Ready to Start Your LLC? Get professional formation and registered agent support from Northwest Registered Agent . • Read Our Review → Ready to Start Your LLC? Get Professional Help →
Delaware LLC · Step 3 of 8 · Verified August 2026

Delaware LLC Certificate of Formation — Step 3 of 8

The Certificate of Formation is the document filed with the Delaware Secretary of State to create your LLC. The current state template is intentionally short: it asks for the LLC name, Delaware registered office and registered agent, and an authorized person’s signature and printed name. Members and managers are not required fields on the basic template.

Enjoys-life TeamWritten & verified by Enjoys-life Team, Enjoys-life · Updated August 2026
Delaware Certificate of Formation illustrationAn Enjoys-life Unified Visual Master System illustration for the Delaware Certificate of Formation filing step. DE CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION
Quick Answer

The current Delaware Certificate of Formation filing fee is $110. The basic template asks for the LLC name, Delaware registered office and registered agent, and the authorized person’s signature and printed name. You can electronically submit the completed document through Delaware’s Document Filing and Certificate Request Service or send it by mail.

Step 3 — Fast Facts
Base filing fee
$110
Certified copy
$50 optional
Members listed?
Not required
Electronic submission
Available
Expedite
Available
Annual LLC tax
$400
Next step
Step 4 →

What the Certificate of Formation Is

Delaware law says one or more authorized persons form an LLC by executing and filing a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State. The certificate must state the LLC name and the registered office/registered agent information. Members may include other permitted matters if they choose.

The current Delaware Division of Corporations template is deliberately short. It also includes an execution block for an authorized person. Member and manager names are not required fields on the basic template.

What the current Delaware template asks for

  1. LLC name — exactly as you want it to appear in Delaware’s records, with an approved LLC designator.
  2. Registered office — the complete Delaware street address of the LLC’s registered office.
  3. Registered agent — the name of the Delaware registered agent at that address.
  4. Authorized-person signature — the document must be signed by an authorized person.
  5. Printed or typed signer name — Delaware asks that the signer’s name be typed or written legibly below the signature.
What is not required on the basic template: Member names, manager names, ownership percentages, capital contributions, and a general business-purpose statement are not fields on Delaware’s basic template. Your operating agreement is a separate internal document and is not filed with the Division of Corporations.

Filing-Readiness Checklist

Check each item before you submit. This tool is local to the page and does not send your information anywhere.

0%Ready
Filing-Readiness Checklist
8 things to confirm before submission
LLC name checkedCompliant and checked for availability
Delaware registered agent securedAgent agrees to serve
Registered office address readyComplete Delaware street address
Authorized signer confirmedSigner name will be printed or typed clearly
Certificate reviewedNo unnecessary optional personal information added
Submission method chosenElectronic document submission or mail
$110 base fee readyPlus any optional expedite service
$400 annual LLC tax calendaredJune 1 in the following year and each year after
Check the items above as you prepare.

How to Submit the Certificate

Delaware’s electronic service is a document-submission service, not a wizard that fills the Certificate of Formation for you.

  • Prepare the certificate using Delaware’s current fillable template or another document that complies with § 18-201.
  • Confirm your registered agent agrees to serve before you submit a filing that appoints the agent.
  • Submit electronically or by mail. Delaware recommends the Document Filing and Certificate Request Service for electronic submission.
  • Pay the $110 filing fee. Expedited service is optional and charged in addition.
  • Keep the file-stamped copy. A certified copy may be requested for an additional $50.
↗
Delaware filing informationOfficial Document Filing and Certificate Request Service guidance
Open Delaware Filing Info
Banking comes later in the journey. Some financial institutions may ask for your filed formation document, a certified copy, or a certificate of status. Do not buy extra Delaware certificates automatically—check the bank’s exact requirements first. Enjoys-life will surface banking options in the EIN/post-formation step where that decision is directly relevant.

