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The essentials · Virginia

2 Best LLC Services in Virginia (2026), Kept Simple

Virginia, 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199) and VA Registered Agent.org ($199), first to last, are the LLC formation services we recommend. The state charges $100. Services cost $397 to $597 over three years.
Charter Simple editors

At a glance

State fee
$100, one time
Afterward
$50 yearly
Registered agent
Yes, it is required
Ranked first
Mainstay Filing then VA Registered Agent.org

Ranked in Virginia

Why this order? The checks are explained here.
1 Ranked first

1. Mainstay Filing: best for handing off upkeep

$199 a year. $100 to the state

Mainstay Filing ranks first in Virginia. One yearly price, $199, includes formation, the registered agent and every annual registration fee.

VA Registered Agent.org saves $200 over three years. The difference pays for the extra jobs covered here.

It files the Annual Registration Fee. The state's $50 is passed on at cost.

Includes

  • The formation filing
  • Registered agent all year
  • Annual registration fee filed for you
  • EIN application
  • State fees at cost

Good

  • $199 yearly, all included
  • Renews at $199
  • The EIN application costs nothing extra

Against

  • Renews $100 higher than VA Registered Agent.org
2 Virginia only

2. VA Registered Agent.org: best for a one-state LLC

Form for $199. Renew at $99

VA Registered Agent.org takes second place because forming costs $199 with the agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.

The price leaves out the Annual Registration Fee.

Includes

  • The LLC, filed
  • Agent for year one

Good

  • Renewal $99
  • The first agent year is included
  • $199 to form the LLC

Against

  • The Annual Registration Fee is a task you keep
  • EIN not included ($99)

Side by side

#NameYear oneRenewalThree yearsIncludes
1 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597the formation filing; registered agent all year; annual registration fee filed for you Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 VA Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397The LLC, filed; agent for year one Visit VA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's fees are in the table below.

Key questions

How much to start an LLC in this state?

The state charges $100. A service adds $199 in year one.

With the recurring report, state fees reach $200 in three years. from law.lis.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short

Which form, and where?

The Articles of Organization of a Virginia Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1011) goes to the State Corporation Commission (SCC). Approval creates the LLC.

Law: Va. Code § 13.1-1010. from law.lis.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short

Must the LLC name a registered agent?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

A Virginia resident who is a member, manager or officer of the LLC (or of an entity that manages it) or a member of the Virginia State Bar, or a corporation, LLC or registered LLP authorized in Virginia.

from law.lis.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short

What comes after formation?

Expect the Annual Registration Fee every year, $50. Its date, set by the state, reads last day of the LLC's anniversary month, which you should keep in view.

A late filing adds $25.

from scc.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short

Can I file it myself?

Yes. Filing yourself costs the state's fees only: $200 over three years.

Services charge $397 to $597 over three years for the paperwork and the agent.

Why this order?

Mainstay Filing scores best on work included, which is 27% of the score.

Two checks carry most of the weight: three-year cost (38%) and work included (27%).

VA Registered Agent.org costs less. You would still file the Annual Registration Fee.

Method

What Virginia requires to form an LLC

RequirementDetailSource
Fee to form$100from law.lis.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short
Registered agentYes, it is requiredfrom law.lis.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short
Annual Registration Fee$50 every yearfrom scc.virginia.gov, October 2026, kept short
Three-year state total$200The rows above, added
The last row adds the filing fee, the reports in years two and three, and any minimum tax. A cost with no fixed amount, such as a newspaper notice, is left out.

Questions

Is the EIN application included?

Add-on prices for the EIN application: $99 from VA Registered Agent.org. Mainstay Filing includes it.

What if the report is late?

A late report costs $25 more.

What are the three-year totals?

Across three years: Mainstay Filing at $597, VA Registered Agent.org at $397, before state fees.

Where do the figures come from?

Official Virginia sources for the state side. Published prices for the service side.

Must I use a service?

Not required. The state takes filings from owners.

Which ranks first in Virginia?

Mainstay Filing, because the annual registration fee is filed within the $199 annual price, along with formation and the registered agent. Then VA Registered Agent.org.

References

  1. Charter Simple keeps Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing on file from law.lis.virginia.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  2. Charter Simple keeps Virginia yearly filing: Recurring filing on file from scc.virginia.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  3. Charter Simple keeps Va on file from law.lis.virginia.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
  4. Charter Simple keeps Virginia formation fee: Filing fee on file from law.lis.virginia.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  5. Charter Simple keeps Virginia registered agent statute on file from law.lis.virginia.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
  6. The Mainstay Filing Virginia service page, on November 13, 2026
  7. The VA Registered Agent.org pricing page, on November 13, 2026