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New Mexico LLC formation costs $50 in state filing fees, and the Secretary of State currently collects no annual report fee from LLCs. A 2023 bill that would have added a triennial report requirement never passed the legislature, so no periodic report obligation is currently in force.
Most of what you will actually spend sits outside the state fee: a registered agent if you hire one, professional help if your ownership structure calls for it, and a municipal business license in cities such as Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Required New Mexico LLC formation costs
The $50 filing fee is the only charge New Mexico itself collects at formation; a registered agent is required, but any fee for one goes to a private provider, and you can serve as your own agent at no cost if you live in the state. Section 53-19-63(A) sets the fee, online filing has been mandatory since December 9, 2024, and Section 53-19-5 plus Section 53-19-8(B) require a physical New Mexico street address for the agent. Every business also completes Taxation and Revenue registration on Form ACD-31015, for which no filing fee is stated.
Required cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
State filing fee | $50 | Set by Section 53-19-63(A); online filing mandatory since December 9, 2024 |
Registered agent | $0 (self) / $100 to $300 per year | Physical New Mexico street address required under Section 53-19-5 and Section 53-19-8(B); P.O. boxes do not qualify |
Operating agreement | No state fee | Not filed with the state; drafting is included in the attorney flat fees below |
Optional formation costs
Everything beyond the $50 New Mexico state filing fee and the registered agent requirement is optional, and the largest variable is whether you pay a professional to handle the paperwork.
1. Professional services
Attorney flat fees for LLC formation run $500 to $2,500 per Legal Counsel P.A. and other flat-fee guides, with $1,000 to $1,500 the midpoint for a straightforward LLC. Multi-member LLCs with custom agreements cost $3,000 to $5,000 per LeanLaw.
Accountant costs track how the LLC is taxed. An NATP fee study reported by BPA Tax puts 2026 average annual return preparation fees at $688 for a Schedule C return and $1,225 for a partnership return.
Online business formation services sit between DIY and hiring a lawyer. A MarketWatch survey of business owners found service fees of $0 to $300 above state fees. These services become valuable when you need privacy, professional guidance, or specialized assistance.
2. Additional filings
Situational state fees are small, and one fee that older cost guides list does not apply in New Mexico.
Name reservation: $20 holds a name for 120 days under Section 53-19-4 and Section 53-19-63(H)
Certified copies and certificates: $10 per document plus $25 for certification under Section 53-19-63(G), and $25 for issuing a certificate for any purpose not otherwise specified under Section 53-19-63(E); confirm the total shown at checkout
EIN: free from the IRS EIN application and issued immediately online; form the LLC first
DBA registration: none. No New Mexico statute requires state or county trade name registration, so the $25 county fee some guides list does not apply
Ongoing annual costs
A standard New Mexico LLC currently owes the state no recurring fee.
Annual report: No LLC periodic report currently appears on the SOS portal, and the biennial report under Section 53-5-2 applies only to corporations. A 2023 bill, House Bill 281, would have added a triennial LLC report starting July 1, 2024, but it did not pass either legislative chamber, so that requirement never took effect. Confirm current requirements against New Mexico's official LLC annual report guidance before filing.
Franchise tax: None for pass-through LLCs. The Taxation and Revenue Department charges $50 a year on corporations, including an LLC that elects C-corp or S-corp treatment, filed on Form CIT-1.
Registered agent: MarketWatch puts the typical service price at $100 to $300 annually; see the registered agent requirements above.
Local business licenses: Albuquerque charges $35 per year, checked against the city's current published fee schedule before filing, and adds a $10 per calendar day late fee. Santa Fe's published fee schedule lists $35 per year.
Simplify New Mexico LLC formation with Discern
Discern handles New Mexico LLC formations, filing the $50 Articles of Organization and providing the required New Mexico registered agent from the same account, so the street-address requirement is covered from the day you file.
For companies with entities in several states, Discern tracks annual report deadlines and good standing from one dashboard and handles foreign registrations, so adding a new state doesn't mean building a separate compliance process from scratch.
Book a demo with Discern to see how it handles New Mexico formation and registered agent coverage together.
FAQs about LLC formation costs in New Mexico
These are the cost questions New Mexico LLC organizers ask most often.
Are there any hidden fees when forming an LLC in New Mexico?
State-level filing costs include the $50 articles-of-organization filing fee and the itemized filing, service, and copying charges in Section 53-19-63. The surprise for most owners is municipal licensing, which cities such as Albuquerque and Santa Fe charge separately.
Can I get a refund if my filing is rejected?
New Mexico publishes no refund policy for rejected Articles of Organization, and Section 53-19-63(A) says nothing about refundability. Budget as if the $50 is non-refundable.
Can I legally avoid registered agent fees?
Yes. Any New Mexico resident can serve as registered agent under Section 53-19-5(A)(2)(a), and the Articles must list a street address for the registered office under Section 53-19-8(B). No statute sets required hours.
Updated on
2026-09-09
