LLC for Beginners › Hawaii
Forming an LLC in Hawaii for the first time
The Hawaii filing fee is $51. For a beginner the best service is Mainstay Filing: $199 a year covers the filing, agent, EIN application and the annual report, so year 1 comes to $250.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
Your Hawaii checklist
- File the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (LLC-1). $51 to the Hawaii Secretary of State.
- Registered agent. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. Mainstay Filing includes it.
- EIN. Free from the IRS; included in the application Mainstay Filing prepares.
- Operating agreement. Write one even for a single owner. No upcharge at Mainstay Filing.
- Annual report. Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report, every year, $12.50. Due: Last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year + $51 state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Total for the first three years
$673 with Mainstay Filing, state fees included. Others: Northwest Registered Agent $365; ZenBusiness $573; Bizee $374; LegalZoom $823 (these totals leave out any charge for filing the annual report).
Questions
What is the best LLC service for a beginner in Hawaii?
Mainstay Filing. First year $250 including the $51 Hawaii filing fee; $211.50 in year 2.
Can a beginner file an LLC in Hawaii without a service?
Yes: file the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (LLC-1) with the Hawaii Secretary of State for $51. Required registered agent: A Hawaii resident, or a business entity formed in Hawaii or authorized to do business there. The LLC cannot be its own agent.
Sources
- Hawaii formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: cca.hawaii.gov/breg/registration/dllc/, checked October 1, 2026
- Hawaii formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: cca.hawaii.gov/breg/registration/dllc/fees/, checked October 1, 2026
- Hawaii DCCA Business Registration Division release of July 1, 2026 ($12.50 online, $15 on paper; $10 late fee per year delinquent, which supersedes the $100-per-30-days maximum printed on the older Form C5): cca.hawaii.gov/breg/third-quarter-hawaii-annual-business-reports-due-2026/, checked October 1, 2026
- Hawaii yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source read 2026-10-01: files.hawaii.gov/dcca/breg/registration/forms/c5.pdf, checked October 1, 2026
- Hawaii registered agent statute (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 428-107): www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol08_Ch0401-0429/HRS0425R/HRS_0425R-0004.htm, checked October 20, 2026