LLC Annual Report Filing Guide: Due Dates, Fees, and State-by-State Requirements

If you own an LLC, there is a good chance your state requires you to file an annual report. It is one of the most common compliance obligations for business owners, and one of the most commonly missed. The filing itself takes 10-15 minutes, but forgetting it can cost you hundreds of dollars in late fees or even lead to your LLC being dissolved.

Here is everything you need to know about LLC annual reports: what they are, when they are due, how much they cost, and what happens if you miss the deadline.

What Is an LLC Annual Report?

An annual report (sometimes called a Statement of Information, annual statement, or periodic report) is a filing you submit to your state's Secretary of State office to confirm or update your business information. It is not a financial report or a tax return. Think of it as your state checking in to make sure your business still exists and its records are accurate.

A typical annual report asks for:

• Business name and entity number -- Usually pre-filled by the state
• Principal office address -- Where your business is physically located
• Registered agent name and address -- The person or service designated to receive legal documents on behalf of your LLC
• Names of members or managers -- Depending on your state and management structure
• Nature of business -- A brief description of what your LLC does

That is it. No financial statements, no revenue figures, no tax calculations. The filing exists so the state can maintain an accurate public record of active businesses and contact information.

Who Needs to File?

Almost every LLC registered in the United States needs to file some form of annual or periodic report. If you formed an LLC in a state, you are subject to that state's reporting requirements. If you registered your LLC as a foreign entity in additional states (because you do business there), you likely need to file in those states too.

States That Do Not Require Annual Reports for LLCs

A handful of states do not require LLCs to file annual reports:

• Alabama -- No annual report requirement for LLCs (corporations must file)
• Arizona -- No annual report for LLCs (but you should still update your records if information changes)
• Missouri -- No annual report for LLCs
• New Mexico -- No annual report for LLCs
• Ohio -- No annual report for LLCs (corporations file biennially)
• South Carolina -- No annual report for LLCs

If your LLC is registered only in one of these states and you have no foreign registrations elsewhere, you can skip this particular obligation. But keep in mind: you still have other compliance requirements like tax filings, business licenses, and registered agent maintenance.

State-by-State Due Dates and Fees

Here is an overview of LLC annual report requirements for the most popular states for business formation. "Anniversary month" means the report is due in the month your LLC was originally formed.

State	Due Date	Fee	Frequency	Notes
California	Anniversary month	$20	Biennial	Called "Statement of Information." Due every 2 years.
Delaware	June 1	$300	Annual	One of the highest fees. $200 late penalty + 1.5%/month interest.
Florida	May 1	$138.75	Annual	$400 late fee. Dissolved by third Friday in September if not filed.
Georgia	April 1	$50	Annual	Filed online through the Georgia Corporations Division.
Illinois	Anniversary month	$75	Annual	Filed with the Secretary of State. Late fee is $100.
New York	Anniversary month	$9	Biennial	Lowest fee in the country. But dissolution after 2 missed periods.
North Carolina	April 15	$200	Annual	Filed with the Secretary of State.
Pennsylvania	Every 10 years	$70	Decennial	Only required once per decade, in years ending in the formation year's last digit.
Texas	May 15	$0	Annual	Filed with franchise tax return. No separate fee, but franchise tax obligations apply.
Virginia	Anniversary month	$50	Annual	Filed with the State Corporation Commission.
Washington	Anniversary month	$60	Annual	Filed through the Secretary of State's online portal.

How to File Your LLC Annual Report

The process is straightforward in every state. Here is the general workflow:

Step 1: Find Your State's Filing Portal

Go to your state's Secretary of State website (or equivalent agency). Most states offer online filing. Search for "annual report" or "Statement of Information" on the site. You will usually need your LLC's entity number or name to pull up your filing.

Step 2: Review Pre-Filled Information

The state will typically pre-populate your filing with the information from your last report or your original formation documents. Review every field:

• Is your business address current?
• Is your registered agent still active and at the correct address?
• Are the listed members or managers still accurate?

Step 3: Update Any Changes

If anything has changed (new address, new registered agent, change in management), update it in the filing. This is the primary purpose of the annual report: keeping your state records current.

Step 4: Pay the Filing Fee

Submit payment online. Most states accept credit cards and ACH transfers. Keep your confirmation receipt. It serves as proof of filing until the state processes your report and updates your entity's status.

Step 5: Confirm Good Standing

After your filing is processed (usually within a few days to two weeks), verify your LLC shows as "Active" or "In Good Standing" on your state's business entity search. This is the status that banks, lenders, and potential partners will check.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

The consequences of missing your annual report deadline escalate over time.

Stage 1: Late Fees

Most states impose a late fee immediately after the deadline passes. These range from modest ($9 in New York) to substantial ($400 in Florida). The late fee is on top of the original filing fee, so you pay both.

Stage 2: Loss of Good Standing

After the deadline passes, your LLC's status changes from "Active" or "In Good Standing" to "Delinquent," "Not in Good Standing," or similar. While in this status:

• You may be unable to open new bank accounts or obtain loans
• Some states prohibit you from filing lawsuits to enforce contracts
• Government contracts and certain licenses require good standing
• Business partners and clients may check your status and lose confidence

Stage 3: Administrative Dissolution

If you remain delinquent for an extended period (varies by state, typically 1-3 years), the state will administratively dissolve your LLC. This means:

• Your LLC legally ceases to exist as a separate entity
• You lose the personal liability protection that the LLC structure provides
• Contracts entered into after dissolution may be challenged
• You must go through a reinstatement process to restore your LLC, paying all back fees, late penalties, and reinstatement charges

Reinstatement

Most states allow you to reinstate a dissolved LLC within a certain window (often 2-5 years). The process typically requires:

• Filing all delinquent annual reports
• Paying all past-due fees and late penalties
• Paying a reinstatement fee (often $100-$500 on top of everything else)
• Submitting a reinstatement application

After the reinstatement window closes, you may need to form a new LLC entirely, which means a new entity number, new EIN, updating all contracts, and re-registering with banks and vendors.

Five Tips to Never Miss Your Annual Report

1. Know Your Exact Due Date

Do not rely on "sometime in the spring." Pin down the exact date. If your state uses your formation anniversary month, find your original formation date on your state's entity search and mark the month and day (or last day of the month, depending on state rules).

2. Set Multiple Reminders

A single calendar reminder the day before is not enough. By the time you see it, you may not have the information you need to file. Set reminders at 30 days, 7 days, and 1 day before the deadline. The 30-day reminder gives you time to verify your registered agent, update addresses, and gather any needed information.

3. File Early

There is no benefit to waiting until the deadline. Most states allow you to file your annual report as soon as the filing period opens (often 30-90 days before the due date). File early, cross it off, and move on with your business.

4. Check All States Where You Are Registered

If your LLC is registered as a foreign entity in multiple states, you have annual report obligations in each of those states, each with its own due date and fee. A single LLC registered in its home state plus two foreign states has three separate annual reports to track.

5. Use Compliance Tracking Software

Spreadsheets and calendar reminders work until they do not. Compliance tracking tools like NeverFined automatically know your deadlines based on your entity type, state, and industry, and send you reminders before each one comes due. The cost of the software is a fraction of a single late fee.

Final Thought

Your LLC's annual report is not complicated. It takes 10-15 minutes and costs less than a business dinner. But it is the kind of small, boring, easy-to-forget task that causes disproportionate damage when it slips through the cracks. The best approach is the simplest one: know your date, set your reminders, and file early. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.