Delaware . 2026 filing guide
Delaware Secretary of State filings, deadlines, and how to do them right.
Annual reports, Delaware Division of Corporations business search, registered agent changes, reinstatement, dissolution, tax registration. Every Delaware filing explained, plus the Delaware business environment, regulatory bodies, and a year-round compliance calendar. Verified against the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations as of June 2026.
Information verified against Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations on Jun 12, 2026
Agency
Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations
Branded as Delaware Division of Corporations
Phone
302-739-3073
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4pm ET
Annual due
June 1 (LLC) / March 1 (Corp)
$200 plus 1.5% per month interest late fee
Processing
24 hours standard; 1-hour and same-day expedited available
Online filings
Delaware business environment
Why founders choose Delaware (and what to know first)
Court of Chancery: a specialized non-jury court with judges who only handle corporate law, producing centuries of predictable case law. Investor-preferred for VC and PE deals (most term sheets assume Delaware incorporation). Anonymous LLC: Delaware does not require listing members on Articles. No sales tax. No state-level corporate income tax on income earned outside Delaware.
Economy
~$80B state economy, but home to ~67% of Fortune 500 incorporations
Registered entities
Over 1.7 million registered business entities (more than Delaware's population of ~1M)
New formations / year
~250,000 new entities annually. Delaware is the #1 state of formation for venture-backed startups and holding companies.
Key industries
Banking + credit card services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agriculture, legal services. Delaware Court of Chancery is the global standard for corporate disputes.