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Written by: Natalie Fell
Natalie is a business writer with experience in operations, HR, and training & development within the software, healthcare, and financial services sectors.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on August 13, 2022
Updated on April 9, 2024
If you’re starting an LLC in Virginia, the business entity formation process is one of the first and most important hurdles. This step can be terribly complex and time-consuming, which is why many entrepreneurs turn to professional formation services.
But which are the best LLC formation services in Virginia? This article takes a closer look, stepping into an entrepreneur’s shoes, to help you choose the service that puts you on the road to success.
Here we summarize our top picks of business formation services in Virginia.
Best Overall
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best for Legal Services
Best for Ensuring Compliance
ZenBusiness presents various plans tailored for aspiring Virginia LLC owners.
The Starter plan, priced at $0 plus Virginia’s state fees, includes a business name availability search within Virginia and complete LLC formation support.
For those looking for more comprehensive services, the Pro plan at $199 plus Virginia’s state fees incorporates everything from the Starter plan, along with a Virginia-appropriate operating agreement template, an EIN, annual compliance service, and expedited filing.
Their Premium plan, set at $349 plus Virginia state fees, offers all the Pro services and additionally provides a business document template library, domain name, website, and email, all configured for the Virginia business landscape.
ZenBusiness emerges as our top choice for the best overall LLC filing company in Virginia, primarily due to its affordable foundational service, which includes Virginia LLC filing and a 100% accuracy guarantee starting at $0 plus the specific fees of Virginia.
What’s more, ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, merging the ethos of profit-driven businesses with community-focused objectives akin to nonprofits.
While their primary focus is Virginia LLC formation, ZenBusiness also extends a variety of supplementary services, from registered agent services to essential business tools for Virginia businesses. Though some of these might add to the overall cost, the historical track record of ZenBusiness, backed by positive reviews from its Virginia clientele, stands as a testament to its reliability and efficiency.
ZenBusiness offers valuable services for budding entrepreneurs. While registered agent services are an add-on, their excellent customer support, user-friendly site, and positive reviews make them a top choice.
Northwest’s plan for Virginia LLCs stands at $39 plus Virginia’s state fees. It encompasses business formation specific to Virginia’s guidelines, complimentary registered agent services for a year, a dedicated business address in Virginia, an operating agreement aligned with Virginia’s statutes, and some additional perks.
The value proposition of this plan, especially for those looking to establish an LLC in Virginia, is quite robust. Notably, the inclusion of registered agent services and a Virginia-compliant operating agreement amplifies its worth. However, a point to note for potential Virginia LLC owners is that even if you decide against availing the registered agent services, the full plan price remains unchanged.
Northwest Registered Agent, evident from the name, has carved a niche for itself primarily due to its exemplary registered agent services. Serving a plethora of Virginia businesses, they distinguish themselves with a more personalized approach to customer support and prompt notifications concerning any correspondence.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because of their transparent pricing, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy. They pride themselves on personalizing their approach to meeting your registered agent needs, which are their specialty.
For Virginia’s state fees only, Swyft Filings’ Basic package covers verification of your company name specific to Virginia’s database, preparation of the articles of organization according to Virginia’s guidelines, and document filing with the state of Virginia. Furthermore, you gain online access to your documents and benefit from lifetime customer support.
For those looking to broaden their Virginia LLC services, the Standard package is available at $199 plus Virginia’s state fees. This encompasses all offerings from the Basic package but augments it with a custom operating agreement tailored for Virginia and a federal tax ID, or EIN. You also obtain access to custom banking resolution services and custom organizational minutes, which aids in setting up your inaugural meeting for your Virginia LLC.
Swyft Filings’ Premium package for Virginia LLCs integrates all the services in the Standard package but with the edge of expedited filing. Added to this are a comprehensive business document library, timely compliance notifications, and a dedicated business domain name and website specific for Virginia businesses. An enticing aspect of this package is the digital LLC kit, featuring a digital company “seal”, a structured ledger for overseeing transfers of ownership, and Virginia-centric ownership certificates. This comprehensive Premium package is on offer at $299 plus Virginia’s state filing fees.
In the sphere of assisting Virginia LLCs, Swyft Filings has established itself with excellent customer support and consistently positive customer reviews.
Swyft Filings offers fast processing but doesn’t include registered agent services in their packages, making additions somewhat costly. However, they provide good value overall and strong customer support.
