Delaware business formation and filing fees
Compare the costs of creating an LLC or corporation in Delaware, or registering a company formed elsewhere. The filing office is Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations.
Starting a company in Delaware
Domestic LLC filing fee
$110.00 to file a Delaware LLC Certificate of Formation. The Division's form states the fee and allows submission through the Document Filing and Certificate Request Service or by mail; Delaware does not publish a lower online base fee for the standard formation. A Delaware registered agent is mandatory unless the Delaware-based entity qualifies to act as its own agent.
Domestic corporation filing fee
$109.00 under the current Delaware corporate fee schedule for a standard domestic corporation Certificate of Incorporation, with additional statutory indexing/filing components reflected in the fee chart. Authorized shares and par value affect the franchise-tax calculation, not a simple one-price formation quote; use Delaware's stock fee and franchise-tax calculators for a charter-specific amount.
Registering a company formed elsewhere
For state registration, “foreign” can mean a company formed in another U.S. state. These fees are separate from creating a new Delaware entity.
Foreign LLC qualification
The Delaware Division requires a foreign LLC doing business in Delaware to file a foreign qualification/registration statement with a certificate of existence from its home jurisdiction. The current fee schedule should be used for the exact fee and any state-license components; the reviewed public pages did not expose a single current 2026 foreign-LLC fee in a text result. Delaware registered-agent maintenance and the $300 annual alternative-entity tax remain separate.
Foreign corporation qualification
A foreign corporation doing business in Delaware files a Foreign Qualification form and a certificate of existence from its formation jurisdiction. The fee is entity/form specific under the Division's corporate fee schedule; verify the current charge before filing. Foreign corporations file a $125.00 annual report by June 30 and are subject to the corresponding filing penalty if late.
Delaware processing times
Regular documents received in proper form with complete fees are processed in the regular queue, and the Division records the date and time received when processed. Delaware warns that busy-season volume and errors can delay work; mail-return time is additional. Online submission is generally faster for receipt and payment confirmation but is not a guarantee of immediate legal review.
Expedited filing options
Delaware offers one-hour service for $1,000, two-hour service for $500, same-day service generally $100–$200 depending on filing, and next-day service generally $50–$100, in addition to the ordinary filing or certificate fees. Cutoff times apply: one-hour requests by 9 p.m., two-hour by 7 p.m., same-day by 2 p.m., and next-day by 7 p.m. weekends and holidays excluded. Postal return can still add delivery time.
Choose your next Delaware guide
Business entity search →
Find an existing business and understand its public record.
Annual reports →
Check recurring deadlines, report fees, and reinstatement rules.
Good standing →
Order a certificate, certified copy, or apostille.
Registered agent →
Check agent qualifications, changes, and resignations.