Two routes
Either you file it, or you pay someone to file it.
It is the same document either way, submitted to the same office, with the same result. The question is only ever what your time is worth and how much of the process you want to hold.
The seam
The same filing, two ways round
Nothing is published yet. This is the ground the write-ups cover, with each side given the same room — because which one wins depends entirely on who is asking.
You file it
The state's own portal, your own details, your own afternoon.
- You pay the state fee and nothing else
- Your address is on the public record unless you arrange otherwise
- Renewals are yours to remember
- Mistakes are yours to correct, usually for another fee
Cost: the state fee
A service files it
The same form, completed and submitted on your behalf.
- You pay the state fee plus a service fee
- A registered agent address is usually included for year one
- Renewal reminders are typically part of the package
- The second year is where the real price shows up
Cost: the state fee, plus the service
Ground rules
How this site argues
Neither route is the default
DIY is not automatically the smart answer and a service is not automatically the safe one. Which wins depends on the situation, and the write-ups start there.
The filing outcome is identical
A service does not get a faster or better result from the state. What you buy is the work being done, not a different entity.
Year two is quoted with year one
A first-year price without the renewal beside it is not a price.
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Some links earn a commission. That never decides which route a page recommends, and it is stated wherever it applies.