Ballot Access.

To get on the ballot in Colorado only requires a candidate to pay a $500 filing fee. For Arkansas, a candidate must pay a $2500 filing fee. Idaho requires a filing fee of $1000, Kentucky $1000, Louisiana $750, Mississippi $2500, Missouri $1000, Montana $1740, New Hampshire $1000, Oklahoma $5000, Texas $2500, Utah $500, Vermont $2000, West Virginia $2500. There is no filing fee for Nevada. To get on the ballot in Arizona, you just have to be on the ballot in two other states. For $18,490, a candidate can get on the ballot in 16 states. The filing fee for Washington, D.C. is $2500.

In a number of states, the only method of attaining ballot access is if the party recognizes the candidate as a legitimate candidate for the party and nationally recognized. These states are Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Kansas, and South Carolina (In South Carolina a candidate must also pay a non-refundable filing fee of $20,000)

Several states have laws that provide that the Secretary of Sate will determine whether a candidate is a nationally recognized candidate and entitled to ballot access. These states are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee.

There are a few states that do not have presidential preference primaries. Instead they hold caucuses. In those states there usually is no filing fee. They include Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, North Dakota, and Wyoming, as well as the territories American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The remaining states provide for ballot access by petition. Alabama-500, Delaware-500, Illinois-3000, Indiana-4500, Maine-2000, Maryland-3200, Massachusetts-2500 (or nationally recognized by Secretary of State) Ohio-1000, New Jersey-1000, New York-5000, Pennsylvania-2000, Rhode Island-1000, Virginia-5000

The cost of obtaining petition signatures average about $10 per signature, if utilizing a petition signature collecting company.

In summary, it is fairly inexpensive and easy to get on the ballot for about half the states. To get on the ballot for the petition states costs over $300,000. To get on the ballot where the party decides who is legitimate and nationally recognized, is up to the discretion of the party, and unless the candidate is a governor, senator, or billionaire, it is unlikely the party would agree to allow the candidate's name to be placed on the primary ballot.

Below are the requirements enumerated by state;

Alabama-500 signatures
Alaska-Caucus
Arizona- No fee or petitions required.
Arkansas-$2500
California-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized
Colorado-$500
Connecticut-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized
Delaware-500 signatures
Florida- Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Georgia-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized
Hawaii-$2500
Idaho-$1000
Illinois-3000 signatures
Indiana-4500 signatures
Iowa-Caucus
Kansas-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Kentucky-$1000
Louisiana-$750
Maine-2000 signatures
Maryland- 3200 signatures
Massachusetts- Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized or 2500 signatures
Michigan-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Minnesota-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Mississippi-$2500
Missouri-$1000
Montana- $1740
Nebraska-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized
Nevada-No fee or petitions required
New Hampshire -$1000
New Jersey- 1000 signatures
New Mexico-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized
New York-5000 signatures
North Carolina-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
North Dakota-Caucus
Ohio- 1000 signatures
Oklahoma- $5000
Oregon-Secretary of State decides if nationally recognized or 6,000 signatures
Pennsylvania-2000 signatures
Rhode Island-1000 signatures
South Carolina-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized (plus $20,000 filing fee)
South Dakota-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Tennessee-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Texas-$2500
Utah- $500
Vermont- $2000
Virginia-5000 signatures
Washington-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
West Virginia-$2500
Wisconsin-Party decides if legitimate and nationally recognized
Wyoming-Caucus
District of Columbia-$2500
American Samoa-Caucus
Guam-Caucus
Northern Mariana Islands-Caucus
U.S. Virgin Islands-Caucus
Puerto Rico-Caucus