov, confirmed October 2026
- Fetched November 13, 2026: the Mainstay Filing Delaware service page
- Fetched November 13, 2026: the Delaware Registered Agent.ai pricing page
- Fetched November 13, 2026: the DE Registered Agent.org pricing page