How to Form an LLC in Virginia Through the State Corporation Commission

Forming a Virginia LLC condenses into one core filing, one agent on the record, and a manageable annual rhythm after that. The filing goes to the State Corporation Commission (SCC), because Virginia is one of the few states with no Secretary of State for business filings; the SCC's Office of the Clerk handles it all. The official Virginia filing fee is $100, and the document is the Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1011. Below: every step, the full fee picture, and what we handle if you'd rather not DIY.

File Your Virginia LLC for $199

For a flat $199, we prepare and submit your Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011) to the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Allow a handful of business days from filing to approval.

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The Virginia LLC, Briefly Explained

LLCs give business owners a layer of protection: business debts and lawsuits generally stop at the business, not the owner. Among Virginia small business owners, the LLC is the entity of choice for solo founders, real estate investors, contractors, and independent contractors because the format combines real protection with low overhead.

Virginia LLC Filing Fee: $100

The official Virginia filing fee for LLC formation is $100, set by the fee schedule in Va. Code § 13.1-1005 and paid to the State Corporation Commission when the Articles of Organization are submitted. Here is the full picture:

Our flat $199 is the filing service. Virginia's $100 filing fee is billed separately and goes to the SCC. RA product is a separate $99/year product.

Important Virginia-specific notes: Virginia LLCs file no informational annual report. The recurring state obligation is a flat $50 Annual Registration Fee, due by the last day of your formation anniversary month, with a $25 late penalty and automatic cancellation if it stays unpaid three months past the due date. Everything files with the State Corporation Commission (SCC), not a SoS.

Articles of Organization: Form LLC-1011

Virginia's formation document is the Articles of Organization of a Virginia Limited Liability Company, official form number LLC-1011. The authorizing statute is Va. Code § 13.1-1010, which puts it simply: "One or more persons may act as organizers of a limited liability company by signing and delivering articles of organization to the Commission for filing."

The form goes to the SCC's Office of the Clerk. The state's preferred channel is online through the official Clerk's Information System (CIS) at cis.scc.virginia.gov; mailing the paper Form LLC-1011 works too, but online submission through CIS is generally the quicker route. The Articles capture the entity's legal name, the registered agent and the qualification that lets them serve, the registered office address, the principal office address, and the organizer's signature.

How to Form Your Virginia LLC, Step by Step

1. Settle on a compliant LLC name. The name must contain an LLC designator and must not conflict with any entity already on file with the State Corporation Commission. Confirm the name is open using the SCC's business entity search in CIS before filing; doing so first saves a rejected filing and a re-do. Avoid name elements suggesting banking, insurance, or governmental ties, since the state will bounce the filing if you use them without prior approval.
2. Assign a Virginia registered agent who actually qualifies. Virginia is choosier than most states under Va. Code § 13.1-1015. An individual agent must be a Virginia resident who is a member, manager, officer, or director connected to the company (or a trustee or general partner of an entity that is a member or manager), a designated officer of the LLC, or a Virginia State Bar member. A business entity qualifies if it's authorized to transact business in Virginia. The LLC cannot serve as its own agent, and whatever registered office address goes on file is publicly visible. We act as the agent in Virginia for $99/year and take the public-record slot so you don't have to.
3. File the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011) with the SCC. This is the official formation event. Submit online through CIS at cis.scc.virginia.gov, the official state portal, or mail the paper form to the Office of the Clerk, with the $100 fee either way. Expect about a handful of business days for state processing, with online filings generally moving fastest.
4. Put together an operating agreement. Virginia doesn't make you file one, but you'll want it nearly every time the LLC interacts with a bank or a courtroom. Inside it: ownership percentages, profit-and-loss allocation, voting and management procedures, and exit rules for members. Without a written agreement, Virginia's default LLC rules apply, and those rules are generic, not tailored to your situation.
5. Obtain the federal EIN, free at IRS.gov. The EIN is the federal-level identifier the IRS uses for the LLC, referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. Ten minutes or so on the online form, and the number arrives on the spot. Skip paying a middleman service for it.
6. Keep up the annual obligations. No annual report exists for Virginia LLCs. Instead, pay the $50 Annual Registration Fee by the last day of your anniversary month each year (none is owed in the formation year). Miss it and a $25 penalty lands; leave it unpaid three months past the due date and the SCC cancels the LLC automatically by operation of law. Alongside the fee, keep a qualifying registered agent on file continuously, keep LLC and personal money strictly separated, and handle federal and state tax obligations on schedule.

Let us file? $199 once, we handle preparation and submission for the Virginia LLC.

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The Registered Agent Requirement

All Virginia LLCs must maintain a registered agent. It's a statutory requirement under Va. Code § 13.1-1015, not a recommendation. The agent has to:

• Maintain a registered office in Virginia, with the agent's business office identical with that registered office in the state's records
• Be available during the regular workday to take legal correspondence and lawsuits
• Qualify under Virginia's who-can-serve rules: a resident with a member, manager, officer, or director tie to the company, a Virginia State Bar member, or a business entity authorized in Virginia

Naming a qualifying individual works legally but ends up publishing their address in the State Corporation Commission's public records, searchable by anyone.

Our agent service runs $99 per year in Virginia. The agent on the public record is us, not you.

Common Questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Virginia?

The official Virginia filing fee is $100, paid once to the State Corporation Commission. Beyond formation, the recurring state charge is the $50 Annual Registration Fee each year.

How long does it take to form an LLC in Virginia?

Standard processing in Virginia takes about a handful of business days, and filing online through CIS is generally the quicker route.

Does Virginia require an annual report?

For LLCs, no. Virginia has no informational annual report for LLCs. The annual obligation is a flat $50 Annual Registration Fee, due by the last day of your formation anniversary month and paid to the SCC.

Do I need a registered agent for my Virginia LLC?

Yes. Va. Code § 13.1-1015 requires every Virginia LLC to continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state, and the company cannot act as its own agent.

Can I form an LLC in Virginia if I live in another state?

Yes. You'll still need a qualifying Virginia agent in the state's records, and our $99/year service handles that part. There's no Virginia residency requirement to launch an LLC here.

File Your Virginia LLC Today

Virginia allows direct filing with the State Corporation Commission through the official Clerk's Information System at cis.scc.virginia.gov. The $100 filing fee goes to the SCC, and a registered agent must still be on file.

We're the registered agent that goes on your formation document, keeping your address off the public record.

Registered agent add-on: $99/year — mail is scanned electronically the same day it arrives, and we message you ahead of every compliance date.

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Need only a registered agent? The standalone registered agent plan is $99 annually.

Questions about Virginia LLC formation or how the agent service works? Visit our FAQ page or reach out any weekday.