Register an LLC in Five Steps (Without an Attorney)
An LLC protects your personal assets and takes an afternoon to file in most states. Here is the order to do it in, and what to check before you pay.
An LLC separates you from your business, so a lawsuit or a debt lands on the business instead of your house. In most states you can file it yourself in an afternoon.
1. Check the name is free
Search your state's business name database for the name you want, then check the matching domain name and social handles before you fall in love with it. A name that is taken everywhere costs you money later.
2. Choose your state
Usually the state where you live and work. Forming in another state adds a registration requirement in your home state, so only do it for a real reason such as a physical office elsewhere.
3. File the formation documents
Your state's Secretary of State website has the form and the fee, typically between about $50 and $200. You will list a registered agent - the person or company that receives official mail for the business. You can be your own agent.
4. Get your EIN
The Employer Identification Number is free from the IRS and takes a few minutes online. You need it to open a bank account, hire anyone, or file taxes. Never pay a third party for this.
5. Write your operating agreement and open a bank account
The operating agreement says who owns what and how decisions get made. Banks and partners ask for it. Then open a separate business account and run every dollar through it.
Do not skip this part
Keeping business money separate from personal money is what makes the liability protection real. Mixing the two is the fastest way to lose it.
Work through the Legal stage of the roadmap for the state-by-state links, and talk to an attorney when you have partners, investors, or a contract you do not understand.