City · Suffolk County
Start an LLC in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston businesses form an LLC with the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division for $500, not with the city. Boston had 673,458 residents in 2024, the largest city in Massachusetts. If you trade under a name other than your registered name, the business certificate is filed with the Boston City Clerk: $65 (plus $35 for non-resident owners). Our Starter package is $149 plus the state fee.
Last verified: November 10, 2026, against official Massachusetts sources.
Population (2024)
673,458
County
Suffolk County
Business certificate
$65 (plus $35 for non-resident owners)
City Clerk
617-635-4601
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
Doing business in Boston
Boston is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts, with about 673,000 residents in 2024. Its neighborhoods behave like separate markets: Back Bay and the Seaport for professional firms, Dorchester, East Boston and Roxbury for restaurants, trades and family businesses, and Allston and Brighton for student-facing shops. Every one of them forms an LLC the same way, with the Corporations Division at 1 Ashburton Place, for $500.
The City Clerk at City Hall handles business certificates for anyone trading under a name that is not their own or their company's registered name. The fee is $65, and owners who do not live in Boston pay $35 more. Certificates last four years. If you move your shop from one neighborhood to another, file the change with the clerk.
Many Boston owners also need city licenses from other departments, such as food service or common victualler licenses for restaurants. Those are separate from the state formation and from the business certificate.
Official sourceBoston City Clerk: business certificates
Under chapter 110, § 5, anyone doing business in Boston under a name other than their own real or registered name files a business certificate with the City Clerk, signed under oath. Boston certificates are renewed every four years, and the city lists a late penalty and a $50 change of address fee on its business certificate page.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office | Boston City Clerk |
| Address | Boston City Clerk, Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA |
| Phone | 617-635-4601 |
| Business certificate fee | $65 (plus $35 for non-resident owners) |
| Term | 4 years, then renew (c. 110, § 5) |
Solve this in 5 minutes
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
Land records for Boston property
Deeds and mortgages for property in Boston are recorded at the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds. The registry does not form companies.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office | Suffolk County Registry of Deeds |
| Address | 24 New Chardon Street, Boston, MA 02114 |
| Phone | 617-788-6221 |
Sales tax in Boston
Boston businesses collect the statewide 6.25 percent sales and use tax (c. 64H, § 2); Massachusetts has no separate city sales tax rate for general goods. Register with the Department of Revenue after you have your EIN.
Official sourceForming the company, step by step
- Search the name on the Corporations Division's records and pick an LLC or corporate ending.
- File the Certificate of Organization ($500 for an LLC) or Articles of Organization ($275 for a corporation with up to 275,000 shares) with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Name a resident or registered agent with a Massachusetts street address. Ours is $199 a year.
- Get an EIN from the IRS, then open a business bank account in the exact registered name.
- File a business certificate with your city or town clerk if you will trade under a different name.
- File the annual report each year: $500 for an LLC on its anniversary, $100 online for a corporation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Boston business certificate for my LLC?
Only if the LLC uses a name other than its exact registered name. An LLC doing business under its true registered name is exempt under chapter 110, section 6.
How much is a Boston business certificate if I live in Quincy?
$65 plus $35 for a non-resident owner, $100 total, according to the City of Boston.
What does it cost to form an LLC in Boston?
$500 to the Corporations Division plus our package: Starter $149, Pro $299 or Complete $399. A business certificate with the City Clerk is extra only if you use a trade name.
SourceReady when you are
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.