Form an LLC in Virginia.

$49 + State Fee & 1st Year FREE Registered Agent

Start My LLC

Your LLC’s Name

Your new LLC’s name must be distinguishable all other Virginia business names that are either registered or reserved with the Virginia Department of State, Corporations Bureau.

The LLC’s name must include, at the end of the name, Virginia “Limited Liability Company,” (or “LLC” or “L.L.C.”) or “Limited Company” (or “LC” or “L.C.”). However, your new LLC’s name is not allowed to include the words “Corporation,” “Incorporated,” “Limited Partnership,” or the abbreviations “Corp.,” “Inc.,” “L.P.,” or “LP.”

You can reserve an available LLC name for up to 120 days for a $10 fee, and the reservation can be renewed up until 30 days before the reservation expires.

Articles of Organization

Forming your new Virginia LLC means that you have to file articles of organization. The articles of organization must be executed (signed) by a manager or other person who has been delegated the authority manage the LLC’s business.and delivered, along with a copy and the $100 filing fee, to the clerk of the State Corporation Commission. The articles must include:

  • The LLC’s name
  • The street address of the LLC’s principal office
  • The street address of the LLC’s registered office
  • The street address of the LLC’s registered agent
  • A statement that the registered agent is one of the following:
    1. An individual who is a resident of Virginia and a member or manager of the LLC
    2. A member or manager of a corporation that is a member of manager of the LLC
    3. A general partner of a general or limited partnership that is a member or manager of the LLC
    4. An in-state or out-of-state corporation authorized to do business in Virginia

Your LLC is considered officially “organized” once the original of the articles of organization are delivered with the fee to the State Corporation Commission. The articles are effective as of when they are filed or, if a specific date and time is indicated, the document is effective as of the specified date and time.

It can also list other items-even ones that are included in the operating agreement-if the members so desire, as long as they don’t conflict with state law.

Registered Agent and Office

A Virginia LLC must have a registered agent in the state-someone to receive official state legal and administrative correspondence on behalf of the LLC. The registered office may be-but is not required to be-the LLC’s place of business. An LLC registered agent may be: an individual who is a resident of Virginia and a member or manager of the LLC; a member or manager of a corporation that is a member of manager of the LLC; a general partner of a general or limited partnership that is a member or manager of the LLC; or an in-state or out-of-state corporation authorized to transact business in Virginia.

Operating Agreement

The LLC’s second most important document is its operating agreement, which can be changed by the members as set forth by the agreement itself or applicable state law. Having an operating agreement is not legally required by the state, but it’s a vitally important internal document that sets forth how the LLC will run.

The operating agreement needs to list the LLC’s members, how much each one has invested, how any profits will be distributed, and how much relative weight each member has when voting.

The operating agreement may also include requirements for meetings (notice, quorum, voting rules, etc.) and similar functions, but it doesn’t have to. Usually, though, it does include operating constraints and allowances already contained in state law and policy. It also may contain constraints on the members’ authority to change or repeal the operating agreement or a provision thereof. If there is more than one member, the operating agreement must initially be unanimously approved in writing.

Membership in the LLC

The LLC’s second most important document is its operating agreement, which can be changed by the members as set forth by the agreement itself or applicable state law. Having an operating agreement is not legally required by the state, but it’s a vitally important internal document that sets forth how the LLC will run.

The operating agreement needs to list the LLC’s members, how much each one has invested, how any profits will be distributed, and how much relative weight each member has when voting.

The operating agreement may also include requirements for meetings (notice, quorum, voting rules, etc.) and similar functions, but it doesn’t have to. Usually, though, it does include operating constraints and allowances already contained in state law and policy. It also may contain constraints on the members’ authority to change or repeal the operating agreement or a provision thereof. If there is more than one member, the operating agreement must initially be unanimously approved in writing.

Ongoing Requirements

A Virginia LLC must have at least one member, and each member must be a natural person or a recognized business entity. A member can acquire an interest in proportion to their contribution, by the consent of the majority of the members in a member-managed LLC, or some other manner provided for in the articles of organization or operating agreement.

Becoming a member usually requires a contribution of cash, property, services rendered to the LLC, a promissory note or obligation to contribute one of these, or an assignment of a current member’s interest.

