City · Middlesex County
Start an LLC in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge businesses form an LLC with the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division for $500, not with the city. Cambridge had 121,186 residents in 2024, the fourth largest city in Massachusetts. If you trade under a name other than your registered name, the business certificate is filed with the Cambridge City Clerk: $50. Our Starter package is $149 plus the state fee.
Last verified: November 10, 2026, against official Massachusetts sources.
Population (2024)
121,186
County
Middlesex County
Business certificate
$50
City Clerk
617-349-4260
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 Cambridge
Cambridge, with about 121,000 residents in 2024, is home to Harvard, MIT and one of the densest clusters of research companies in the country. Many of the corporations we form here are venture-backed startups that authorize up to 275,000 shares for the $275 base fee and plan a Delaware comparison later.
The City Clerk at 795 Massachusetts Avenue charges $50 for a business certificate. Consultants and designers working under a studio name file here.
Cambridge is also where the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds sits, at 208 Cambridge Street.
Official sourceCambridge City Clerk: business certificates
Under chapter 110, § 5, anyone doing business in Cambridge under a name other than their own real or registered name files a business certificate with the City Clerk, signed under oath. Cambridge files business certificates at the City Clerk's office in City Hall.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office | Cambridge City Clerk |
| Address | 795 Massachusetts Avenue, 1st Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139 |
| Phone | 617-349-4260 |
| Business certificate fee | $50 |
| 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 Cambridge property
Deeds and mortgages for property in Cambridge are recorded at the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds. The registry does not form companies.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office | Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds |
| Address | 208 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141 |
| Phone | 617-679-6300 |
Sales tax in Cambridge
Cambridge 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
Should a Cambridge startup form in Massachusetts or Delaware?
Investors often prefer Delaware, but a Delaware corporation operating in Cambridge still registers here as a foreign corporation for $400 and files Massachusetts annual reports.
How much is a Cambridge business certificate?
$50 at the City Clerk.
What does it cost to form an LLC in Cambridge?
$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.