Starting an LLC in North Dakota — Costs, Steps, and Requirements

Launching an LLC in North Dakota involves a single state filing, an ongoing statutory agent, and a short list of compliance items each year. Expect $135 for the state filing itself, about a week of waiting, and then a small set of ongoing fees that vary by year. Below: each step explained, the cost picture, and what our service covers.

Start Your North Dakota LLC — $199

$199 buys end-to-end filing service through North Dakota Secretary of State. State processing typically takes about a week.

Start Your North Dakota LLC — $199

North Dakota LLCs: What They Are and Why People Use Them

The LLC is a business form designed to give owners personal asset protection without corporate-level paperwork. North Dakota small-business circles see widespread LLC adoption — it's the default entity for solo operators and small partnerships alike.

The Cost Picture for North Dakota LLCs

Item	Cost
Our LLC formation service	$199 one-time
State filing fee (North Dakota Secretary of State)	$135 one-time
Registered agent (required for every North Dakota LLC)	$99/year
State annual report fee	$50/year

Our $199 is just the prep-and-file work. The state fee is paid directly to North Dakota Secretary of State. Appointed agent plan runs separately at $99/year.

North Dakota LLC Formation: Each Step

1. Settle on a Compliant LLC Name

Two boxes to check for naming: the name must contain an LLC designator, and it must not conflict with any entity already registered with North Dakota Secretary of State. Always do a quick search through North Dakota Secretary of State's entity records before committing to a name.

Stay away from name elements that imply you are a regulated entity — banking, insurance, government. Those require special permission to use.

2. Designate a Registered Agent

A appointed agent is required for every North Dakota LLC, full stop. The agent has to have an in-state street address and reasonable business-hour availability. The agent's name and address are part of the entity's permanent public record at the state level.

For just $99 per year, our agent plan covers North Dakota. The public record shows our address, not yours.

3. Send the Articles of Organization to North Dakota Secretary of State

This is where the LLC becomes a legal entity: submit Articles of Organization to North Dakota Secretary of State with the $135 fee attached. On the form you'll list the LLC's name, the LLC's main address, the agent's name and street address, the management structure (member-managed or manager-managed), and the names of the LLC's organizers.

Visit the North Dakota Secretary of State website for Online submissions. It's faster, and increasingly the only practical channel.

State processing runs roughly about a week. Paid expedite tiers may speed things up for a surcharge.

4. Prepare an Operating Agreement

Operating agreements stay internal in North Dakota — not filed with the state, but read by banks, accountants, and courts when something goes sideways. It covers ownership splits, profit distribution rules, decision-making authority, voting thresholds, and what happens when a member wants out. Without a written agreement, North Dakota's default LLC rules apply — and those rules are generic, not tailored to your situation.

5. Get a Federal Tax ID (EIN)

A federal EIN operates as the IRS's tracking number for the LLC. Banking, payroll, and federal taxes all need it. Get the EIN at IRS.gov — expect about ten minutes online, and the number is issued immediately.

Steer clear of paying for EIN help from outside services — EINs are free from the IRS via a brief form.

6. Maintain Compliance Going Forward

Forming the LLC is the easy part; keeping it in active good standing requires ongoing attention to:

• Retain the agent appointment at a North Dakota location from formation onward
• Deliver the yearly annual report by its due date every year
• Stick to an absolute split between LLC-side and personal-side finances (separate accounting books, separate accounts)
• Stay on top of tax obligations at the federal and state level on schedule

Neglecting these obligations gives North Dakota Secretary of State grounds to dissolve the LLC. After dissolution, owners lose liability protection until reinstatement.

Prefer we handle it? $199 once and we file your North Dakota LLC on your behalf.

Start My North Dakota LLC — $199

The Registered Agent Piece

The North Dakota agent requirement is unconditional: all LLCs, every day, agent on file. The agent's job is to:

• Have on file an actual North Dakota location with a street address (a PO box on its own isn't enough)
• Be at the address all through normal work hours to handle legal service
• Forward legal documents and state notices promptly enough to keep reply windows open

Listing yourself as the agent puts your personal mailing address on the public record. Everyone with access to North Dakota Secretary of State's public entity database can see it.

Our agent product in North Dakota is $99 a year. Put our information on the form instead of yours, and your address stays private.

Questions People Ask

How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?

The state's filing fee is $135. That's a fairly typical state filing fee. Plan for $50/year on the annual report after that.

How long does it take to form an LLC in North Dakota?

Plan on about about a week between filing and approval.

Does North Dakota require an annual report?

Yes, annually. The fee is $50/year.

Do I need a registered agent for my North Dakota LLC?

Yes. Every North Dakota LLC needs a registered agent with a North Dakota street address. The requirement begins at formation and lasts for the time the LLC exists.

Can I form an LLC in North Dakota if I live in another state?

Yes. North Dakota doesn't mandate LLC owners to be residents. — and the one state-specific item is the North Dakota agent. The $99/year agent product takes care of that.

Start Your North Dakota LLC the Right Way

You can file your North Dakota LLC directly with North Dakota Secretary of State through the North Dakota Secretary of State website. The agent requirement is the one thing you can't skip — the state's filing fee is $135.

Our team is the registered agent you put on the North Dakota formation filing. Pricing: $99 a year — includes our North Dakota address on the filing, same-day mail scans, and compliance notifications.

Form Your North Dakota LLC — $199

Need just the registered agent piece? The separate registered agent plan is $99/year.

Other questions about North Dakota LLCs or the way our agent plan operates? Browse our FAQ or use the contact form.