Can any company make the state filing fee $0?

Almost never. The state fee is set by statute or the filing office. Vendors can waive their own service charge; they cannot erase the secretary of state’s price unless a specific state program says so.

What does Inc Authority mean by a free LLC?

Its homepage advertises free LLC registration with required state fees still due, and it lists $0 lines for filing service, first-year registered agent, and EIN in a comparison table. Always confirm the live checkout and terms.

Is Rocket Lawyer’s first registration actually free?

With a membership, the pricing page says the first LLC, corporation, or nonprofit registration is free, then $99, and government fees are excluded. The membership itself has monthly or yearly prices after any trial.

Will I owe money again after year one?

Often yes: state annual reports, franchise taxes, and registered-agent renewals. Inc Authority’s separate registered-agent product page has listed $249 per year; Rocket Lawyer lists registered agent at $125 per year on Plus and Pro. Check both the state and the vendor.

Does a free filing include an operating agreement?

Not by default on the pages reviewed here. An operating agreement is the owners’ private contract. See our operating-agreement guide before you assume it is in the box.

Guide

Is a Free LLC Really Free? Inc Authority and State Fees Explained

Ads for a “free LLC” are easy to misread. In most cases the vendor is waiving its own preparation fee. The state still charges to accept the articles. This guide unpacks that split using Inc Authority’s public offer and Rocket Lawyer’s membership filing language.

Quick answer

A free LLC offer is usually free of the company’s service fee, not free of government fees. Inc Authority’s homepage says you only pay required state fees. Rocket Lawyer’s pricing page says the first registration is free with membership and that government fees are excluded. Budget for the state fee on day one and for renewals later. Figures on this page can go stale; open the provider and state sites before you pay.

Two checks on every receipt

1. Vendor service fee

This is what the website charges to prepare and submit paperwork. It can be $0, a flat package price, or bundled into a membership. Marketing pages emphasize the $0 line because it is under the vendor’s control.

2. State (and sometimes local) fees

The secretary of state or corporations division charges to file articles. Amounts differ by state and sometimes by expedited processing. Sales tax, name reservation, or county publications can add more. No national “free LLC” slogan replaces that schedule.

What Inc Authority publishes

Inc Authority markets free LLC order placed in minutes (state processing takes longer), with free EIN and free registered agent lines on the homepage, while repeating that you pay required state fees. A pricing comparison on that page shows Authority at $0 plus state fees against higher competitor totals. The terms state the company can prepare and file formation documents and that it is not a law firm. A separate registered-agent product page has listed registered agent service at $249 per year, and the terms say a registered-agent subscription renews. First year free; the standalone service lists $249/year, so ask what year two costs.

View Inc Authority formation

This ordinary link opens Inc Authority’s site. Able Legal Forms does not earn a commission from it.

What Rocket Lawyer publishes

Rocket Lawyer sells memberships. On the pricing page, Standard, Plus, and Pro list annual prices of $149, $249, and $349 or month-to-month prices of $34.99, $49.99, and $64.99, each with a 7-day trial at $0. The same page says the first LLC, corporation, or nonprofit registration is free with membership, then $99, plus state fees. Registered agent appears as $125 per year on Plus and Pro. So the “free” filing requires a current membership, which becomes paid after the trial. Compare that structure on business formation services and in Rocket Lawyer vs LegalZoom.

View Rocket Lawyer formation

This ordinary link opens Rocket Lawyer’s LLC page. Able Legal Forms does not earn a commission from it.

View Rocket Lawyer membership prices

This ordinary link opens Rocket Lawyer’s pricing page. Able Legal Forms does not earn a commission from it.

Cost checklist

Typical cost lines when forming an LLC online
Cost line	Who sets it	Often “free” in ads?
Articles filing fee	State filing office	No—still due
Vendor preparation fee	Inc Authority, Rocket Lawyer, others	Sometimes $0 or bundled
Membership or trial	Rocket Lawyer tiers	Trial may be $0; paid plan follows
Registered agent (year 1+)	Vendor or third party	Sometimes year 1 only
EIN	IRS is free; vendors may charge help	Yes. The IRS issues EINs free; “free EIN” ads refer to the vendor’s help.
Operating agreement	Template, attorney, or DIY	Usually separate—see our guide

Questions to ask before you click buy

What exact state fee appears on the order summary?
Is registered agent free for one year only, and what is the renewal price?
Am I joining a membership that auto-renews after a trial?
Is an operating agreement included, sold separately, or omitted?
Who receives service of process if I am my own agent?

If you are still deciding whether you need an LLC at all, start with LLC vs sole proprietor. For the owner contract after filing, use LLC operating agreement options.

Attorney help is a different purchase

LegalZoom’s Business Attorney Plan is a consultation subscription, not a promise that state fees disappear. Use it when you want attorney time on a new matter—not as a substitute for reading the filing receipt.

View LegalZoom attorney plan

This ordinary link opens LegalZoom’s attorney-plan page, not a business-formation checkout. Able Legal Forms does not earn a commission from it.

FAQ

Can any company make the state filing fee $0?: Almost never. The state fee is set by statute or the filing office. Vendors can waive their own service charge; they cannot erase the secretary of state’s price unless a specific state program says so.
What does Inc Authority mean by a free LLC?: Its homepage advertises free LLC registration with required state fees still due, and it lists $0 lines for filing service, first-year registered agent, and EIN in a comparison table. Always confirm the live checkout and terms.
Is Rocket Lawyer’s first registration actually free?: With a membership, the pricing page says the first LLC, corporation, or nonprofit registration is free, then $99, and government fees are excluded. The membership itself has monthly or yearly prices after any trial.
Will I owe money again after year one?: Often yes: state annual reports, franchise taxes, and registered-agent renewals. Inc Authority’s separate registered-agent product page has listed $249 per year; Rocket Lawyer lists registered agent at $125 per year on Plus and Pro. Check both the state and the vendor.
Does a free filing include an operating agreement?: Not by default on the pages reviewed here. An operating agreement is the owners’ private contract. See our operating-agreement guide before you assume it is in the box.

Related guides

Sources and review date

Reviewed October 17, 2026. Prices, trials, and plan limits below are taken from the provider pages linked here. Those pages can change. This site did not buy the products, and it does not publish ratings, testimonials, or user counts.