Register your Virginia LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Virginia’s own $100 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 Virginia?
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 Virginia
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Virginia Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Virginia State Corporation Commission)
- Get a matching domain like VirginiaCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Virginia LLC
Your $100 filing fee goes to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) — a commission handles business filings here, not a Secretary of State like in most states. Standard online filings move through the regular queue. Paying extra buys a faster spot: $50 or $100 for next-business-day processing, $200 for same-day.
A registered office is the Virginia address on file. A registered agent is the person or company at that address who accepts legal mail for the LLC — they share an address, but they're not the same thing.
Virginia has no franchise tax and no separate LLC-level income tax. Profits pass through to your personal return, taxed at Virginia's regular income tax rates. The $50 Annual Registration Fee above is the one recurring cost every Virginia LLC owes regardless of income.
Cost to start an LLC in Virginia
$100 to the Virginia State Corporation Commission — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Virginia corporation runs $75 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 |
| Virginia state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $100 | $100 |
Free EIN with your Virginia 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 Virginia
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 Virginia?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can file a DBA with the State Corporation Commission 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
Virginia calls a DBA a Certificate of Assumed or Fictitious Name. It lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. That's a filing with the State Corporation Commission — the same office that formed your LLC — for $10.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Virginia Company, LLC dba Virginia Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Virginia
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 Virginia?
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 Virginia LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Standard filings with the SCC move through the same queue as everyone else; paying $50 to $200 extra buys a faster review if you need one.
What's Virginia's Annual Registration Fee, and when is it due?
$50 a year, due by the last day of the month your LLC was originally formed, every year after that. It's a flat fee, not a report with information to update. Miss the deadline and Virginia adds a $25 penalty.
Do I need an EIN for my Virginia 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 person or company Virginia sends legal mail to, at your LLC's registered office. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Virginia 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.
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Virginia's own filing agency and statutes — verified September 20, 2026.
- Code of Virginia § 13.1-1005 — the $100 Articles of Organization filing fee
- Code of Virginia § 13.1-1015 — registered office and registered agent requirements
- Virginia SCC — Annual Registration Fees — the $50 fee, anniversary-month due date, cancellation timing
- Code of Virginia § 13.1-1064 — the $25 late penalty
- Virginia SCC — Fictitious Names FAQ — the $10 DBA fee, state-level filing for individuals and entities alike
- Virginia SCC — Expedited Services — the $50/$100/$200 paid rush-filing tiers