SHERIDAN, WY, November 12, 2026: Registered Agents Inc today reported 576,818 new business formations nationwide in October, the strongest October on record. Formations increased 8.3% from October 2025, extending a streak in which every month of 2026 has surpassed its corresponding 2025 total.
The Registered Agents Inc New Business Formations Report shows approximately 5.9 million new entities formed so far in 2026, up 16% from the same period last year. 37 jurisdictions (36 states, plus Washington, D.C.) recorded year-over-year growth in October, demonstrating that the increase extends beyond the nation’s largest business markets.
“October formations have more than doubled over the past decade,” said Molly Cavanah, VP of Revenue Growth and Data at Registered Agents Inc. “And this year’s gains span much of the country. We went into the fourth quarter expecting strong numbers, but we may end up outperforming even our own projections.”
October formations have increased 137% since October 2016. The largest single-year jump during that period occurred in 2020, when formations rose 28% amid the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. October 2025 and October 2026 each set new records for the month, extending the longer-term growth trend.
Kentucky emerged as a standout in October, recording a 39% year-over-year increase in formations, one of the largest gains nationwide. The state’s year-to-date formations increased 17%, highlighting growth beyond the country’s largest formation markets.
Hawaii offered a contrast to the national trend. The state recorded 17,669 formations through September, down 10% from the same period last year. That was the steepest year-to-date decline among states in this month’s dataset.
Business formations offer an early view of entrepreneurial activity and the pipeline of potential operating businesses. While registrations do not necessarily translate into operating companies or new jobs, they provide a measure of new business activity nationwide.
The report tracks state-level entity registrations across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., including entities that may never begin operating or hire employees. Complete national findings, state comparisons and methodology are available in the Registered Agents Inc New Business Formations Report.
About Registered Agents Inc
Registered Agents Inc is independently owned and the largest provider of registered agent services, compliance solutions and business identity services in the U.S. The company helps hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs annually start and maintain their own company. It also specializes in complete identity services to help business owners establish a professional presence online and in their communities.
