Cheapest Collection Agency License Renewal by State (2026)

The cheapest state to get a collection agency license is Colorado at $50. The most expensive is Tennessee at $500. The national average is $189.

Lowest

$50

Colorado

Average

$189

across 46 states

Median

$200

37 states at or below

Range

$450

spread across states

#	State	Renewal Fee	Initial Fees	Renewal Cycle
#1	Colorado	$50	$400	Annual (licenses valid from issuance to the following July 1)
#1	Hawaii	$50	$400	Annual
#1	Iowa	$50 annual notification fee	$900	Annual (by January 31)
#1	Kansas	$50	$400	Annual
#1	Utah	$50	$650	Annual
#6	Idaho	$100	$450	Annual
#6	Illinois	$100	$1,450	Annual
#6	Indiana	$100	$1,350	Annual (expires December 31 each year)
#6	Minnesota	$100	$1,200	Annual
#6	Nebraska	$100	$700	Annual (expires December 31 each year)
#6	New Hampshire	$100	$1,550	Biennial
#6	New Jersey	$100	$700	Annual
#6	New Mexico	$100	$550	Annual
#6	North Dakota	$100	$550	Annual
#6	Rhode Island	$100	$450	Annual
#6	South Dakota	$100	$950	Annual
#6	Vermont	$100	$800	Annual
#18	Mississippi	$150	$1,100	Annual
#18	Ohio	$150	$850	Annual
#18	West Virginia	$150	$600	Annual
#18	Wyoming	$150	$650	Annual
#22	California	$175	$1,775	Annual (assessed annually; annual report due by March 15 each year; assessment invoiced by September 30 each year)
#23	Alabama	$200	$700	Annual
#23	Arkansas	$200	$1,950	Annual
#23	Delaware	$200	$1,050	Annual
#23	District of Columbia	$200	$750	Biennial (2-year)
#23	Florida	$200	$2,900	Annual
#23	Louisiana	$200	$1,000	Annual
#23	Maine	$200	$1,700	Annual
#23	Maryland	$200	$850	Annual
#23	Michigan	$200	$950	Annual
#23	Montana	$200	$750	Annual
#23	Nevada	$200	$900	Annual
#23	North Carolina	$200	$1,250	Annual — permits expire June 30 of each year
#23	Oregon	$200	$1,150	Annual
#23	Pennsylvania	$200	$900	Annual
#23	Texas	$200	$900	Annual
#38	Washington	$282	$2,350	Annual
#39	Connecticut	$300	$2,050	Annual
#39	Oklahoma	$300	$1,050	Annual
#39	South Carolina	$300	$1,550	Annual
#39	Wisconsin	$300	$1,800	Biennial
#43	Arizona	$500	$2,500	Annual
#43	Massachusetts	$500	$2,250	Annual
#43	New York	$500	$2,000	Biennial (2-year license period, expiring January 31 in odd years)
#43	Tennessee	$500	$2,750	Annual (with a 60-day grace period after expiration)
—	Alaska	Varies — see details	—	N/A
—	Georgia	Varies — see details	—	N/A — no license exists to renew
—	Kentucky	Varies — see details	—	N/A
—	Missouri	Varies — see details	—	N/A — no license to renew
—	Virginia	Varies — see details	—	N/A

Renewal fees are per renewal cycle as reported by state licensing boards. Where fee ranges are listed, the lower bound is used for ranking. Click any state for full renewal details.

Key Takeaways

•37 states come in at or below the median of $200
•The range spans from $50 to $500 — a $450 spread
•States in the Midwest tend to have lower values (avg $123), while Northeast states average $233
•5 states did not have data available for this metric

Frequently Asked Questions

Which state has the cheapest collection agency license renewal?

Colorado has the lowest renewal fee at $50. The national average renewal fee is $189.

How much do collection agency licensing costs vary between states?

There is significant variation across the 46 states with data. Values range from $50 to $500, with a median of $200.

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