
Generally, registered agents receive franchise tax information from the State with respect to their customer companies in December, which they then pass on to customers. A Delaware corporation must file its Annual Report electronically. Often, that task is addressed by a corporation’s registered agent, who files the report and makes the tax payment directly to the State’s system as part of its suite of services.
Don’t freak out; recalculate using the Assumed Par Value Capital Method. There are two methods for structuring the annual franchise tax for Delaware C-Corporations. We offer these options to allow you to organise or reduce your Franchise Tax. The annual franchise tax is required and paid to the state of Delaware.
The tax rate will depend on your overall taxable income that year. If you pay your Delaware franchise tax late, you’ll be charged a late fee. The late fee is $125.00 and a 1.5 percent monthly interest afterward.

Delaware also has no personal property tax or value-added taxes. Whether your business is physically in Delaware or not, you don’t pay any state taxes. You will also be charged a 1.5 percent monthly interest on the amount due.
Delaware Franchise Tax: Everything You Need to Know
This method calculates the tax based on the number of shares your corporation has authorized. Your corporation will owe an estimated $85 for each 10,000 shares authorized. The minimum tax when using this method is $175, and the maximum tax is $200,000. Title 8 Chapter 5 § 503 (i) states such total assets and total gross assets shall be those « total assets » reported to the United States on U.S. Form 1120 Schedule L, relative to the company’s fiscal year ending in the calendar year prior to filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to this section.
By not requiring more information, businesses that file their franchise tax in Delaware can maintain privacy. The names of the owners, LLC members and managers are not required to be made public. Delaware provides a favorable tax shelter for U.S. corporations.
Why is my DE Franchise Tax getting rejected?
We do not accept any responsibility for any trading or investment related losses. Please review our disclaimer on before taking action based upon anything you read or see. Although not as common, the Investor Rights Agreement may also make reference to the par value of preferred shares. This document outlines the rights of the investors, including anti-dilution protections and information rights, among others.

Delaware Franchise Tax is based on a Corporation’s total Authorized Shares. All businesses incorporated in the State of Delaware must submit an Annual Report and pay a franchise tax. While exempt domestic corporations are not obligated to make a tax payment, they still need to complete and submit an Annual Report. No corporation shall consolidate with its assets the assets of another entity for purposes of this section. Any Company incorporated in the State of Delaware, regardless of ownership, must file every year on March 1st, or receive an automatic $200 penalty. Delaware assesses an annual franchise tax for the privilege of doing business in the state.
Let Cleer File your Delaware Franchise Tax
The limited partnership or LP franchise tax is also due on June 1. This is the first method that is typically used to calculate tax. Filing your Delaware franchise tax is a simple, online process.
- To find your Business Entity File Number search for your business name.
- Your corporation will owe an estimated $400 for each $1,000,000 in gross assets.
- LLCs and LPs pay a $300 flat fee per year, rather than a variable franchise tax depending on the number of shares.
- We do not accept any responsibility for any trading or investment related losses.
Grew from a 2-person startup to a NASDAQ listed public company. We set startups up for fundrising success, and know how to work with the top VCs. We often get the question, “why should my startup consider incorporating out-of-state and become a Delaware C-corp? Here are a few reasons why you would want to initially incorporate in Delaware.
Method #1: Authorized Share Method (default method)
The tax that certain businesses must pay to operate in some states is known as a franchise tax. It grants the company the right to be incorporated and/or carry on business inside that state and is also known as a privilege tax. Most of our startups pay between $400 – $10,000 in DE Franchise taxes. Roughly, if you’ve raised $500k to $1M in venture funding, you are likely to owe between $500 to $1,000. If you’ve raised $10M in VC funding, you are going to owe closer to $4,000. If you’ve received a bill for $75K, it is because Delaware has calculated the tax using the Authorized Shares Method.
They could want to begin with a stock structure with 1 to 5,000 shares as the absolute least. The Delaware Organization will pay a $225 Delaware Franchise Tax with this stock form, which includes the yearly report cost. Thanks to this, the lowest yearly expenses will be possible, occasionally advantageous for bootstrapped startup businesses. This information is listed on the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation filed in Delaware.
How do I figure my annual Franchise Tax?
The Franchise Tax is a fee charged by the State of Delaware to grant you the privilege of owning a company in Delaware. This fee isn’t connected to your company’s earnings or its operations; it’s just something Delaware requires to keep your company in good standing. To find your Business Entity File Number search accounting for wholesale distribution businesses for your business name. For more help with tax and compliance matters, see How can my corporation get help complying with Delaware’s requirements?. Maximise reach and impact with detailed reports on content marketing and customer engagement. Track your performance across channels with an easy to use SMM software.