How to Start an LLC in Indiana
Learn how to start an LLC in Indiana: filing fees, formation steps, registered agent rules, and ongoing requirements. File your Articles of Organization through INBiz for $98 online.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Indiana LLC at a glance
Filing fee: $98 online via INBiz / $100 by mail
Processing time: [PROCESSING_TIME]
State agency: Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division
Annual report due: Business Entity Report filed every 2 years by the end of the LLC's anniversary month
State tax rate: No state franchise tax on LLCs; Indiana individual income tax rate applies to pass-through income
What forming an Indiana LLC involves
To form an LLC in Indiana, you file Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State through the INBiz portal, pay a $98 online filing fee, and designate a registered agent with a physical Indiana address. Indiana doesn't charge an annual franchise tax, and its ongoing compliance requirement is a biennial Business Entity Report rather than a yearly one.
Indiana is one of the more affordable states to form and maintain an LLC, and the INBiz portal makes the filing process straightforward for first-time filers.
- No state franchise tax on LLCs
- Biennial Business Entity Report instead of an annual report — lower ongoing compliance burden
- Online filing through INBiz takes most applicants under an hour
- Pass-through taxation by default — business income flows to your personal return
- Personal liability protection separates your assets from business debts
Step 1: Choose a name for your LLC
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from existing business names on file with the Indiana Secretary of State and must include a designator — "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." Indiana law also prohibits names that could mislead the public into thinking your business is a government agency.
A name that works on paper doesn't always work in practice — check whether the domain and social handles are available before you commit.
Step 2: Check name availability on INBiz
Check name availability through the INBiz Business Name Availability tool at inbiz.in.gov. Log in or create an account, go to Online Services, and select the Name Availability option under the Secretary of State section. You can search by "Contains," "Starts With," or "Exact Match" to catch potential conflicts.
If you have questions about a specific name conflict, the Secretary of State's Name Availability hotline is 317-232-6576.
Step 3: Choose a registered agent
Every Indiana LLC must designate a registered agent — the person or service that receives legal notices and service of process on behalf of your business. The agent must have a physical street address in Indiana (no P.O. boxes) and, if an individual, must be at least 18 years old.
You can serve as your own registered agent, but using a professional service keeps your personal address off public records and ensures someone is available during business hours to receive documents.
Step 4: File your Articles of Organization
File your Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Online filing through INBiz costs $98. Mail filing costs $100, with the check payable to the Secretary of State. The online form asks for your LLC's name, duration, principal office address, registered agent details, and member or manager information.
To file online, create or log in to your Access Indiana account at inbiz.in.gov, select "Limited Liability Company" as your entity type, and follow the guided formation wizard.
Step 5: Create an operating agreement
Indiana doesn't require LLCs to file an operating agreement with the state, but having one is worth the effort. An operating agreement sets out how your LLC is owned, how decisions get made, and how profits are divided. Without one, Indiana's default LLC statutes govern those questions — and the defaults don't always match what members actually want.
Step 6: Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is your LLC's federal tax ID. You'll need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Apply for an EIN for free at irs.gov/ein — the IRS issues it immediately when you apply online.
Single-member LLCs with no employees can use a Social Security number in some situations, but an EIN keeps your personal number off business documents and is worth getting regardless.
Step 7: File your Business Entity Report
Indiana LLCs don't file an annual report — they file a Business Entity Report every 2 years, due by the end of the LLC's anniversary month. The report is filed through INBiz and carries a state fee. Missing the deadline can put your LLC out of good standing with the state.
The biennial schedule is one of Indiana's more business-friendly quirks — most states require a filing every year.
FAQ
The state filing fee is $98 when you file online through INBiz and $100 when you file by mail. That's the only required state fee to form your LLC. You'll also want to budget for a registered agent if you use a professional service, and for the Business Entity Report fee due every 2 years.
File online through INBiz at inbiz.in.gov. Create or log in to an Access Indiana account, select "Limited Liability Company" as your entity type, and follow the guided formation wizard. You'll enter your LLC name, registered agent details, principal office address, and member or manager information, then pay the $98 filing fee.
No. Indiana charges a state filing fee — $98 online or $100 by mail — that you can't avoid. Some formation platforms cover their own service fee and let you pay only the state fee, but the state fee itself is always required. There's no way to form an Indiana LLC without paying it.
INBiz is the Indiana Secretary of State's official online portal for business filings. You don't have to use it — you can mail a paper Articles of Organization form instead — but filing through INBiz is faster and costs $2 less. INBiz also handles name availability searches, registered agent updates, and Business Entity Report filings.
No. Indiana doesn't require an annual report. Instead, LLCs file a Business Entity Report every 2 years, due by the end of the LLC's anniversary month. The report is filed through INBiz. Missing the deadline can put your LLC out of good standing, so mark the due date when you form.
Yes. Every Indiana LLC must designate a registered agent with a physical street address in Indiana. You can be your own registered agent if you're at least 18 and have an Indiana address, but many business owners use a professional service to keep their personal address off public records and ensure someone is available during business hours.
Use the Business Name Availability tool on INBiz at inbiz.in.gov. Log in, go to Online Services, and select Name Availability under the Secretary of State section. You can search by "Contains," "Starts With," or "Exact Match." If you have questions about a specific conflict, call the Secretary of State's Name Availability hotline at 317-232-6576.
It depends on the state. In Indiana, the minimum is $98 for the online Articles of Organization filing fee. Beyond that, budget for a registered agent service if you don't want to serve as your own, and for the biennial Business Entity Report fee. There's no minimum capital requirement to form an Indiana LLC.