For a Virginia LLC, the Silver package, priced at just the Virginia state fees, provides the drafting and filing of the articles of organization, business banking account offer, unlimited name searches, a year of free registered agent services within the state, lifetime company alerts keeping you updated on reporting due dates, and a business tax consultation. You’ll also get access to a personalized online dashboard and unlimited phone and email support.
The Gold package, available for $199, encompasses everything in the Silver package tailored for Virginia LLCs and also includes an operating agreement template, banking resolution, an EIN tax number, and the filing of IRS Form 2553, which allows LLCs to reap the tax benefits of an S Corporation.
The Platinum package, priced at $299, includes everything in the Gold package with the advantage of free expedited filing for Virginia, as well as a domain name and business email. You’ll also receive access to business contract templates, which can be extremely helpful for new business owners. There are over 25 different contracts, all created and reviewed by attorneys.
Bizee provides substantial value, especially with their Silver package that costs only state fees and includes a year of registered agent service. For first-time entrepreneurs looking to save, Bizee stands out in the competition.
Rocket Lawyer doesn’t offer distinct business formation service packages for Virginia LLCs. Their charge for forming a business in Virginia stands at $99. However, Virginian entrepreneurs can avail this service for free if they opt for a $39.99 membership.
For those establishing a Virginia LLC with a membership, they can access discounted registered agent services in Virginia for just $111.99, as opposed to the standard Virginia rate of $149.99.
Moreover, with a membership, Virginia LLC owners will also have the convenience of accessing a variety of business document templates tailored for the state, including a specialized operating agreement for Virginia LLCs.
Rocket Lawyer simplifies business start-up, though it lacks some services offered by competitors. Their membership stands out, providing ongoing legal assistance and offering the best value.
Harbor Compliance doesn’t provide all-inclusive business formation service packages specifically for Virginia LLCs. Instead, they focus on a la carte services. For those looking to establish a Virginia LLC, the business formation is priced at $99 plus Virginia state fees. On top of this, you have the option to add specific services tailored for the needs of a Virginia LLC (registered agent, annual reports, and EIN).
Registered agent service is $99 annually ($50 off if you pay for five years upfront, $100 off if you pay for 10). Annual report filing services are available at a rate of $175 plus Virginia filing fees annually (you’ll get $250 off if you purchase ten years’ worth of annual report filing). Furthermore, Harbor Compliance can also assist a Virginia LLC in obtaining an EIN starting at a price of $99.
Additionally, Harbor Compliance offers business license management tools among a plethora of other services for Virginia businesses.
For a Virginia LLC, Harbor Compliance stands out with its swift processing. They not only offer a broader spectrum of services compared to many competitors but also provide competitively priced registered agent services for Virginia entities.
Harbor Compliance provides extensive services, including comprehensive annual compliance and business license guidance, surpassing competitors. Though on the pricier side, they cater to most needs of new business owners.
A business formation service handles the business formation process for you, making it nearly seamless while offering additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner. Whether you’re forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, a business formation service takes care of all the red tape, freeing you up to focus on growing your business.
With so many business formation services to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. There are four essential elements that can help you make your decision.
Each service offers various products and services, and their plans are all designed differently. You may need some services but not others, so you need to choose the service that offers everything you need. For example, only some of the providers offer annual report filing.
If it’s important to you to get that task off your plate, you’ll want a service that offers that feature. Another feature you might need is a digital dashboard where you can always access your business formation documents.
You’ll want to choose a service that has everything you need to make starting and running your business as easy as possible.
Of course, you’ll want to get the best value for your money!
Compare the cost of each service for everything you need. The price can really add up when you start adding extras, so be careful not to go too far. You also want to get good value and great customer service, so if you’re considering the cheapest service, check the reviews to see how people feel about it.
Business formation turnaround times vary with each service, so if you’re in a hurry to get your business up and running, you’ll want to look for the quickest service. You don’t want your order to sit in an office for too long before your paperwork gets filed with the state. Some services differentiate themselves with fast turnaround times, so if they also offer good value, that might be your best choice.
One good way to learn about the quality of anything you’re buying is to listen to what people are saying about it. When we review services we look at Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot ratings and reviews. It’s wise to look at both positive and negative reviews to find out what people love about the service, and about issues customers have encountered.
Remember that fake reviews are common, so you’ll have to take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In nearly every case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewers are able to provide the most complete and insightful analysis of various LLC formation services.
Published on June 30, 2022
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