A Massachusetts LLC costs $500 in state fees to form and $500 every year for the annual report (c. 156C, § 12). With our Starter package the first year is $649, or $848 with our resident agent. Each later year is the $500 report plus the agent, and $149 if we file the report. Online filings also carry the Division's published processing charge, passed through at cost.
M.G.L. c. 156C, § 12Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionMassachusetts General Laws chapters 156C, 156D, 180 and 110 and the Corporations Division Filing Fees page reviewed November 11, 2026. Confirm current fees with the Secretary of the Commonwealth before filing.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
- Filed with the Massachusetts Corporations Division
- We track your Massachusetts annual report
- Cited to M.G.L. chapters 156C and 156D
- Talk to a filer: (386) 465-3937
The forks in the road.
Annual report
$500 every year on the anniversary of the filing date.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionOur packages
Starter $149, Pro $299 (adds EIN, operating agreement, calendar), Complete $399 (adds first-year agent). Totals with the state fee: $649, $799, $899.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionProcessing charge
The Division adds $20 to a $500 online or fax order and 4.5 percent above $500. We show it as its own line at cost.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionOptional
$30 name reservation, $25 good standing certificate, $79 kit, $199 agent if not in your package.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionWhat to have ready
- Decide Starter, Pro or Complete
- Decide whether you need our resident agent
- Budget the $500 state fee
- Put the $500 annual report in next year's budget
- Ask whether you need a certified copy or good standing for the bank
- Plan local permits and any business certificate
How Much Does an LLC Cost in Massachusetts? Year One and Every Year After
How Much Does an LLC Cost in Massachusetts? Year One and Every Year After
Massachusetts LLC and corporation cost calculator
Corporations Division fee (at cost)
$500.00
Our service fee
$149.00
Agent and kit
$199.00
First-year total
$848.00
Next year the LLC files a $500 annual report on the anniversary of its filing date. When we file online, the Division's electronic processing charge is added at cost as its own line.
Start with these options0 / 6 complete
Year one, three ways
Starter: $149 plus the $500 certificate fee, $649. Add our resident agent for $199 if you do not have a qualifying Massachusetts agent, for $848. Pro: $299 plus $500, $799, with the EIN, operating agreement and compliance calendar included. Complete: $399 plus $500, $899, which also includes the first year of our agent. The Division's online processing charge of $20 on a $500 order appears as its own line when it applies.
Source: malegislature.gov
Every year after
The recurring state cost is the $500 annual report. If you keep our agent and let us file the report, a typical Massachusetts LLC spends $500 plus $199 plus $149, or $848 a year. Filing the report yourself keeps the state side at $500. There is no separate franchise tax for an LLC taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity, but income still flows to the owners' returns.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Costs people forget
Business certificates for trade names are filed with each city or town where you have an office, and fees vary: $65 in Boston, $50 in Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge, $100 in Lowell. Professional licenses, board of health permits and zoning approvals are local and separate. A certificate of good standing for a bank is $25 for an LLC.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
When a corporation is cheaper
A corporation costs $275 to form and $100 a year online, so over five years the Secretary's fees total $675 versus $2,500 for an LLC. The corporation pays at least the $456 corporate excise each year, and it carries more formalities. If you plan to elect S corporation tax treatment anyway, run both numbers with your accountant.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Massachusetts law and Corporations Division rules behind this.
| Topic | Massachusetts rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Formation fee | $500 for the Certificate of Organization (c. 156C, § 12). | M.G.L. c. 156C, § 12 |
| Annual report | $500 every year on the anniversary of the filing date. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Our packages | Starter $149, Pro $299 (adds EIN, operating agreement, calendar), Complete $399 (adds first-year agent). Totals with the state fee: $649, $799, $899. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Processing charge | The Division adds $20 to a $500 online or fax order and 4.5 percent above $500. We show it as its own line at cost. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Optional | $30 name reservation, $25 good standing certificate, $79 kit, $199 agent if not in your package. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
Related Massachusetts reading.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
What Massachusetts owners ask us
No reduced LLC fee exists. Some owners choose a corporation, which costs $275 to form and $100 a year online, but it pays the corporate excise minimum of $456.
M.G.L. c. 63, § 39Chapter 156C does not create a protected series LLC like some states do, so plan on separate LLCs for separate ventures.
M.G.L. c. 156C, § 12If the Division rejects a name, we pick a new one with you and refile at no extra service fee.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionYes. Corp USA prepares and submits your Massachusetts filing with the Corporations Division for you. The state fee is passed through at cost and our service fee is shown separately at checkout, so you never have to work through the state's filing system yourself.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division