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Compliance

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Stay in good standing, year after year

Forming a company is the start, not the finish. Most states require annual or biennial reports, many charge annual or franchise taxes, and missed deadlines can cost your company its good standing. Firmlane prepares and files your state's annual or biennial report before the deadline and sends you reminders ahead of every due date.

  • Annual and biennial report filing
  • Reminders before state deadlines and Firmlane renewals
  • State fees and taxes shown separately from Firmlane fees
  • Filing confirmation stored in your dashboard
Get started Set up reminders

Real examples

What staying compliant looks like in practice

Requirements differ a lot from state to state. These examples, checked against official state and federal sources on October 17, 2026, show the range.

  • Delaware LLC

    $400 annual tax, due by June 1

    The tax covers the prior year, and Delaware raised it from $300 in 2026, so confirm the amount for your year with the Division of Corporations. LLCs don't file an annual report. Late payment adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.

  • Delaware corporation

    Annual report and franchise tax due by March 1

    The minimum tax is $175 under the authorized shares method and $400 under the assumed par value capital method. Late filing adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.

  • Wyoming LLC or corporation

    Annual report due the first day of your anniversary month

    The license tax is $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar ($.0002) of assets located and employed in Wyoming, whichever is greater.

  • California LLC

    $800 annual tax, every year until cancelled

    Due by the 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year (for the first year, counted from the date you file with the Secretary of State), even if the LLC isn't doing business. A separate LLC fee applies when total California income exceeds $250,000.

  • California corporation

    $800 minimum franchise tax

    Corporations newly incorporated or qualified on or after January 1, 2020 are not required to pay the minimum franchise tax in their first taxable year.

  • FinCEN BOI report

    Not required for US-formed companies, as of October 17, 2026

    Under FinCEN's final rule effective August 14, 2026. Companies formed under foreign law that register to do business in a US state may still have to report. Details below.

How it works

The main state obligations, explained

Annual and biennial reports

Most states ask companies to file a short report every year or every two years. It confirms or updates basic information such as your principal address, registered agent, and managers, members, directors or officers. The name varies: annual report, biennial report or statement of information. So does the due date: some states use a fixed date for everyone, others use the month you formed.

Annual and franchise taxes

A franchise tax or annual tax is a charge for the privilege of existing or doing business in a state. It is separate from income tax, and in many states it is owed even if your company earned nothing. California's $800 LLC tax is a well-known example: it is due every year until the LLC is cancelled, whether or not the LLC is doing business.

What happens if you miss a filing

Consequences build up over time and depend on the state, but they usually follow the same pattern:

  • Penalties and interest are added to what you owe.
  • Loss of good standing. Your company may be listed as delinquent or not in good standing, and you may not be able to get a certificate of good standing, which banks and other states often ask for.
  • Administrative dissolution or revocation. If the problem continues, the state can end the company's active status. Wyoming, for example, administratively dissolves an entity whose annual report is not filed within 60 days of the due date.

Reinstatement is sometimes possible, but it usually means filing every missing report and paying what is owed, and it may have time limits. Wyoming does not allow reinstatement after two years in administratively dissolved standing.

Doing business in other states

If your company does business in a state other than the one where it was formed, that state may require you to register there as a foreign entity. Each registration comes with its own registered agent, reports and fees. Whether your activity counts as doing business depends on that state's law, so it is worth checking before you hire, lease space or open a location there.

FinCEN beneficial ownership (BOI) reporting: current status

As of October 17, 2026, FinCEN's website states that it issued a final rule on August 11, 2026, effective August 14, 2026, that makes permanent the exemptions first introduced in its March 2025 interim final rule. Under the current rule:

  • Companies created in the United States are exempt from BOI reporting.
  • Reporting companies don't need to report US persons as beneficial owners or company applicants, and US persons don't need to provide BOI to reporting companies.
  • Entities formed under the law of a foreign country that are registered to do business in a US state may still be required to report BOI for beneficial owners who are not US persons.

This area has changed several times since 2024. Check fincen.gov/boi (opens in a new tab) for the latest position before deciding anything for your company.

What we can help with

Compliance support at Firmlane

Two services cover what most companies need: annual report filing and compliance reminders. Add them when you form or order them on their own.

  • Annual and biennial reports

    We prepare and file the periodic report your state requires, using the details you confirm, and store the filing confirmation in your dashboard.

  • Compliance calendar

    Your state report and tax due dates in one place, with email reminders ahead of each deadline and before any Firmlane renewal.

  • Good standing

    Filing on time keeps your company in good standing, so a certificate of good standing is available when a bank or another state asks for one.

    Certificates

  • State taxes and fees

    The state's report fee or franchise tax is charged separately when we file, and it is always shown apart from the Firmlane fee.

  • Registered agent continuity

    Your company must keep a registered agent on record without gaps. Changing or losing an agent has its own consequences.

    Registered agent

  • Changes that need filings

    New address, new manager or a new name? Some changes need a separate filing with the state.

    Amendments

The process

How annual report filing works

  1. 01

    Add the service

    Add annual report filing to your formation order, or order it on its own for an existing company. The Firmlane fee and renewal terms are shown before you pay.

    You

  2. 02

    We track your deadline

    Your state's report and tax due dates go into your compliance calendar, and you get reminders before each one.

    Firmlane

  3. 03

    You confirm your details

    Before the deadline, we ask you to confirm or update the information the report needs, such as your address, registered agent and managers or officers.

    You

  4. 04

    We file and confirm

    We prepare and file the report with the state. The state's report fee or franchise tax is charged separately when we file, and the filing confirmation goes into your dashboard.

    Filed

Who does what

You stay responsible for

  • Paying state taxes and fees that apply to your company
  • Giving accurate, up-to-date information for each report
  • Federal and state income tax returns (see bookkeeping and tax)
  • Keeping internal records such as your operating agreement, bylaws and ownership records

Firmlane does not

  • Give legal or tax advice
  • Prepare income tax returns, unless you add tax preparation
  • Guarantee that a state accepts a filing or processes it by a certain date

General information only

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. State and federal requirements change, and the examples above may not cover your situation. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency or a qualified professional. Firmlane is not affiliated with any government agency.

Official sources

Last reviewed

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Not sure what your company owes this year?

Add annual report filing and reminders, and we track your state's deadlines for you. State fees and taxes are always shown separately.

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$0 Firmlane service fee on eligible formations. You pay the state filing fee, shown before you pay.