Processing Times & Expedited Options

Regular processing time changes with filing volume. If timing matters, check Delaware’s current queue and expedited-service page before submitting.

  • Next-day service: current filing expedite fees generally range from $50 to $100, depending on the filing.
  • Same-day service: current filing expedite fees generally range from $100 to $200.
  • Two-hour service: currently $500 in addition to the normal filing fee.
  • One-hour service: currently $1,000 in addition to the normal filing fee.
After formation: Under § 18-201, the LLC is formed when the initial Certificate of Formation is filed, or at a later effective date/time stated in the certificate, assuming substantial compliance. Delaware’s current formation instructions state that the annual LLC tax is $400, due June 1 each year following the calendar year in which the certificate becomes effective. Delaware LLCs do not currently file an annual report.
Check the name and agent before you submit. Delaware specifically tells filers to verify that the registered agent agrees to serve. Errors can delay processing and reduce the value of any expedited service you paid for.
Practical reminder: Keep the public formation document minimal unless you have a reason to add optional provisions. Put detailed ownership and management rules in the operating agreement instead of adding them to the public certificate by default.
Enjoys-life Team’s #1 Formation Pick
Northwest Registered Agent — Delaware LLC Formation
★★★★★4.9/5.0 · Privacy by Default · All 50 States
  • Prepares and submits your Delaware formation filing
  • 1 FREE year of Delaware Registered Agent service with formation
  • Provides Delaware registered-office support for the Certificate
  • No upsells · No data selling · Privacy by Default
$39+ $110 Delaware state fee
Form My Delaware LLC →

Affiliate disclosure: Enjoys-life may earn a commission through this link, at no extra cost to you. Verify current provider terms before purchase. See our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.

Official Delaware Sources

These primary government sources were used to verify this page.

Official sources checked August 2026. The $110 filing fee, $50 optional certified copy, current template fields, electronic document-submission process, expedited-service structure, and updated $400 annual LLC tax were checked against current Delaware primary sources.

Certificate of Formation — FAQ

How much does the Delaware Certificate of Formation cost?+
The current base filing fee is $110. Expedited service costs extra. Delaware’s current formation instructions also state that a certified copy can be requested for an additional $50.
What information is on the basic Delaware Certificate of Formation?+
The current template asks for the LLC name, Delaware registered office and registered agent, and an authorized-person signature with the signer’s printed or typed name. Member and manager names are not required fields on the basic template.
Do I have to list the LLC’s owners?+
Not on Delaware’s basic Certificate of Formation template. Delaware law allows additional permitted provisions if the members choose to include them, but ownership details are normally handled in the operating agreement.
Can I submit the Certificate electronically?+
Yes. Delaware allows electronic submission of a completed filing through its Document Filing and Certificate Request Service. Delaware says this service is for document submission; it is not a direct form-filling or online document-retrieval system.
How fast can Delaware process the filing?+
Regular processing varies with workload. Delaware currently offers paid next-day, same-day, two-hour, and one-hour expedited services, subject to current fees, cutoffs, and a correct filing.
What happens after my Certificate is filed?+
Create the operating agreement, obtain an EIN when needed, prepare for business banking, and calendar the current $400 Delaware annual LLC tax due June 1. Delaware LLCs do not currently file an annual report.
Enjoys-life Team, founder of Enjoys-life
About the Author
Enjoys-life Team

Enjoys-life Team is the founder of Enjoys-life. This Delaware filing guide was rechecked in August 2026 against the current Division of Corporations Certificate of Formation (rev. 8/2026), 6 Del. C. § 18-201, Delaware’s document-submission guidance, and current expedited-service information. The page separates Delaware state requirements from optional service-provider offers.

About Enjoys-life Team →Delaware LLC Overview →
Up Next · Step 4 of 8
Create Your Operating Agreement
Set the LLC’s ownership, management, voting, and internal rules after formation.
Step 4: Operating Agreement →
Scroll to Top
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x