LLC Startup Cost › Kentucky
Kentucky LLC startup cost (2026)
Starting a Kentucky LLC costs $40 to file and $215 once the quantified extras are added. With Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, the first-year total is $414, with the agent, EIN application and report filing included. The first report later costs $15.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
Kentucky budget, line by line
| Line | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company (KLC), Kentucky Secretary of State | $40 |
| First-year state tax | Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue. | $175 |
| Registered agent | Required; the company cannot be its own agent | $149 with Mainstay Filing |
| EIN | Issued by the IRS online | $0 |
| State total | Filing fee plus quantified extras | $215 |
| With Mainstay Filing | State total plus the first-year price (agent, EIN application, report filing) | $414 |
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Kentucky?
The state filing fee is $40; with the quantified extras the state total is $215. With Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, the first-year total is $414.
Does Kentucky charge anything besides the filing fee?
Limited Liability Entity Tax: a $175 minimum each year to the Department of Revenue.
Can I be my own registered agent in Kentucky?
A Kentucky resident, or an entity qualified to do business in Kentucky, whose business address is the registered office. The agent signs or files a written acceptance.
Sources
- KRS 275.025 (contents of articles of organization); RA/office requirements incorporated from KRS 14A.4-010; $40 filing fee per SOS fee schedule (multira state research spine): apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=39663, checked August 12, 2026
- Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sos.ky.gov/bus/business-filings/Pages/Fees.aspx, checked October 1, 2026
- Kentucky Secretary of State (multira state research spine): www.sos.ky.gov/bus/business-filings/Pages/Annual-Reports.aspx, checked August 12, 2026
- Kentucky Secretary of State (multira state research spine): www.sos.ky.gov/bus/business-filings/OnlineServices/Pages/default.aspx, checked August 12, 2026
- Kentucky report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=47075, checked August 12, 2026
- Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax (LLET), official source read 2026-10-01: revenue.ky.gov/Forms/INSTR_Form%20725.pdf, checked October 1, 2026
- Kentucky registered agent statute (KRS 14A.4-010): apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=36549, checked October 20, 2026
- Kentucky Secretary of State: www.sos.ky.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026