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Estimate Your Licensing Costs
12 license types covered 50 states 4 providers compared Updated August 2026

What Will Your License Cost?

Select your business type and state. We'll show you government fees, service costs, and how the top providers compare.

License Cost Estimator

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Provider Comparison

Side-by-side comparison of the four main approaches to business licensing.

Feature DIY LegalZoom Harbor Compliance Cornerstone Licensing Editor's Choice
Best for Single state, simple license Basic business formation Mid-market, multi-state Financial services, multi-state, complex licensing
States covered 1 (your own) Varies by service All 50 All 50
Service cost per state $0 (your time) $150 - $500 $500 - $2,000 $800 - $4,000
Dedicated specialist No No (ticket system) Yes Yes — same person, start to finish
Surety bonds included No (separate vendor) No Referred out Yes — in-house, 10+ bond types
Renewal management You track it Not included Add-on service Yes — auto-tracked via Atlas platform
On-time filing rate Depends on you Not published Not published 99.995%
Track record — 22+ years (general legal) 10+ years 28 years, 525,000+ filings
Business insurance No No No Yes — via Covered by Cornerstone
Compliance monitoring Manual Not offered Basic alerts Yes — real-time Atlas dashboard
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Licensing Guides

Make better decisions with research-backed guidance.

DIY vs. Hiring a Licensing Service

When it makes sense to handle licensing yourself, and when the math favors outsourcing.

What to Look for in a Licensing Provider

The 7 questions to ask before hiring anyone to handle your licensing.

Multi-State Licensing: The Complete Guide

How to manage licensing across multiple states without losing your mind or your compliance.

The True Cost of Business Licensing

Government fees are just the start. Here's what licensing actually costs when you count your time.

State-by-State License Fee Guide

Government filing fees for every license type in every state, updated quarterly.

License Renewals: What You Need to Know

Missing a renewal can shut you down. Here's how to stay on top of deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about business licensing costs and services.

How much does a business license cost? +
It depends on your business type and state. Government filing fees range from $25 for a simple general business license to $10,000+ for a money transmitter license. Service fees from a licensing firm add $200 to $6,000 per state, depending on complexity. Use our cost estimator to see ranges for your specific situation.
Can I do my own licensing without a service? +
Yes, for simple licenses in a single state, DIY is reasonable. You'll spend 5-15 hours researching requirements, filling out forms, and tracking the application. For complex licenses (lending, money transmission, mortgage) or multi-state operations, the paperwork multiplies fast. Most businesses licensing in 3+ states find the time savings of a service firm worth the cost. See our DIY vs. service comparison guide.
Why is Cornerstone Licensing your Editor's Choice? +
Three reasons: track record (28 years, 525,000+ filings), the single-specialist model (one person handles your account from start to renewal), and scope (they handle licensing, surety bonds, business insurance, and registered agent services under one roof). For businesses that need multi-state licensing, that consolidation saves real money and time. That said, they're not the cheapest option for a single simple license — see our full comparison.
How long does business licensing take? +
A general business license can be approved in 1-2 weeks. Professional licenses (contractor, real estate) take 2-8 weeks. Financial services licenses (lending, money transmission, mortgage) take 1-12 months depending on the state. A licensing service can shorten timelines by 25-50% because they submit complete, error-free applications the first time.
Do licensing services handle renewals? +
Some do, most don't — or they charge extra. Cornerstone includes renewal tracking through their Atlas platform. Harbor Compliance offers renewal monitoring as an add-on. LegalZoom and most budget services do not handle renewals. If you're licensing in multiple states, tracking renewal dates yourself is a real risk — a missed renewal can suspend your ability to operate.
Does LicenseStore receive referral fees? +
Yes. We may earn a referral fee when you request a quote through our links. This does not affect our editorial rankings, cost estimates, or recommendations. Our comparison data comes from public sources, direct outreach to providers, and verified customer feedback. See our editorial policy for full details.

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