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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Chapter 1 · New York

New York LLC Formation Chapter (2026): 8 Sections and the 3 Best LLC Services

In 2026 the services this chapter recommends for forming an LLC in New York are Mainstay Filing ($199), NY Registered Agent.org ($199) and New York Registered Agent.ai ($199), best first. Definition to start: the filing fee is the $200 paid to New York. The 8 sections cover it and the biennial statement that comes after.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Key points

Charge at the filing office $200 dos.ny.gov, as published October 2026
Biennial statement $9 every 2 years Date due: during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years
State cost, years 1 to 3 $209 State charges only
Sections 8 In sequence

After this chapter you will understand

  • How an LLC is formed in New York
  • The agent for service of process requirement
  • How to remain in good standing
  • The recommendations and their reasons

New York: the ranked services

Ranked by the grading page: three-year cost (34%), paperwork completed (30%), second-year price, fit with New York rules and clarity of the price list.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one bill for filing and upkeep

Highest ranked
$199 a year plus the state fee ($399 due at checkout)

Mainstay Filing comes first. One annual payment, $199, completes the filing, the agent for service of process and the biennial statement; renewal is $199.

Three years cost $200 more than NY Registered Agent.org, yet this service completes more of the paperwork, and the ranking weighs that.

The biennial statement is handled too, with New York's $9 added at cost.

Price covers

  • Formation paperwork completed
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Biennial statement prepared and filed
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • Official fee with nothing added

Advantages

  • $199 every year
  • The EIN application is prepared as well
  • $199 annually, all inclusive

Limitations

  • $100 a year more than NY Registered Agent.org at renewal
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. NY Registered Agent.org: best for an economical New York start

New York specialist
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

NY Registered Agent.org is ranked second: $199 on top of the state fee, with the first year of agent service included, then $99 a year.

Set aside time for the biennial statement every two years; the price omits it.

Price covers

  • The New York formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • The first agent year is free
  • $99 a year after that
  • $199 to form

Limitations

  • The price does not cover filing the biennial statement
  • Help with the EIN is $99 more
Visit NY Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. New York Registered Agent.ai: best for another New York choice

New York specialist
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

New York Registered Agent.ai is ranked third: $199 on top of the state fee, with the first year of agent service included, then $99 a year.

Set aside time for the biennial statement every two years; the price omits it.

NY Registered Agent.org and this service cost the same.

Price covers

  • The New York formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • The first agent year is free
  • $99 a year after that
  • $199 to form

Limitations

  • The price does not cover filing the biennial statement
  • Help with the EIN is $99 more
Visit New York Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The New York rankings compared

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 NY Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit NY Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 New York Registered Agent.ai $199$99/yr$397 Visit New York Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Taken from each company's price page on November 13, 2026. Each row still owes New York's $200 fee.

The sections

  1. Section 1

    Choose a name that is available

    Check the name against the New York register kept by the New York Secretary of State; this avoids a rejected filing.

    It helps to have a fallback name ready.

  2. Section 2

    Designate the 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.

    Providing the agent for service of process is part of what each recommended service sells.

    Reference: nysenate.gov, as published October 2026

  3. Section 3

    Decide between self-filing and a service

    Without a service the charge is the state's $200. With a recommended service it grows by $199.

  4. Section 4

    Your paperwork here is the Articles of Organization

    Required: the Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f), the $200 fee, and delivery to the New York Secretary of State. Authority: NY Limited Liability Company Law § 203.

    Reference: dos.ny.gov, as published October 2026

  5. Section 5

    The New York extra step

    • 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.

    Reference: tax.ny.gov, as published October 2026

  6. Section 6

    Apply for a federal tax identification number

    With the state's approval in hand, the company can ask the IRS for a federal tax number; opening a business bank account depends on it. With Mainstay Filing this section is completed for you.

  7. Section 7

    Prepare an operating agreement

    Think of the operating agreement as the owners' written rules. The company keeps it; the state does not ask for a copy.

  8. Section 8

    Prepare for the second year

    In alternate years the LLC files the biennial statement and pays $9; the deadline is during the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years.

    Reference: dos.ny.gov, as published October 2026

New York costs by section

ItemPaid toPrice
Section on formation Paid to the state$200
Biennial statement Paid to the state$9 every two years
Optional service The service$199 initially
State fees across years one to three Paid to the state$209

Anything paid to New York is an official fee that can be verified in the bibliography. The three-year row combines the filing, two later reports and a minimum tax where one exists; service prices are not part of it.

Why the list is in this order

finished ahead of on chapters the price completes, which counts for 30%.

The biennial statement is due in New York every two years; a bundle that files it beat a lower price that leaves the filing with the reader.

Short answers

How much does it cost to file a new LLC in New York?

The state's fee is $200. Paid help raises the first-year bill by $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

The document to look for is the Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f); the New York Secretary of State receives it.

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?

Every two years the state expects the LLC's biennial statement, at $9, due 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 accepts filings directly from owners, so no service is needed: $200 plus an agent for service of process.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Mainstay Filing, NY Registered Agent.org and New York Registered Agent.ai, from the highest ranking to the lowest.

See also

Bibliography and primary texts

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