Alabama LLC Filing Fee: $208 Online for the Certificate of Formation
Filing the Certificate of Formation with the Alabama Secretary of State costs $200 by mail or $208 online. Alabama calls its formation document a Certificate of Formation, not Articles of Organization, and it has no form number. Half of the $200 statutory fee ($100) goes to the county where your registered agent's office is located.
Alabama also requires a Certificate of Name Reservation before you file: $25 by mail or $28 online. Alabama LLCs file no annual report with the Secretary of State.
Alabama LLC fees at a glance
| Filing | State fee | When |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation | $200 mail, $208 online | Once, to form the LLC |
| Name reservation (required) | $25 mail, $28 online | Before you file the Certificate |
| Annual report | None | LLCs do not file one |
| Change of registered agent or office | $100 | Whenever the agent or office changes |
Online, the $208 is $100 county fee plus $100 Secretary of State fee and the portal's charge. Mailed filings paid by card add 3% plus $2. The fee schedule lists no expedite fee for business entity filings. The separate Department of Revenue business privilege tax return is not required if the tax due is $100 or less.
Where these figures come from
- The Secretary of State's fee schedule (PDF) lists the formation, reservation and agent-change fees, and the online portal prices them at $208 and $28.
- Ala. Code § 10A-1-4.31 sets the $200 fee and the county share.
- The Certificate of Formation (PDF) is filed under Ala. Code § 10A-5A-2.01, and the Department of Revenue notice on privilege tax changes explains who files annual reports.
How to file an Alabama Certificate of Formation
- Reserve the name first. Search for it free, then get a Certificate of Name Reservation. It is held one year. The name must include "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C." or "LLC".
- Name a registered agent with an Alabama street address, no P.O. boxes. The agent is an Alabama resident or a registered entity, and cannot work solely through a virtual office or a mail-forwarding service.
- Complete the Certificate of Formation. It asks for the name reservation copy, the agent and county, and at least one member. No member names are listed. You can set a delayed effective date up to 90 days out.
- File it. Online, use the Secretary of State's Online Services and pay by card; download your documents within 15 days. By mail, send two typed copies, a self-addressed stamped envelope and the $200 fee to P.O. Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103.
- Get a county license. Business licenses come from the county probate judge or license commissioner.
Have us file it for you
Our Alabama LLC formation is $199 plus the $236 state fee, passed through at cost, and your first year of registered agent service is included (then $99 a year). That state fee is the $208 online formation fee plus the $28 required name reservation.
$199 + $236 Alabama state filing fee = $435 due today
FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Alabama?
The Certificate of Formation is $200 by mail or $208 online, and the required name reservation is $25 by mail or $28 online. Online, that is $236 in all.
Is there an Alabama LLC annual report fee?
Not with the Secretary of State. Since 2024 only corporations file annual reports there. LLCs may owe a business privilege tax return to the Department of Revenue, only if the tax due is more than $100.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Alabama?
$100, using a statement of change that includes the new agent's written consent.