My filing status hasn't changed in a while — what's happening?
Filing status changes follow a chain of dependencies, and certain stages take longer than others. Here's what's normal and when to worry.
Understanding the status chain
A typical LLC formation goes through these statuses:
1. Paid ← you completed checkout 2. Processing ← we're preparing the Articles 3. Submitted to State ← state has the filing 4. Approved / Rejected ← state's verdict 5. Completed ← all post-approval work done (EIN, OA, BOI, etc.)
Each stage has typical durations.
How long each stage takes
Paid → Processing
Typical: same business day
If it's been longer than 1 business day, something's wrong — open a chat
Processing → Submitted to State
Typical: 1-2 business days
Faster (same day) if you bought expedited
Slower (3-5 days) if we need more info from you (you'd see a "Missing Information" alert in your portal)
Submitted to State → Approved
Varies WIDELY by state. This is usually the longest wait.
Same-day states: Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri
1-5 days: most states
5-15 days: Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota
15-21 days: Arizona, Maine, Texas, DC
We can't speed up this stage — it's the state's queue, not ours.
Approved → Completed
Typical: 1-5 business days
Depends on what post-approval services you bought:
EIN: 2-5 business days
OA: 1-2 business days
BOI: 1-2 business days
Each post-approval service runs in parallel; completion happens when all are done.
How to check the real status
In your member portal: - Filings → [filing name] shows the most up-to-date status - Detailed timeline shows every status change with timestamp - State's confirmation appears as an event in the timeline (with the date the state took action)
You can also check directly with your state's Secretary of State: - Search for your business name on [YourState]SOS.gov or equivalent - If approved, you'll see it listed as an active LLC - Most states show the formation date publicly
Common "stuck" scenarios
"Submitted to State" for >2 weeks
In states with longer processing times (Arizona, DC, Maine, Pennsylvania, Texas), 2-3 weeks is normal. We track every filing's age and contact the state ourselves if it exceeds the state's published SLA by 50%.
What to do: 1. Check the state's published processing time for context 2. If significantly past the SLA, open a chat — we'll follow up with the state on your behalf
States we currently have escalation contacts with: California, Florida, New York, Texas, Wyoming. Other states require email-and-wait.
"Processing" for >3 business days
This usually means we're waiting for something from you. Check: 1. Your portal dashboard for an "Action required" alert 2. Your email inbox (including spam) for messages from [email protected] 3. The filing detail page for internal notes from our team
If you don't see anything outstanding, open a chat. Sometimes alerts don't render correctly and we need to manually re-trigger them.
"Approved" but no documents yet
The state confirms approval before sending the official Articles of Organization PDF. Typical delay: 24-72 hours from approval to PDF arrival. During this window: - The state's website shows your LLC as approved - We've marked your filing as "Approved" in our portal - But the official PDF document hasn't arrived yet
Once the state's document arrives, we upload it to your portal and email you the link within 1 business day.
If it's been more than 5 business days from approval without the document, open a chat — we'll request a duplicate from the state.
"Approved" but no EIN yet
EIN application processes separately from state filing: 1. We wait until LLC is approved (need the official LLC name for the SS-4) 2. Submit Form SS-4 to the IRS 3. IRS issues EIN: 2-5 business days for US applicants, 7-14 business days for non-US
If you're past the SLA, open a chat with your filing ID — we'll check IRS status.
"Rejected"
State rejections are usually fixable: - Name conflict: state thinks your name is too similar to an existing entity. We resubmit with one of your alternate name choices (you provided these at checkout). - Missing info: state needs additional details. We email you a portal link to provide them. - State-specific rule: rare, but each state has its own quirks (NY publication requirement, CA member-info rule, etc.). We handle the resubmission.
Resubmission service fee: $0 (we cover it). State filing fee: depends on state (some refund, some don't).
How to get a faster status update
If status changed in the state's system but our portal hasn't caught up:
Check your email: we send status updates within 1 business hour of the state event
Try refreshing the portal: sometimes browser caching shows stale data
Sign out and sign back in: this clears any in-memory cache
Open a chat with the order number: we can manually re-sync from the state
When to worry vs. when to be patient
Be patient (normal): - < 5 business days in "Processing" (especially in busy filing periods like Q1 or year-end) - < 21 business days in "Submitted to State" for slow states - < 5 business days from approval to documents
Worry / contact support: - > 1 business day in "Paid" with no status change - > 5 business days in "Processing" with no portal alerts - > 30 business days in "Submitted to State" for any state (we should have escalated by then) - Rejection without a clear resubmission plan
How to set realistic expectations
Some states publish weekly processing-time updates. Check these for your state: - California: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov → Processing Times - Florida: dos.fl.gov/sunbiz → Document Filing Status - Texas: sos.state.tx.us → Processing Times - Others vary; search "[State] Secretary of State processing time."
Our state-by-state fees article has approximate processing times too.
Next steps
Check your filing status: https://www.formationhub.com/member/filings
Bookmark this page for future reference
Open a chat if you're outside the typical window — we follow up with the state on your behalf