How to Register a Company LLC or Corporation Instantly
Forget Bizfilings.com and Legalzoom.com. They are madly expensive and charge unnecessary fees such as the getting the federal EIN which is free if you apply yourself.
In Virginia you can efile your company online instantly through the State Corporation Commission https://sccefile.scc.virginia.gov Register a user account using your email address to continue.
Here are the steps to do it:
1. Once you’re logged in you have seven choices. First check if the business name exists and if it’s is distinguishable. Then select “Form an Entity”.
2. On this screen you have the option to process your registration online immediately (eFile Express) or through a PDF upload for complex non-stock corporation. To see which one you’re eligible for, click “eligibility information“. To summarize it for you, the instant option is for single owned LLC. Professional LLC have to use the PDF upload option
3. This is the express option to get your certificate and SCC ID instantly. Enter your company name including any one of the following words (Limited Liability Company, Limited Company, LLC, L.L.C., LC or L.C.). Then you have to select the agent which has to be you (the founder and state resident) or an authorized agent of another company of the state.
Below the agent’s name displays the fee which is $100 with a 2.4% credit card fee (in Virginia) and electronic signature. You can preview the “Articles of Organization” before submission. Click the “Pay and File” button for a new window to pop-up for payment via credit card or e-check.
That’s it! Here’s what your Virginia Business Certificate will look like.
You can request notarized copies of the certificate to be mailed for you for $3.50 per copy. This is required to open a business bank account which I highly recommend. This will make your taxes and accounting easier to deal with especially when you have to deduct your expenses!
Here are other tasks you can do:
- Form a Virginia stock corporation or LLC NEW
- File a Financing Statement (UCC-1)
- Financing Statement Amendment (UCC-3)
- File an Annual Report
- Pay Annual Registration Fee
- Change a Registered Agent/Office
- Resign as a Registered Agent