Sign in Start free

How to start an LLC in Virginia

Every step to form your LLC in Virginia, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.

Filing fee
$100
Regular report
$50
What you file
Articles of Organization
Where
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)

Get the free checklist It follows these steps with you, for your business, and keeps track of what's done.

What an LLC costs in Virginia

Filing Articles of Organization with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)$100
The regular report that keeps it in good standing$50
An EIN from the IRSFree
A registered agentFree if you're your own; a service charges a yearly fee

The state's fees only. Card or handling fees, a registered agent service, local licenses and taxes come on top where they apply. Checked against official sources on September 30, 2026. It's general information, not legal or tax advice.

Step by step

In the order most owners do them. Each step says where it happens and links to the official page.

  1. With the state

    Check your name is free

    Search the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)'s business records to check no business already uses your name, or one too close to it. An LLC's name must also end with "LLC" or a similar ending.

    Search business names (opens the official site)

  2. Your records

    Choose a registered agent

    In Virginia, the registered agent must be either a Virginia resident who is a member, manager or officer of the LLC (for a corporation, an officer or director) or a member of the Virginia State Bar, or a business entity authorized to do business in Virginia. The agent's business office must be the registered office address.

  3. With the state

    File your Articles of Organization

    File them with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), online through its Clerk's Information System (CIS) with an account on their site. The state's fee is $100. Once they're filed, your business exists.

    File online (opens the official site)

  4. Your records

    Write an operating agreement

    It sets out who owns the LLC, how decisions are made and what happens if someone leaves. It isn't filed with the state: keep it with your records. A lawyer can help you write one.

  5. With the IRS

    Get an EIN from the IRS

    An Employer Identification Number is your business's tax number, for taxes, hiring and a bank account. Apply once your Articles of Organization are filed. It's free from the IRS: with a Social Security number or ITIN, you can apply on the IRS's own site and get it at once. Watch out for look-alike sites that charge for it.

    Apply for an EIN on IRS.gov (opens the official site)

  6. With the state

    Register for state taxes

    If you'll sell taxable goods or services, or hire employees, register your business with the Virginia Department of Taxation (Virginia Tax); new businesses register online. Employers also register with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) for unemployment insurance.

    Register for state taxes (opens the official site)

  7. City or county

    Check local licenses and permits

    Most businesses in Virginia need a local business license from the city or county where they operate; the SCC doesn't issue them and points to your local Commissioner of the Revenue. Some businesses, such as contractors, insurance agencies and real estate agents, also need an industry license or permit, and your locality may need zoning approval.

    Find your local requirements (opens the official site)

  8. Your records

    Open a business bank account

    Keep the business's money apart from your own: it keeps your records clear at tax time, and keeps the LLC separate from you. Banks usually ask for your filed Articles of Organization and your EIN.

  9. With the state

    Put the annual registration fee in your calendar

    Every LLC in Virginia pays an annual registration fee of $50 to the SCC each year by the last day of the month it was formed, starting the year after it's formed. A late payment adds a $25 penalty, and the SCC cancels an LLC that hasn't paid by the last day of the third month after the due date.

    About annual reports (opens the official site)

Questions about an LLC in Virginia

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Virginia?

The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $100. To stay in good standing, it also files a regular report, which costs $50. An EIN from the IRS is free.

Does Virginia require a yearly report for an LLC?

Yes. Virginia asks every LLC for a regular report to stay in good standing. It costs $50, and the step below says when it's due and where to file it.

Can I form an LLC in Virginia myself?

Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) and pay the state's fee, and the steps above show where. You don't need a lawyer, though one can advise on your situation. PressUp's free checklist follows these steps with you.

Is this legal or tax advice?

No. PressUp isn't a law firm or an accountant. This guide is general information from Virginia's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Where this comes from

Virginia's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:

LLC guides for other states