Register your Delaware LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Delaware’s own $160 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in Delaware?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in Delaware
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Delaware Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Delaware Department of State (Division of Corporations))
- Get a matching domain like DelawareCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Delaware LLC
More than 1 million business entities are formed in Delaware, but that reputation is built on large corporations, not small LLCs — what a small LLC actually pays here is straightforward. Your $160 filing fee goes to the Delaware Department of State (Division of Corporations) as a one-time cost. Delaware doesn't publish a guaranteed timeline for a standard filing, but does offer real paid speed most states don't: same-day service for $100, or as fast as 1 hour for $1,000.
Delaware has no separate franchise tax or income tax on a standard LLC — the Annual Tax above is the one recurring cost every Delaware LLC owes, regardless of income. A Delaware corporation calculates its own franchise tax a different way, with a minimum of $175 to $400 depending on the method and a cap of $200,000 — a genuinely more complicated bill than the LLC's flat number. Delaware also doesn't require you to publish a notice in a newspaper.
Cost to start an LLC in Delaware
$160 to the Delaware Department of State (Division of Corporations) — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Delaware corporation runs $159 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| Delaware state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $160 | $160 |
Free EIN with your Delaware LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Delaware
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Delaware?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can register a trade name through Delaware's Division of Revenue to use a name other than your own. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As), also called a trade name, lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. Delaware used to make you file this separately with the Superior Court in every county where you did business — up to 3 filings. Since February 2026, it's a single statewide filing with the Division of Revenue, through Delaware One Stop, for the same $25 fee.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Delaware Company, LLC dba Delaware Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Delaware
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Delaware?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get a Delaware LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Delaware doesn't publish a guaranteed timeline for standard filing, but does offer paid same-day ($100) and even 1-hour ($1,000) service if you need it fast.
What's Delaware's LLC Annual Tax, and what does it cost?
$400 a year, due every June 1 — Delaware raised this from $300 in 2026. It's a flat tax, not tied to income, and Delaware LLCs file no separate annual report. The state's notice goes to your registered agent, not to you directly, so it's easy to miss — put June 1 on your own calendar too.
Do I need an EIN for my Delaware LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the address Delaware sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Delaware doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (2)
- 2026 — Delaware raised its flat LLC Annual Tax from $300 to $400 (House Bill 400, signed May 21, 2026); the higher rate applies starting with the tax owed for 2026, generally paid by June 1, 2027. Delaware General Assembly, House Bill 400 →
- February 2, 2026 — Delaware moved trade name (DBA) registration off the county Superior Courts and onto a single statewide filing with the Division of Revenue. Delaware One Stop, Trade Names →
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Delaware's own filing agency, tax agency, and legislature — verified September 20, 2026.
- Delaware Division of Corporations — Fee Schedule (revised August 1, 2026) — the $110 LLC filing fee, $109 corporation filing fee, expedited service pricing
- Delaware Division of Corporations — Annual Report and Tax Information — the $300/$400 Annual Tax, June 1 deadline, $200 penalty, corporate franchise tax methods and caps
- Delaware Division of Corporations — Tax FAQ — confirms tax notices go to the Registered Agent, not the owner
- Delaware Certificate of Formation (official form) — the registered agent requirement
- Delaware General Assembly — House Bill 400 — the 2026 Annual Tax increase, signed and effective dates
- Delaware One Stop — Trade Names — the current statewide DBA registration system