An LLC member can only resign as permitted in the certificate of organization or operating agreement, which usually specify a minimum amount of time before a member is allowed to resign

Unless the articles of organization or the operating agreement state otherwise, managers are to be elected by the members, and managers can be removed and vacancies filled by a majority vote of the members. Members’ votes are weighted proportionate to their contributions to the LLC

Dissolution

Virginia does not require an annual report from LLCs, but it does require a renewal fee of $50 per year, due by September 1.

Taxes

An LLC by its nature does offer some tax advantages over a corporation structure, including access to more deductions, since the LLC is not required to be a separate tax entity like a corporation. Instead, it is considered a “pass-through entity” for tax purposes, meaning LLC owners report business profits and losses on their individual tax returns.

Learn more about forming an LLC in Virginia

Filing Time & Price

State Fee :

State Filing Time :

Expedited Filing Time :

Compliance Requirements

Select the package that works best for you.

silver

$49

+ $100 (state fee)

show more

The Basics To Get You Started Preliminary company name clearance and filing of Articles of Organization.

FREE Registered Agent for 1st Year Registered Agent service includes 1 full
year not the typical 6 months that some
of our competitors advertise.

Lifetime Customer Support You get lifetime customer support and our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

show less

get started

Gold

$149

+ $100 (state fee)

everything from silver+

show more

EIN / Tax ID Number Providing an EIN is required to open a
business bank account and is required to
file business tax returns.

Personalized Operating Agreement Includes most common provisions to protect members from liability

show less

get started

Platinum

$299

+ $100 (state fee)

everything from
silver & gold+

show more

Expedited Filing Expedited processing speeds the turn- around time for your order.

Customized LLC Kit Personalized slip binder and embossed seal with your company name and date of fomation.

FedEx Delivery Faster mailing option that includes a track number.

show less

get started

Commonly Asked Questions For Starting a Virginia LLC

How is an LLC Taxed?
For federal income tax purposes the profits of an LLC (Limited Liability Company) "pass through" to the personal income of the members/owners. In the case of a single member LLC it is taxed the same as a sole proprietorship (i.e. typically filed on the schedule C of the owner's personal income tax filing). In the case of a multi member member it is taxed the same as a partnership (i.e. a 1065 partnership return is filed with the IRS, with a schedule K-1 being supplied to each partner/member showing the proportional profit/loss allocated to them, with this being filed on the schedule C or E).
NOTE: These are general tax explanations and may not apply to everyone. You should confer with the appropriate accounting/tax specialists to make sure you understand your personal tax liability.
What is the Management Structure of an LLC?
An LLC is typically managed by its members/owners (referred to as member-managed). In that respect an LLC is unlike a corporation, which has a much more rigid and defined management structure, including directors and officers. All owners of the LLC are typically referred to as members, and they can have control and voting interest proportional to their ownership interest, or in proportions different from their ownership interest; however the members agree.
Are Non-US Residents allowed to own a Corporation of LLC?
There are no citizenship or residence requirements for ownership of a C Corporation or an LLC. The S Corporation however does not allow nonresident aliens to be shareholders (owner), but any US citizen or resident alien may be a shareholder (owner). You would, of course, require an in state street address for the state to forward official legal and tax correspondence including service of process, known as the registered agent address, but neither residency nor citizenship is required for ownership of a C Corporation or an LLC.
Can I form an LLC with just one member?
There was a time when almost every state required the LLC to have two or more members, but that is no longer the case. This important change came in response to revised IRS regulations that clearly permitted single-member LLCs. As a result, in most states, if you plan to be the sole owner of a business and you wish to limit your personal liability, you can choose between forming a corporation or an LLC.
What is an Operating Agreement?
The operating agreement is akin to a partnership agreement for a General Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). It is an internal contract amongst the members/owners of the LLC, and it lays out such things as ownership interest, member responsibilities, accounting method, adding or removing members, terms for concluding the LLC, etc. It is generally not required by a given state for forming an LLC (with the exception of New York), although it is certainly recommended. When dealing with private companies for financing issues (loans, mortgages, etc.) it may be required by that company. A customizable operating agreement is included with the LLC/Corp Kit.
Can another business entity be a member of an LLC?

In the majority of states, The members of an LLC can be individuals, corporations, or other LLCs. These members of the LLC can be out of state residents or even foreign nationals. Furthermore there is no limit to the amount of members that an LLC can have.

The flexibility of an LLC in contrast to an S Corporation is stark considering the S corporations are limited to 75 shareholders who must either be United States citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.

view all llc faqs