Best Businesses to Start in Virginia
ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Starts at $0 + state fee and only takes 5-10 minutes
Last Updated: March 2, 2026
Trying to find the best LLC services in Virginia for your business? Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or an experienced business owner, choosing the right LLC formation service can save you time, money, and stress. In this comparison guide, we break down top providers like ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Bizee (formerly Incfile), and Northwest Registered Agent. You’ll see how they stack up in terms of pricing, features, and customer support — plus what each service is best known for. If you’re looking for great value and reliable service, ZenBusiness is a standout option for forming an LLC in Virginia.
| LLC Service Provider | Starting Price (Excl. State Fees) | Registered Agent | Money-Back Guarantee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZenBusiness | $0 | Add-on, $199/yr | 60 days | Overall value |
| Bizee (Incfile) | $0 | 1st year free, then $119/yr | ✘ | Basic formation |
| LegalZoom | $0 | Add-on, $249/yr | 60 days | Legal support |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 | 1st year free, then $125/yr | ✘ | Personalized support |
If you’re looking for an overall, excellent LLC formation service in Virginia, go with us at ZenBusiness. We’ve already formed 850,000+ businesses since 2015!
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Virginia state fees)
✔ 60-day money-back guarantee
✔ 27710+ reviews with a 4.8 average rating
✔ Award-winning customer support
✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays and Sundays
✔ Socially conscious company (Public Benefit Corporation)
✘ Registered agent service costs extra after the first year
✘ Some advanced features require higher-tier plans
If you want socially conscious Virginia LLC formation services with a service discount, choose ZenBusiness.
Another LLC service is Bizee (formerly known as Infile), with a basic formation service that would only require you to pay Virginia’s state filing fee. Bizee is a well-known choice, with more than one million businesses formed since they opened in 2004. They also have a variety of features to suit a business owner’s needs.
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Virginia state fees)
✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($119/yr afterward)
✔ Large customer base with 24,400+ reviews (as of March 2026)
✔ Phone and email support
✘ Lots of upsells can increase overall costs
✘ Customer support can be slow during peak times
✘ No weekend phone support available
Keep in Mind: Even though their Virginia LLC formation service is free, you’re going to deal with more upsells and potentially higher overall prices as a result.
Want to learn more? See our Bizee review.
LegalZoom is the most well-known service in this industry, handling millions of LLC formations since 2001. They handle huge volumes of entity formations in Virginia and offer legal services beyond formations.
✔ Established brand with 4 million+ businesses formed
✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays
✔ Offers legal services beyond Virginia LLC formation
✘ Aggressive upsells during the ordering process
✘ Registered agent service is expensive ($249/yr)
✘ Not the best value compared to other services available in Virginia
Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.
Northwest Registered Agent also offers a good business formation service in Virginia, with personalized customer support as their standout feature. They’ve been forming businesses since 1998.
✔ Personalized customer support
✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($125/yr afterward)
✔ Industry experience since 1998
✘ Higher starting price than competitors who offer free Virginia LLC formation
✘ No published customer service hours and no chat support
✘ Limited brand recognition compared to larger competitors
Want to learn more? See our Northwest Registered Agent review.
Compare ZenBusiness Plans
$0
+ state fees | does not renew
Starter
Standard
$199
+ state fees | renews at $199/yr
Pro
Most Popular
$399
+ state fees | renews at $399/yr
Premium
Best Value
Starter
Starter
Standard
Pro
Most Popular
Premium
Best Value
START STRONG
STAY PROTECTED
STRENGTHEN AND GROW
ZENBUSINESS ADVANTAGE
*Processing times are based on receiving complete information. ZenBusiness processing times do not include Secretary of State processing times, which can vary.
**Starter offers an optional 50% off the first year of Worry-Free Compliance. You will be charged $99 for the first year and then it will renew at $199/y
† SPECIAL OFFERS – By keeping the box(es) selected, you agree to the offers in your package. After the initial period ends, these services automatically renew at their regular price. You can cancel these services at any time before or after the introductory period ends.
| Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1197 Richmond, Virginia 23218 | Physical Address: 1300 E. Main St. Richmond, Virginia 23219 |
| Telephone: 804-371-9733 | Website: https://www.scc.virginia.gov/ |
In addition to the costs of a business formation service or hiring an attorney (which are optional, as we’ve discussed), there are quite a few other required and optional expenses when forming and maintaining a Virginia business. You cannot form an LLC in Virginia without filing the Articles of Organization, the document that officially registers your business within the state. Virginia charges a $100 fee for this document.
Your LLC will need to pay an annual registration fee. Unlike a lot of states, which require an annual report of both a monetary fee and paperwork, Virginia simply requires the fee. This costs $50 annually for an LLC. However, for corporations, the fee depends on how many shares your corporation has. Read more about Virginia LLC costs.
We invite you to take a look at our guide to forming a limited liability company in Virginia. This article walks you through the LLC formation process in this state step by step, helping ensure that you don’t miss any crucial elements.
One of the most important steps in forming a Virginia LLC is choosing a business name. Once you come up with ideas for your name, you should search through the State Corporation Commission’s name check availability search to make sure your desired name is available. For more information on conducting a business name search in Virginia, check out our Virginia business search page.
You can fill out or download the Articles of Organization on the State Corporation Commission’s website.
In Virginia, an LLC’s ongoing maintenance requirements include the annual registration fee. This filing is due each year by the end of your LLC’s anniversary month, and there is a $50 filing fee.
Chances are, you’ll require at least one license or permit to operate your LLC in compliance with Virginia state law. For more information about business licenses and more in this state, check out Virginia’s licenses webpage, here.
Processing times vary by the Secretary of State’s workload, but filing online can be as little as 2 to 5 business days. Filing by mail can take two or more weeks.
If you want more details about what these companies can offer in this state, or you’d like to take a look at some other options, check out our guide to the best Virginia registered agent services.
Unfortunately, not all businesses last forever. If the time comes when you need to close your LLC’s doors, you’ll need to do so in a manner consistent with the state’s regulations. That’s why we wrote our guide to Virginia LLC dissolutions, so you can complete the process in a compliant manner.
If your LLC already exists in another state, you don’t actually need to “form” it in Virginia. Instead, you’ll need to foreign-qualify the business in this state. This process is somewhat similar to LLC formation, but there are some crucial differences as well. Take a look at our guide to foreign qualifications in Virginia for more information.
Virginia Business Resources
Top LLC Formation Services in All 50 States
We've broken down the best LLC formation services in all 50 states. Select your state for more information.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Choose ZenBusiness Today
Scan to download
the ZenBusiness app
