Saving Money on New York’s LLC Publication Requirement in NYC

The New York LLC publication requirement is unavoidable. But it can also be really expensive. If you’re like a lot of small business owners, your bottom line is a very delicate balancing act when you’re first starting out. No one wants to drain their business bank account during the first 120 days of business.

While there aren’t any loopholes for avoiding the publication requirement, you can take advantage of this guide to do it as affordably as possible. Depending on what county you’re in, this could save you over $1,000.

What is the New York LLC publication requirement?

New York is one of just a few states with a publication requirement. Within 120 days of filing its Articles of Organization, a limited liability company (LLC) needs to submit a Certificate of Publication to the Secretary of State. Managing the $50 filing fee is the easy part. But prepping to file that Certificate is a little time-consuming.

When you submit your Certificate, you’ll have to include Affidavits of Publication from two different newspapers within the county where your business’s office is. The county clerk decides which newspapers are eligible to fill this requirement. To receive an affidavit from one of these papers, you’ll need to publish an ad once a week for six consecutive weeks.

What does the ad need to say?

The publication ad exists to notify the general public about new businesses, including where they’re located, who started them, and more. You need to submit a copy of your Articles of Organization — or, to save space, a simplified version of them — as your ad. Publishing this information in two papers (one weekly and one daily paper) for six weeks will satisfy the New York publishing requirement.

How much does it cost to publish my LLC notice?

Ultimately, the cost to publish your LLC depends on several factors. The most important one is the county where your office is located; you have to make your newspaper publications in that county. And just like rent is cheaper in the upstate than it is in New York City, publication fees tend to climb within the city’s counties.

Additionally, you have to use publications that are designated by your county clerk, which limits your choices somewhat. Many clerks provide an approved list. But take, for example, Queens County, where the clerk’s office assigns you a weekly and daily publication directly. That specificity makes it a bit harder (if not impossible) to choose the cheapest possible paper.

New York City County Publication Costs

NYC counties are by far the most expensive places to publish, including Queens, Bronx, Kings, New York, and Richmond County. In these locations, it can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,500 (or more) to fulfill the six-week requirement for two separate newspapers. As a small business navigating all of the other costs of starting a NY LLC, that bill can feel overwhelming.

The good news: hiring a registered agent service like ours can greatly reduce your publication costs.

How can a registered agent service lower my publication costs?

In New York, you’re allowed to list your registered agent’s street address as the office address that goes on file with the Secretary of State. That means that even if you live and work in New York City, your registered agent can be somewhere else to accept your service of process and other communications. And when you list the agent’s address as your physical address, you can use that county for your publication requirement.

Our New York Registered Agent Service is headquartered in Albany county, which has the lowest fees for newspaper ads. If you appoint us as your agent, you’ll get to take advantage of this county’s low fees since Albany will be your principal address.

What about having the Secretary of State as my agent?

New York state is unique because if you don’t appoint your own registered agent, the Secretary of State will be your agent for service of process by default. Maintaining this appointment might save you money on registered agent fees, but it won’t let you use the Secretary of State’s county for publication.

For many LLCs in NYC, it’s cheaper to hire an agent in a county with cheaper publication fees. But if you’re already located in an affordable publication county, you might find it cheaper to have the Secretary of State be your agent for free. You’ll have to weigh your options carefully.

We can help!

Starting a New York LLC can feel overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone. At ZenBusiness, we provide all the tools you’ll need to compliantly start and run your business. Whether you need help starting an LLC with a $0 formation service, managing your LLC’s finances, staying compliant every year, or anything in between, ZenBusiness has your back.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.