Forming your LLC took an afternoon. Keeping it alive takes a few minutes a year — but only if you file on time. Most states require an LLC annual report or a similar yearly filing, and the deadline is not the same everywhere. Some states give every company one fixed date. Others tie the due date to the month you formed your business, which is why owners get caught out. This guide walks through the 2026 deadlines, fees and penalties in the states LLC owners use most, plus a simple system for never missing one.
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What an LLC annual report actually is
An LLC annual report is a short form you file with your state, usually the Secretary of State, to confirm that your company details are still correct: business address, members or managers, and your registered agent. It is not a tax return, and it has nothing to do with the financial reports big companies publish. Think of it as the state checking that your LLC still exists and that it can still reach you.
Most states charge an annual report filing fee with the form. A few states, such as California and New York, use a biennial report instead — filed every two years. A handful of states, including Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico and Ohio, ask for no recurring report at all. A missing LLC annual report is also one of the most common LLC mistakes beginners make, because nothing bad happens right away. The trouble shows up months later.
Two deadline systems: fixed dates and anniversary dates
States run on one of two systems.
Fixed-date states give everyone the same deadline. Florida wants its annual report between January 1 and May 1. Texas franchise tax reports are due May 15. Delaware’s annual tax is due June 1.
Anniversary states tie the deadline to your formation date. Wyoming’s report is due on the first day of your anniversary month. Nevada’s annual list is due by the last day of the anniversary month. Form two LLCs in different months in one of these states and you have two different deadlines to track — one reason a written compliance calendar matters, as we cover below.
LLC annual report deadlines and fees in popular states
Here is what 2026 looks like in the states small business owners ask about most.
Florida. Annual report filed online between January 1 and May 1, fee $138.75. File after May 1 and a $400 late fee lands on top. Companies that still have not filed by late September are usually dissolved by the state.
Wyoming. Annual report due on the first day of the anniversary month. The fee is $60, or $0.0002 per dollar of assets located in Wyoming, whichever is higher. There is no late fee, but an unfiled report puts the LLC on the path to administrative dissolution.
Delaware. Delaware LLCs file no annual report at all. Instead they pay a flat annual tax, due June 1. It was $300 for the payment due in 2026 and rises to $400 for the payment due in 2027. Pay late and the state adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.
Texas. The franchise tax report and Public Information Report are due May 15. For 2026–27 the no-tax-due threshold is $2.65 million in annualized total revenue, so most small LLCs owe no tax — but the report is still mandatory, and skipping it can cost the company its right to do business in Texas.
California. Two separate jobs: a Statement of Information every two years ($20), and an $800 annual tax paid to the Franchise Tax Board. Mixing these two up is a classic California error.
New York. A biennial statement every two years, in the anniversary month, for $9. Some counties also have a publication requirement for new LLCs, which is a separate one-time job.
Nevada. An annual list of managers or members plus a state business license renewal, $350 in total, due by the last day of the anniversary month.
When you are still choosing where to form, these yearly costs belong in the decision. Our best state to form an LLC guide compares them side by side, and our step-by-step LLC formation guide shows where the first deadlines get set.
Franchise taxes are a separate bill
Do not confuse the annual report with the franchise tax. The report updates your company information. A franchise tax is a charge for the right to exist as a company in that state, and it may arrive on a different date, from a different agency. California’s $800 is the best-known example. Texas calls its version a franchise tax too, even though most small LLCs fall under the threshold and pay nothing.
These state charges sit on top of your federal taxes, not instead of them. Your LLC annual report and your franchise tax are two separate jobs, often with two separate dates and two separate state agencies. Our guide to LLC taxes covers the federal side. And if your LLC has elected S corp status, check your state again — some states add their own franchise or minimum tax on top. We flag that in our LLC vs S corp comparison.
What happens if you miss the deadline
The sequence is similar in most states. First, a late fee. Then your company drops out of good standing, which sounds harmless until a bank, client or marketplace asks for a certificate of good standing and you cannot produce one. Loans stall, contracts stall, and some payment platforms freeze onboarding.
Ignore it long enough and the state carries out an administrative dissolution: your LLC legally stops existing. The name becomes available for someone else to take, your liability protection is in doubt for anything you sign while dissolved, and getting the company back means a reinstatement filing plus every missed report and fee. Reinstatement almost always costs more than the filing you skipped.
Build a simple compliance calendar
You do not need special software. You need four habits:
- List every state where your LLC is registered, including foreign registrations in states where you have staff, stock or an office.
- Write down each deadline and fee, and set two reminders — 60 days and 30 days before.
- Add the related renewals: registered agent service, business licenses, and your tax return dates.
- File the day the window opens, not the day it closes. Florida’s portal and Delaware’s site both slow down near the deadline.
The SBA guide to staying legally compliant is a good checklist to compare yours against. Spend twenty minutes on this once a year and the LLC annual report stops being a surprise.
Frequently asked questions
Is an LLC annual report the same as a tax return?
No. The annual report goes to your state, usually the Secretary of State, and updates your company details. Tax returns go to the IRS and your state tax agency. Many LLCs owe both, on different dates.
How much does an LLC annual report cost?
It depends on the state. Wyoming charges $60, Florida $138.75, and New York just $9 every two years. Some states charge nothing because they require no report. Franchise taxes, where they apply, are extra.
What if my state has no annual report?
Then you have one less filing, but check for other recurring duties: franchise taxes, license renewals and tax returns still apply. Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico and Ohio are among the states with no LLC annual report.
Can someone file the annual report for me?
Yes. Many registered agent services and filing companies will do it for a fee on top of the state charge. That can be worth it if you run several LLCs, but set your own reminders anyway — the state holds you responsible, not the service.
Disclaimer: this article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. State fees and deadlines change; confirm yours on your Secretary of State’s website before you file.
