The state charges the same either way. The Department of State's page on forming an LLC in New York lists a $200 fee to file the Articles of Organization and a $50 fee to file the Certificate of Publication. It also says an LLC that does not complete publication within 120 days has its authority to do business suspended. A service cannot get you a different or faster filing from the state. What you are buying is someone else handling the paperwork.
ZenBusiness pricing for 2026 is Starter at $0 plus the state fee, Pro at $199 a year, and Premium at $299 a year. Its registered agent is a separate $199 a year on every tier, including Premium. That price drops to $99 for the first year if you form with them. In New York, the Articles designate the Secretary of State to receive legal papers for the LLC, so many owners can treat a paid agent as optional.
The largest variable is newspaper publication. That cost is not a state fee and the state does not publish a figure for it. Before you buy any package, check whether it covers publication.
File it yourself if you are comfortable with an online state form and will track the 120-day publication deadline and later filings on your own. Choose ZenBusiness if you would rather not handle those steps and its package contents match work you would otherwise do by hand.
New York LLC fees and requirements
| Item | Amount or requirement | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization filing fee | $200.00 | NY Department of State, Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York |
| County designation | Articles must name a county. NYC boroughs map to counties: Manhattan is New York County, Brooklyn is Kings, Queens is Queens, the Bronx is Bronx, Staten Island is Richmond | NY Department of State, Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York |
| Publication deadline | Complete within 120 days, or authority to do business is suspended | NY Department of State, Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York |
| Certificate of Publication filing fee | $50.00 | NY Department of State, Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York |
| Newspaper publication cost | Not a state fee. Varies, so no figure is stated here | NY Department of State, Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York (describes the requirement) |
| Biennial Statement fee | $9.00 | NY Department of State, Biennial Statements |
| Annual filing fee, Form IT-204-LL | $25 minimum, up to $4,500, based on New York source gross income | NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, Annual filing fee |
| EIN | $0 from the IRS, after the entity is formed | IRS, Get an Employer Identification Number |
| Federal BOI reporting | US-formed companies are exempt | FinCEN, Beneficial Ownership Information |
| NY LLC Transparency Act | Applies only to LLCs formed under a foreign country's law. US-formed LLCs are not required to file | NY Department of State, Beneficial Owner Disclosure |
What filing it yourself involves
Filing yourself starts with the Articles of Organization. You submit them to the Department of State and pay the $200 fee. The Articles must designate a county, which confuses many New York City founders: a Brooklyn LLC lists Kings County, and a Manhattan LLC lists New York County.
After the Articles are accepted, you complete the publication requirement the Department of State describes. You then file the Certificate of Publication for $50, all within the 120-day window. The IRS says to form the entity with the state before applying for an EIN. The EIN is free when you get it directly from the IRS, and the IRS warns against paying a third party for one.
None of these steps needs a lawyer or a service. What they need is attention, especially to the publication deadline, because missing it suspends the LLC's authority to do business.
The publication requirement is the real cost question
Publication is where New York differs from most states, and it is the cost this page cannot give you a number for. The state does not set or publish what newspapers charge, and the amount varies. Any figure you see quoted as "the" New York publication cost is an estimate, not a published fee.
The ZenBusiness prices above do not include a publication figure. Before paying, check ZenBusiness's New York offering to see whether newspaper costs are included or billed separately. Either way, a service coordinating the newspapers does not change the $50 state fee for the Certificate of Publication or the 120-day deadline.
What ZenBusiness adds, and what it costs
ZenBusiness makes the most sense when you would rather not deal with state forms and deadlines yourself. The difference in cost over doing it yourself depends on the tier you choose and whether you add the registered agent:
- Starter: adds $0 over doing it yourself.
- Starter plus registered agent: adds $99 in year one, then $199 a year.
- Premium plus registered agent: adds $398 in year one ($299 plus $99), then $498 a year.
What each tier includes is set out on ZenBusiness's LLC page. It is worth reading that page against the list of tasks above, so you only pay for work you would not otherwise do.
The registered agent deserves a careful look. It is priced separately on every tier, including Premium. Because New York's Articles designate the Secretary of State to receive legal papers, many owners do not need a paid agent. Others choose one so that papers go to a staffed address rather than their home.
Where filing yourself is the better call
Doing it yourself is the stronger choice when:
- you are comfortable with online forms,
- you keep your own calendar for the 120-day publication deadline, the $9 Biennial Statement and the Form IT-204-LL fee, and
- you do not need an agent.
In that case, a paid tier mostly buys reassurance.
ZenBusiness fits better when you would rather not do any of that, or when the time you would spend on the filings is worth more to you than the service cost.
Doing it yourself versus ZenBusiness
The options are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
| Option | Service cost | State fees | Registered agent | Who handles the filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doing it yourself | $0 | $200 Articles, $50 Certificate of Publication, newspaper costs vary | Optional. The Articles designate the Secretary of State | You |
| ZenBusiness | Starter $0, Pro $199/yr, Premium $299/yr | Same state fees | $199/yr on every tier, $99 first year when forming with them | ZenBusiness, on your behalf |
This site earns a commission on some links, which may include ZenBusiness. That does not change which option this page recommends, and filing yourself is recommended above where it fits.
FAQ
How much does the New York LLC publication requirement cost with ZenBusiness?
The state does not publish a newspaper cost, so no figure is stated here. The state portion is the $50 Certificate of Publication fee, and publication must be completed within 120 days. Check ZenBusiness's New York offering to see whether newspaper costs are included or billed separately.
What are the New York LLC Articles of Organization filing fee, publication requirement and biennial statement?
The Department of State lists the following:
- a $200 fee to file the Articles of Organization,
- a publication requirement completed within 120 days, followed by a $50 Certificate of Publication filing, and
- a $9 Biennial Statement.
What is the New York LLC annual filing fee for a single-member LLC?
The Department of Taxation and Finance lists an annual filing fee on Form IT-204-LL. It ranges from $25 up to $4,500, depending on New York source gross income. The same page explains which LLCs must file, including how single-member LLCs are treated.
Do I need to pay for an EIN or file a BOI report?
No on both counts for a US-formed LLC. An EIN is free from the IRS after the LLC is formed. FinCEN exempts US-formed companies from federal BOI reporting, and New York's LLC Transparency Act applies only to LLCs formed under a foreign country's law.
Sources
- New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, “Forming a Limited Liability Company in New York”
- New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, “Biennial Statements for Business Corporations and Limited Liability Companies”
- New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, “Beneficial Ownership Disclosure”
- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, “Partnership, LLC, and LLP annual filing fee”
- Internal Revenue Service, “Get an employer identification number”
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting”
This is general information, not legal advice, and requirements vary by state and change over time.