How Much Does It Cost to Start a Business?

Americans started 5.1 million new businesses in 2025. Every one of them had the same first question: how much will this cost? We break down real startup costs for 5 popular business types across all 50 states and DC.

Startup Costs by Business Type

Restaurant

Full-service or fast-casual restaurant with dine-in seating, commercial kitchen, and food service staff.

Low: $95,000 High: $750,000

National average: $275,000 →

Food Truck

Mobile food service vehicle with commercial kitchen equipment, operating at various locations with required mobile vending permits.

Low: $50,000 High: $250,000

National average: $125,000 →

Hair Salon / Barbershop

Hair salon or barbershop offering cuts, styling, coloring, and grooming services. Requires cosmetology/barber licensing.

Low: $25,000 High: $300,000

National average: $100,000 →

Cleaning Service

Residential cleaning service providing house cleaning, deep cleaning, and recurring maid services. Low barrier to entry, home-based business.

Low: $2,000 High: $50,000

National average: $10,000 →

Landscaping Business

Landscaping and lawn care business providing mowing, trimming, planting, hardscaping, and property maintenance services.

Low: $5,000 High: $150,000

National average: $50,000 →

Browse by State

LLC fees range from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts. See full cost breakdowns for your state.

$NaN Alabama $200 Alaska $250 Arizona $50 Arkansas $45 California $70 Colorado $50 Connecticut $120 Delaware $110 District of Columbia $99 Florida $125 Georgia $100 Hawaii $50 Idaho $100 Illinois $150 Indiana $95 Iowa $50 Kansas $160 Kentucky $40 Louisiana $100 Maine $175 Maryland $100 Massachusetts $500 Michigan $50 Minnesota $155 Mississippi $50 Missouri $50 Montana $35 Nebraska $100 Nevada $425 New Hampshire $100 New Jersey $125 New Mexico $50 New York $200 North Carolina $125 North Dakota $135 Ohio $99 Oklahoma $100 Oregon $100 Pennsylvania $125 Rhode Island $150 South Carolina $110 South Dakota $150 Tennessee $300 Texas $300 Utah $59 Vermont $155 Virginia $100 Washington $200 West Virginia $100 Wisconsin $130 Wyoming $100

Why Trust Our Numbers?

StartupCostHub compiles cost data from official state filing offices, industry trade associations, and verified market reports. Our methodology:

  1. LLC fees are sourced from each state's Secretary of State website, cross-referenced with LLC University and LLC.org (updated 2026-03-26).
  2. Permit costs are compiled from SBA.gov guides, industry platforms (Toast, Square, Shopify), and state agency websites.
  3. Insurance rates come from MoneyGeek's 2026 report and Insureon/SimplyInsurance data.
  4. Equipment costs reflect national averages from industry publications with low (basic/used), mid (standard), and high (premium) tiers.
  5. Rent estimates are based on offices.net commercial property data and BLS regional indices.

All figures are estimates. Actual costs vary by city, business model, and individual circumstances. We recommend getting local quotes before making financial decisions.

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Complete Cost Guide LLC Fees by State