The Scenario
When Sana decided to turn her catering side gig into an LLC, she assumed the paperwork would take weeks and a lawyer. Instead, she spent one evening on a formation service: answered a few questions, paid the state fee, and had her LLC documents, EIN application guidance, and registered agent arranged by morning. Three days later, she had a business bank account and was officially accepting contracts.
Business registration is not a maze. It is a checklist, and most of it happens online.
Who This Guide Is For
This is for owners who have decided to form an LLC or corporation and want the process done correctly without an attorney, and for solo owners wondering whether formal registration is worth it yet. If you have not chosen a structure, read our LLC vs sole proprietorship guide first.
The Registration Checklist
Step 1: Pick a name and confirm it is available
Run your name through your state’s business registry and the USPTO search. Our business naming guide covers the full checklist, including domain and trademark checks.
Step 2: File the entity with your state
For an LLC, this means filing articles of organization and paying the state fee. You can do it on your state’s website, or a formation service can file it for you - the service fee buys convenience and, often, a registered agent.
Step 3: Get an EIN from the IRS
The Employer Identification Number is free and instant through the IRS website. You need it to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file business taxes. Formation services often include EIN guidance or obtain the number as part of their package.
Step 4: Appoint a registered agent
If your state requires one, you can be your own agent, but a service is usually better: your personal address stays off public records, and someone is always available to accept legal mail. Northwest Registered Agent is the flat-rate specialist for exactly this role.
Step 5: Open the business bank account
Once the entity exists, bring your formation documents and EIN to a bank. Online business banks make this fast - our business banking guide compares the top options.
Step 6: Set up the compliance calendar
Mark your annual report deadline, state renewal dates, and license renewals in a calendar now. Missing an annual report is one of the most common ways owners accidentally dissolve their LLC.
The Services, Compared
- ZenBusiness is the budget-friendly all-rounder: low-cost formation, a registered agent option, and compliance reminders that catch deadlines.
- Northwest is the no-nonsense pick for owners who want a fair flat rate and genuinely helpful humans, especially for registered agent service.
- LegalZoom is the one-stop choice when you want formation plus ongoing legal documents and guidance in the same place.
What Not to Overpay For
- Expedited filing you do not need. Only pay for speed if a contract or deadline depends on it.
- Banking “perks” bundled into formation packages. The bank account should be chosen on its own merits, not sold as an upsell.
- Renewals at triple the intro price. Read the registered agent renewal rate before you commit - this is the most common hidden cost in formation services.
- Doing nothing because it feels hard. The fee for waiting is usually bigger than the fee for filing.
What to Buy
If you want the cheapest clean path, ZenBusiness handles formation, registered agent service, and deadline reminders in one subscription. If registered agent quality and honest pricing matter most, Northwest is the flat-rate standard. And if you prefer one provider for formation plus legal help as the business grows, LegalZoom is the established choice. Whichever you pick, open the bank account and set the compliance calendar the same week - that is what turns a registered entity into a real business.