How to Start an LLC in Vermont
Vermont handles LLC formation entirely online. You create the company by filing Articles of Organization with the Vermont Secretary of State through the Online Business Service Center at bizfilings.vermont.gov, and the official Vermont filing fee is $155 under the fee schedule in 11 V.S.A. § 4012. Watch out for older guides: many still quote $125, and that figure is out of date. This page walks through the statutory requirements, the real fees, and each step in order.
The Articles of Organization (No Numbered Form)
Vermont's formation document for an LLC is the Articles of Organization, authorized by 11 V.S.A. § 4023. There is no numbered paper form to download. Vermont retired its legacy paper filing (the old LLC-1(D)) and now accepts formations only through the Secretary of State's online portal. There is no mail-in option for this filing.
Under § 4023, the articles of organization "shall set forth: (1) the name of the company; (2) the address of the initial designated office; (3) the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process." The online filing collects each of these along with your management structure.
The Vermont LLC Filing Fee
The official Vermont filing fee for Articles of Organization is $155, set by the fee authority in 11 V.S.A. § 4012 and listed on the Secretary of State's fee schedule. Since the filing happens online, there is no separate paper price and no extra charge for using the portal.
Vermont LLC Formation, Step by Step
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Get Started- Pick an available name. Vermont, like every state, expects an LLC designator in the name and requires it to be distinguishable from entities already on record. Run the name through the Secretary of State's business search before you commit to logos or domains.
- Appoint your registered agent. Under 11 V.S.A. § 4007, the LLC must continuously maintain an agent for service of process with a street address in Vermont. A Vermont resident individual can serve, and so can an authorized entity, but the LLC cannot name itself. Our registered agent service satisfies the statute and keeps your own address off the formation record.
- File the Articles of Organization online. Create an account at bizfilings.vermont.gov, complete the articles, and pay the $155 state fee. Online is the only channel Vermont offers for this filing; there is no paper or mail alternative.
- Adopt an operating agreement. Vermont does not ask you to file one, but banks will ask to see it and it settles ownership percentages, profit splits, and exit rules before a dispute ever starts. Without one, Vermont's default statutory rules govern the company.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. The federal tax ID is free at IRS.gov and usually issued immediately. You will need it for a business bank account, hiring, and federal returns. Never pay a third party just for an EIN.
- Calendar the annual report. Vermont LLCs file an annual report, also online only, for $45. It is due within three months after the end of your fiscal year on record, which means January 1 through March 31 for calendar-year LLCs. Missing it brings penalties and, eventually, administrative dissolution.
- Keep the company clean. Maintain the registered agent continuously, keep business and personal finances separated, and stay current on state and federal taxes. That is what preserves the liability shield you formed the LLC for.
Where We Fit In
Our formation service is $199 and includes your first year of registered agent service; the agent service then renews at $99 per year. The $155 state fee goes to Vermont on top of any service fee, whether you file yourself or we prepare and file the articles for you.