How Much Does a Business Lawyer Cost? (LLC Formation & Ongoing Work)

Hiring an attorney to form an LLC typically costs $500 to $2,500, with $1,000 to $1,500 being the most common flat-fee range. That is separate from your state’s filing fee, which runs from $35 to $500 depending on where you register — most states charge $50 to $200.

Key takeaways

• Two separate costs: the attorney fee and the mandatory state filing fee. Always ask which a quote includes.
• Flat fees are normal for formation; ongoing work is usually hourly (around $260/hour is a commonly cited figure, though rates vary widely).
• A formation package usually includes the Articles of Organization, a custom operating agreement, an EIN, and initial advice.
• The operating agreement is the part worth paying for — filing paperwork is easy; deciding what happens when partners disagree is not.
• State fees vary enormously: Montana around $35, Massachusetts around $500.

What you actually pay to form an LLC

Item	Typical cost	Notes
Attorney flat fee (formation)	$500–$2,500	$1,000–$1,500 most common.
State filing fee	$35–$500	Most states $50–$200; unavoidable.
Operating agreement	Usually included	Custom drafting costs more than a template.
Ongoing legal work	Hourly (~$260/hr typical)	Contracts, disputes, employment issues.

Do you need a lawyer to form an LLC?

No — you can file with your state yourself, and for a single-owner business with no employees and simple finances that is often perfectly reasonable. Hire an attorney when there is more than one owner, outside investment, employees, a professional license involved, or meaningful liability. Nearly every expensive business dispute traces back to a missing or generic operating agreement, and that document is cheap to get right at the start and very expensive to fight about later.

Compare structures with our free Business Entity Selector, or find business attorneys near you.