Formation guide
Read the complete formation framework.
Read guideLLC SCHOOL · PRACTICAL EDUCATION
Your LLC launch checklist
Choose your state and stage, then use the eight-step launchboard to organize your questions and next actions. Check marks describe work you report completing, not government approval.
Build your preparation list
Choose your answers to see a next-step route. Unanswered questions remain open.
Eight launch topics
These steps reuse the homepage launchboard and its saved check marks. Changing or resetting a step here also changes the launchboard in this browser. Check marks are not separated by state; changing state does not certify earlier work for that state.
Selections and check marks stay in this browser. Reset clears this tool’s saved progress. Downloads are snapshots without automatic updates.
How to use the result
- Select a state, your stage and whether you are planning from outside the U.S.
- Open the linked state guide and confirm current agency instructions before filing.
- Use the eight topics to record tasks you actually completed. Revisit them when the business or state changes.
- Download a text snapshot or print the current list for your own records.
What this plan covers
State selection changes the reading route. Stage changes the suggested starting point, not the legal requirements. The checklist does not calculate fees, filing dates, foreign qualification or tax elections. Existing owners can revisit recordkeeping and ongoing filings without treating the formation checklist as an annual compliance certificate.
Common questions
Does completing eight steps create my LLC?
No. You must make any required filings separately with the responsible authorities.
Does selecting a state recommend that state?
No. It opens relevant reading. Your actual business activities may raise additional registration questions.
Can I use this after formation?
Yes. Choose Already formed, verify the records you have, and use the ongoing filing and bookkeeping guidance.
Official sources and scope
- SBA: Launch your business — Register your business and Apply for licenses and permits: state/location questions.
- IRS: Get an employer identification number — online-tool eligibility, free application and formation first.
These national topics were checked on 24 October 2026. Next source review target: 24 January 2027, or sooner if an authority changes its instructions. That is a maintenance target, not a promise that rules will stay unchanged. No state-specific fee or deadline is calculated here.
Continue with a related guide
Bookkeeping guide
Organize records after formation.
Read guide