How to Start an LLC in Vermont for $155, and When the $250 Tax Applies
The Vermont Department of Taxes sets the order to start an LLC in Vermont: an EIN, then the $155 Articles of Organization with the Vermont Secretary of State, then a tax account if needed.
Vermont LLC at a glance
State fees checked October 2026
- 1 · IRS
- EIN, free
- Listed first by the state
- 2 · State filing
- $155
- Usually under 1 business day online
- 3 · Tax account
- If needed
- Sales, rooms, meals, alcohol, staff
- Each year
- $45
- Report, 3 months after year-end
File it yourself
$155state fee
Usually approved in under a business day online; the state lists the free EIN as step one.
Northwest files it Partner
$39+ $155 state fee
Its Vermont street address as the agent for 12 months, then $125 a year. What the Articles still show
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LLCs taxed as partnerships or S corporations owe a $250 minimum tax every year; a one-owner LLC reporting on Schedule C files no BI‑471 and owes none.
How to start an LLC in Vermont, step 1: an EIN from the IRS
The Department of Taxes’ Start or Buy a Business page lists the FEIN first, and the tax account application asks for it. The employer identification number (EIN, which the department calls an FEIN) is free on irs.gov.
“Not all businesses may need one depending on the business structure,” the department adds, but a business that will hire must have one.
Before filing: is your name distinguishable in Vermont?
Adding or removing "Vermont" or "Green Mountains" doesn't make a name distinguishable, and neither does the LLC designator.
Then search that core in a Vermont business search. A synonym or a sound-alike word does make a name distinguishable: "Dog Training, Ltd." and "K9 Training, Ltd." can both be registered.
The name ends in “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” “Ltd. Liability Co.,” “Limited Company,” “LC” or “Ltd. Co.” A professional LLC uses “PLC,” or “Professional” with one of those endings; an L3C uses “L3C.”
Under the state’s business name rules, punctuation, plurals, abbreviations such as “Mtn.,” articles and “&” don’t make a name different. The Secretary of State’s advice: don’t spend on signs, websites or business cards until the certificate confirms the name.
If the Articles aren’t ready, $25 holds a name for 120 days.
Step 2: file the Vermont Articles of Organization
Vermont LLC formation happens on the Secretary of State’s online business service center, after you register: name, an email you verify, an optional mobile number and a password of 8 to 26 characters. Under 11 V.S.A. § 4023, the Articles must state:
- the LLC’s name and the address of its initial designated office;
- the name and street address of the agent for service of process;
- the name and address of each organizer;
- a statement if the LLC has no members when it files;
- whether it’s an L3C, a low-profit LLC.
Owners and officers are optional, and so is anything from the operating agreement, which the state doesn’t collect. Vermont also offers professional and blockchain-based LLCs.
“Online filing normally takes less than 1 business day,” and there is no extra fee for it. Mail takes 7 to 10 business days, and paper forms come only on request from 128 State Street, Montpelier (802-828-2386).
Being your own Vermont registered agent
The Secretary of State’s “only qualification” for a registered agent is “a street and mailing address located in Vermont.” A member with one can be the agent; the LLC itself can’t.
That address goes on the public record. An owner with no Vermont address names another person or business that has one. An agent who resigns stops serving on the 31st day; a change costs $35.
Step 3: a Vermont business tax account, if you need one
“If you plan to sell tangible personal property, rent rooms, sell meals and/or alcohol, or hire employees, you must register for a business tax account before doing business.” An LLC with none of those skips the tax account for now.
Each tax type gets a separate account, through myVTax or paper Form BR‑400, and accounts don’t need renewing. The business tax license “authorizes you to collect Vermont taxes on behalf of the State of Vermont.” Licensed professions register separately with the Office of Professional Regulation.
Vermont LLC cost: Secretary of State fees and the $250 some LLCs owe
| Payment | To | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | Secretary of State | $155 |
| Annual report | Secretary of State | $45 a year |
| Minimum tax, LLC taxed as a partnership or S corporation | Department of Taxes | $250 a year |
| Name reservation, optional | Secretary of State | $25 |
| Assumed business name (DBA), 5 years | Secretary of State | $70 |
| Certificate of existence (good standing) | Secretary of State | $35 |
The $250 is the business entity income tax: “Generally, a minimum tax of $250 is due,” with Form BI‑471 on the federal due date. An LLC that elects S corporation status (IRS Form 2553) still owes it.
A single-member LLC disregarded federally doesn’t: the BI-471 instructions say such LLCs reporting on Form 1040, Schedule C “are not required to file Form BI‑471.” An LLC taxed as a C corporation pays the corporate minimum instead, from $100 depending on Vermont receipts.
Annual report due three months after the fiscal year ends
Vermont ties the $45 report to the fiscal year on record: it’s due within three months after the year ends.
An LLC that misses the Vermont annual report is terminated automatically. Reinstatement costs $35 for each year missed, and five years past a due date the name is lost.
More on Vermont LLCs: S corps, DBAs, closing
Can you form a Vermont LLC without living in Vermont?
Yes. The only agent requirement is a street and mailing address in Vermont, so a non-resident names a person or a registered business there.
Does a Vermont LLC taxed as an S corp owe the $250?
Yes. Electing S corporation status with the IRS (Form 2553) brings the LLC under Vermont’s business entity income tax, so the $250 minimum is due each year with Form BI‑471.
How do you file a DBA for a Vermont LLC?
Register an assumed business name (formerly a trade name) with the Secretary of State: $70 for five years, no later than 10 days after the LLC starts using it.
What are the requirements to start an LLC in Vermont?
Articles with the items 11 V.S.A. § 4023 lists, a registered agent with a Vermont address, and the $155 fee. A tax account follows only for sales, rooms, meals, alcohol or employees.
How long does it take to get an LLC in Vermont?
Online filings normally take less than one business day; mailed ones, 7 to 10.
Do you need a business license in Vermont?
Vermont’s business tax license comes with the tax account, needed only for sales, rooms, meals, alcohol or employees. Licensed professions go through the Office of Professional Regulation.
What does it cost to close a Vermont LLC?
$20. Once the business is wound up, file Articles of Termination online under End Business Registration.
