Forming an LLC in Vermont
We form your Vermont LLC: $199 + $155 Vermont state filing fee = $354 due today. Registered agent service: first year included with your LLC, then $99/year.
Putting a Vermont LLC on the books is less complicated than people fear. One document, one fee, one agent, and a short yearly upkeep list. The official Vermont filing fee is $155, the whole thing is filed online through the Secretary of State's system, and after that you settle into an annual compliance rhythm. Below: the full sequence, the dollar amounts, and where we come in.
Have Us Set Up Your Vermont LLC ($199)
We package the documents and file them with the Vermont Secretary of State for $199, plus the state's $155 fee. You get the filing handled, and our registered agent service covers the agent requirement from day one, free for the first year.
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$199 + $155 Vermont state filing fee = $354 due today
The Case for a Vermont LLC
The LLC structure exists so small operations can have asset protection without the overhead of running a corporation. Across Vermont, the LLC is the entity of choice for solo founders, real estate investors, contractors, and freelancers because the format combines real protection with a light administrative load.
Vermont LLC Filing Fee: $155
The official state fee for Articles of Organization is $155, set by the fee authority in 11 V.S.A. § 4012. A lot of older guides still say $125; that number is out of date, so budget for $155. Here is the full money picture:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| Vermont Articles of Organization (state fee) | $155 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Vermont LLC) | Year one included; $99/year after |
| Vermont annual report (state fee) | $45/year |
The $199 is paid to us. The $155 goes to the Vermont Secretary of State. Registered agent service rides along at no cost through the LLC's first anniversary and renews at $99 annually. And once the LLC exists, Vermont expects a $45 annual report within three months after your fiscal year ends, which is the January 1 to March 31 window for calendar-year companies.
Articles of Organization: Vermont's Formation Document
Vermont's formation document is called the Articles of Organization, authorized by 11 V.S.A. § 4023. There is no form number to hunt for. The state retired its old paper form (the legacy "LLC-1(D)") and now takes formations through the Secretary of State's Online Business Service Center, so this is an online filing rather than an online-or-mail choice. Filing online carries no extra charge.
The statute spells out what the Articles must contain: "the name of the company," "the address of the initial designated office," and "the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process." The online filing walks you through those items along with your management structure and organizer information.
The Steps to Form a Vermont LLC
- Name your Vermont LLC. The name needs an LLC suffix and has to be clearly different from anything already on record with the state. Run the Secretary of State's online entity search before you file, and skip names that sound like a bank, insurance carrier, or government office unless you hold the license to back it up.
- Appoint a registered agent. Every Vermont LLC must continuously maintain an agent with a street and mailing address in the state: a Vermont resident, or a business authorized here other than the LLC itself. Whatever name and address you list becomes public. Our office fills this role (no charge the year we form your LLC, $99 a year after) so your own address stays out of the record.
- File the Articles of Organization online. Submit through the Secretary of State's Online Business Service Center and pay the $155 state fee. You will provide the LLC name, the designated office address, the agent's name and street address, the member- or manager-managed choice, and the organizer information. The Secretary of State says online filing normally takes less than 1 business day, and the portal shows your filing's status as it moves.
- Prepare an operating agreement. Vermont will not ask you to file one, but banks, courts, and your own members will ask to see it. It should cover ownership percentages, profit and loss allocation, voting, and exit rules. Without one, Vermont's default LLC statute fills the gaps, and those defaults can surprise you.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. The EIN is the IRS's tracking number for your LLC, referenced by banks and payroll services. Apply free at IRS.gov; the number is issued as soon as you finish the short application. Paid EIN services add nothing.
- Keep the LLC compliant. Maintain the agent appointment at a Vermont street address for the life of the company, file the $45 annual report inside your three-month window, keep LLC money separate from personal money, and stay current on federal and Vermont taxes.
Falling behind on the upkeep items can end in administrative dissolution by the Secretary of State, and a dissolved LLC offers no liability protection. Done filing things yourself? $199 hands the Vermont filing to our team.
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$199 + $155 Vermont state filing fee = $354 due today
The Registered Agent Piece
Every LLC formed in Vermont carries a continuous registered agent obligation, with no carve-outs. The agent must keep a Vermont street address (a post office box alone is not acceptable), accept service of process there, and pass along legal mail and state notices fast enough to keep your response windows open.
Privacy is often part of why people form an LLC in the first place, yet the agent listing is open to anyone with internet access. Our plan covers the agent role in Vermont (first year included when we file, $99/year after), so the name on the public record is ours, not yours.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Vermont?
The official Vermont filing fee is $155 for the Articles of Organization. After formation, the annual report runs $45 per year, and a registered agent must stay on file.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Vermont?
Online filing normally takes less than 1 business day, per the Secretary of State. Mailed filings need 7 to 10 business days, and you can watch the status in the portal.
Does Vermont require an annual report?
Yes, every year. The state fee is $45, due within three months after your LLC's fiscal year ends. Calendar-year companies file between January 1 and March 31.
Do I need a registered agent for my Vermont LLC?
Yes. The Vermont agent requirement is unconditional: a registered agent with a Vermont street address, on file for as long as the LLC exists.
Can I form an LLC in Vermont if I live in another state?
Yes. Non-residents can form Vermont LLCs without any extra steps. You will still need a Vermont agent on file, and our agent service takes care of that, with a free first year for formation clients.
Get Your Vermont LLC Filed
The DIY path runs through the Secretary of State's Online Business Service Center, with $155 as the official state filing fee. A registered agent on file is non-negotiable either way.
Use our registered agent service and put our information on the formation document. Once the complimentary opening year ends, $99 annually gets you a Vermont agent address, same-day scanning of court and state mail, and proactive deadline reminders.
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$199 + $155 Vermont state filing fee = $354 due today
Just the agent, no formation? Our separate agent product carries a $99/year price.
More questions about launching an LLC in Vermont or how our service handles the agent role? Browse our FAQ or use the contact form.
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