In Virginia, LLCs are formed with the State Corporation Commission (SCC), not a Secretary of State. You file Articles of Organization (LLC-1011), preferably online through the SCC’s Clerk’s Information System, and pay a $100 fee set by Va. Code § 13.1-1005 as of October 2026.
Instead of an annual report, Virginia LLCs pay a $50 annual registration fee by the last day of their anniversary month, starting the year after formation. Miss it by three months and the LLC is canceled automatically, so that date matters more here than in most states.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Virginia (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming an LLC in Virginia, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Virginia registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | VA Registered Agent.org | Virginia registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Virginia. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. VA Registered Agent.org
VA Registered Agent.org is a Virginia registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Virginia LLC at a glance (October 2026)
| Item | Virginia |
|---|---|
| Filing office | State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk |
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (LLC-1011) |
| Filing fee | $100 (Va. Code § 13.1-1005) |
| How to file | Online through CIS (preferred), or on paper |
| Annual obligation | $50 annual registration fee; no informational annual report |
| Due date | Last day of the anniversary month, starting the year after formation |
| Late payment | $25 penalty; automatic cancellation if unpaid 3 months after the due date |
| Registered agent change | No fee |
| Name reservation | $10 |
Step 1: Choose your Virginia LLC name
Your LLC name must include a designator identifying it as a limited liability company, such as “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company,” and it must be distinguishable from names already on the SCC’s records. Search entity names in CIS before filing. A name reservation costs $10 under Va. Code § 13.1-1005.
Our Virginia business name search guide explains the search. Then check whether the domain and social handles are available with Namechk, use the business name generator for alternatives, and search the USPTO trademark database.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Virginia is more specific than most states about who can be a registered agent. Under Va. Code § 13.1-1015, the agent must be one of the following:
- A Virginia resident who is a member or manager of the LLC (or holds a similar role in an entity that is a member or manager)
- A Virginia resident who is an officer of the LLC
- A Virginia resident who is a member of the Virginia State Bar
- A corporation, LLC or registered LLP authorized to do business in Virginia
A friend or relative who has no role in the LLC cannot serve. The LLC must keep a registered office in Virginia that matches the agent’s business office, and the LLC cannot be its own agent. Changing your agent later through CIS has no SCC fee.
Mainstay Filing includes a Virginia registered agent for the first year as part of its formation service. If you only need an agent, VA Registered Agent.org offers one for a flat $99 per year.
Step 3: File Articles of Organization (LLC-1011)
The SCC prefers online filing through the Clerk’s Information System, where you create an account, complete the Articles of Organization and pay the $100 fee. Card payments carry a processor convenience fee. The paper LLC-1011 form is also available from the SCC’s forms and fees page.
Under Va. Code § 13.1-1010 and the related form, the articles include the LLC name, the registered agent and the agent’s qualification, the registered office address including the county or independent city, the principal office address, and the organizer’s signature.
For a full cost comparison, see the Virginia LLC cost guide from Mainstay Filing.
Step 4: Write an operating agreement
Virginia does not require you to file an operating agreement with the SCC. You should still have one that sets ownership percentages, management roles, profit distributions and exit terms.
If you have co-owners, spell out how new members can be admitted and how a departing member is paid out. Those are the questions that most often cause disputes in small LLCs.
An operating agreement also documents who the members and managers are, which matters in Virginia because the registered agent rules depend on those roles.
Step 5: Get an EIN and register with Virginia Tax
Apply for a free EIN with the IRS. If you will sell taxable goods or services or have employees, register with Virginia Tax for sales tax and withholding accounts before you start.
Federally, a single-member LLC is a disregarded entity and a multi-member LLC a partnership by default, with profits reported on the owners’ returns unless the LLC elects corporate treatment.
Step 6: Pay the $50 annual registration fee
Virginia LLCs do not file an informational annual report. Their annual obligation, under Va. Code § 13.1-1062, is a flat $50 registration fee due by the last day of the month in which the LLC was organized, every year after the year of formation.
You can pay through CIS or by mailing the assessment statement the SCC sends. If you miss the due date, a $25 penalty is added. If the fee is still unpaid by the last day of the third month after the due date, the LLC’s existence is canceled automatically by operation of law.
The SCC mails an assessment statement before the due date, but the obligation applies whether or not you receive it. Set a recurring reminder for the end of your anniversary month, and keep the email address in your CIS account current so notices reach you.
Paying the fee does not update your company’s details. To change your registered agent or office, file a separate statement of change in CIS.
Step 7: Licenses and permits
Virginia has no general statewide business license, but most counties and cities issue local business licenses, often under the local Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax, and many trades and professions are licensed by state boards. Local rules and thresholds vary, so ask the commissioner of the revenue where you operate.
Check with your locality before opening. Our guide to starting a business in Virginia walks through licensing, insurance and banking.
Virginia LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Virginia?
The Virginia State Corporation Commission charges $100 to file Articles of Organization as of October 2026, under Va. Code § 13.1-1005. After formation, the LLC pays a $50 annual registration fee each year. A name reservation costs $10, and changing your registered agent has no SCC fee.
Does a Virginia LLC file an annual report?
No. Virginia LLCs do not file an informational annual report. Instead they pay a $50 annual registration fee to the State Corporation Commission by the last day of their anniversary month each year, starting the year after formation. Corporations, by contrast, do file annual reports.
What happens if I do not pay the Virginia annual registration fee?
A $25 penalty is added if the $50 fee is not paid by the due date. If the fee remains unpaid by the last day of the third month after the due date, the LLC is automatically canceled by operation of law and would need to be reinstated.
Who can be a registered agent for a Virginia LLC?
Under Va. Code § 13.1-1015, the agent must be a Virginia resident who is a member, manager or officer of the LLC, a Virginia resident who belongs to the Virginia State Bar, or a business entity authorized in Virginia. An unrelated individual without one of those roles cannot serve.
Where do I file an LLC in Virginia?
Virginia LLCs are filed with the State Corporation Commission, not a Secretary of State. The SCC prefers online filing through its Clerk’s Information System at cis.scc.virginia.gov, where you file Articles of Organization (LLC-1011), pay the $100 fee and later pay the annual registration fee.
Can I pay the Virginia annual registration fee online?
Yes. Log in to the State Corporation Commission’s Clerk’s Information System (CIS), find your LLC and pay the $50 fee by card or eCheck; the payment processor adds a convenience fee. You can also mail a check with the assessment statement the SCC sends before the due date.
Does Virginia require an operating agreement?
Virginia does not require LLCs to file an operating agreement with the State Corporation Commission. It is still recommended, because it sets ownership, management and profit-sharing rules, identifies members and managers, and is commonly requested by banks. It also helps show the LLC is separate from its owners.
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