How to Start an LLC in Virginia
A clean Virginia registered agent setup for $99 per year. You get the office address on file, scanned legal mail, and compliance reminders ahead of state deadlines.
Forming a Virginia LLC condenses into one core filing, one agent on the record, and a manageable annual rhythm after that. $0 is what the state charges for the filing itself, a handful of business days is the usual processing time, and the rest is recurring upkeep. Below: every step, the all-in cost view, and what we handle if you'd rather not DIY.
File Your Virginia LLC — $199
For a flat $199, we prepare and submit your formation document to Virginia Secretary of State. Allow a handful of business days from filing to approval.
The Virginia LLC, Briefly Explained
LLCs give business owners a layer of protection: business debts and lawsuits generally stop at the business, not the owner. Among Virginia small business owners, the LLC is the entity of choice for solo founders, real estate investors, contractors, and independent contractors because the format combines real protection with low overhead.
What It Costs in Virginia
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Virginia Secretary of State) | $0 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Virginia LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $50/year (Annual Registration Fee) |
Our flat $199 is the filing service. The state fee goes to Virginia Secretary of State. RA product is a separate $99/year product.
Important Virginia-specific notes: Annual Registration Fee $50 (not a traditional yearly report). Due by last day of formation anniversary month. $25 late penalty. LLC automatically canceled if fee unpaid 3 months after due date. Filed with State Corporation Commission (SCC), not SoS.
How to Form Your Virginia LLC, Step by Step
1. Settle on a Compliant LLC Name
Two boxes to check for naming: the name must contain an LLC designator, and it must not conflict with any entity already registered with Virginia Secretary of State. Confirm the name is open with Virginia Secretary of State's entity search. Doing so first saves a rejected filing and the re-do fee.
Avoid name elements that suggest banking, insurance, or governmental ties. The state will bounce the filing if you use them without prior approval.
2. Assign a Virginia Registered Agent
Every LLC in Virginia needs a designated agent. That agent has to maintain a real street address inside Virginia and has to be available to accept official mail during the workday. Whatever address you put down for the agent is publicly visible through Virginia Secretary of State's entity search.
We act as the agent in Virginia for $99/year. We take the public-record slot so you don't have to.
3. Submit the Articles to Virginia Secretary of State
This is the official formation event: file the Articles of Organization with Virginia Secretary of State with payment of $0 to the state. The Articles capture the entity's legal name, the principal address, the RA's contact details, the management designation (member or manager managed), and organizer names.
Visit Virginia Secretary of State's online portal for online filing. It's faster, and increasingly the only practical channel.
Expect about a handful of business days for state processing. Rush processing may speed things up at additional cost.
4. Put Together an Operating Agreement
While Virginia doesn't make you file an operating agreement, you'll need one nearly every time the LLC interacts with a bank or a courtroom. Inside it: ownership percentages, profit-and-loss allocation, voting and management procedures, and exit rules for members. Without a written agreement, Virginia's default LLC rules apply — and those rules are generic, not tailored to your situation.
5. Obtain the Federal EIN
Your LLC's EIN operates as the federal-level identifier the IRS uses for the LLC. It's referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. EINs are free at IRS.gov. Ten minutes or so on the online form, and the number arrives on the spot.
Skip paying a middleman service for the EIN. The IRS application is free and takes ten or so minutes.
6. Maintain Compliance Going Forward
Formation is the start, not the finish. To keep the LLC compliant with the state with Virginia Secretary of State, you have to:
- Continuously maintain a current appointed agent at a physical Virginia address without interruption
- File the annual report filing each year on time
- Run the LLC with a strict divide between LLC and personal money (separate banking and separate ledgers)
- Handle tax obligations across the federal level as well as state level on schedule
Missed obligations can lead to dissolution at Virginia Secretary of State's discretion — at which point the liability shield is gone until you reinstate.
Let us file? $199 once, we handle preparation and submission for the Virginia LLC.
The Registered Agent Requirement
All Virginia LLCs must maintain a RA. It's a statutory requirement, not a recommendation. The agent has to:
- Have in the state's records an in-state Virginia street address (P.O. Box-only setups don't work)
- Be available during the regular workday to take legal correspondence and lawsuits
- Pass along legal mail and state notices promptly enough to maintain response windows open
Naming yourself as agent works legally but ends up publishing your address. It then appears in Virginia Secretary of State's public filings, searchable by anyone.
Our agent service runs $99 per year in Virginia. The agent on the public record is us, not you.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Virginia?
Forming the LLC runs $0 in-state fees. That's well below the national average. Beyond formation, the annual report comes to $50/year (Annual Registration Fee).
How long does it take to form an LLC in Virginia?
Standard processing in Virginia takes about a handful of business days.
Does Virginia require an annual report?
Yes. The state report fee is $50/year (Annual Registration Fee).
Do I need a registered agent for my Virginia LLC?
Yes. The Virginia agent requirement is unconditional — a registered agent based at an in-state address.
Can I form an LLC in Virginia if I live in another state?
Yes. You'll still need a Virginia agent in the state's records — our $99/year service handles that part. There's no Virginia residency requirement to launch an LLC here.
File Your Virginia LLC Today
Virginia allows direct filing through Virginia Secretary of State at Virginia Secretary of State's online portal. $0 is paid to Virginia Secretary of State, a registered agent must still be on file.
We're the registered agent that goes on your formation document. Pricing: $99/year — your filing carries our Virginia address, mail is scanned and forwarded the day it arrives, and we ping you before every compliance date.
Need only a registered agent? The standalone registered agent plan is $99 annually.
Questions about Virginia LLC formation or how the agent service works? Visit our FAQ page or reach out any weekday.
Ready to get started?
Begin coverage today — the annual rate funds office address, scanning, and reminders. No extras tacked on.