New Delhi, Feb. 13 -- More than 5.1 million business applications were filed in the first eleven months of 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau data-the fifth consecutive year above five million. A large share of those applicants filed to form a limited liability company, the most popular business structure in the country for new ventures. And yet the process of actually starting one remains surprisingly opaque. State requirements vary wildly. Fees range from $40 to over $500. Some states demand newspaper publication notices; others don't even require annual reports.

The basics are simpler than most people expect. LLCBuddy">LLCBuddy, which maintains a free database of LLC formation requirements for all 50 states, breaks the process into...