Delaware Corp: $450 ($400 APV + $50) a year, minimum

What the minimum covers — and doesn't

$450 ($400 APV + $50) keeps the entity alive (up to $200k by method). It never includes registered-agent fees ($50–$300), foreign qualifications you trigger elsewhere, or income taxes on profit. Model multi-state totals in the tri-state matrix before choosing a domicile.

Getting started

Formation: $109+ Certificate of Incorporation (varies with authorized stock). That one-time cost comes before the first annual payment, which is due March 1.

What else to know about Delaware Corp

• Delaware’s notice uses the Authorized Shares method ($85,165 for 10 million shares); filing under Assumed Par Value usually drops it to the $400 minimum.
• Late filing adds $200 plus 1.5% monthly interest.
• Corporations owing $5,000 or more make estimated payments on June 1, September 1, and December 1.

Step-by-step rules and worked examples: Delaware APV optimization. Compare against other states in the tri-state matrix.