How to Form an LLC in Missouri
Learn how to form an LLC in Missouri: Articles of Organization, state fees, registered agent rules, and operating agreement requirements — step by step.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Missouri LLC at a glance
Filing fee: $50 online / $105 by mail or in person
Processing time: 3 weeks standard; 1 business day expedited (online filing)
State agency: Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Annual report due: Not required for Missouri LLCs
State tax rate: No state-level LLC franchise tax; members pay Missouri income tax on their share of LLC income
How to form an LLC in Missouri
To form an LLC in Missouri, you need to choose a unique business name, appoint a registered agent with a Missouri street address, and file Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State. You can file online at bd.sos.mo.gov for $50 or by mail for $105. Missouri LLCs don't have an annual report requirement, which keeps ongoing compliance straightforward.
Step 1: Choose a business name
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from every other business name on file with the Missouri Secretary of State. It also needs to include the words "Limited Liability Company" or an abbreviation like "LLC." Before you file, check availability using the Missouri Secretary of State's Business Entity Search portal.
If you want to lock in a name before you're ready to file, Missouri lets you reserve it for $25. That's optional — you don't need to reserve a name to form your LLC.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every Missouri LLC must have a registered agent — a person or business designated to receive legal documents and official government notices on behalf of your LLC. The registered agent must have a physical street address in Missouri. A P.O. box or mailbox service won't work.
The agent also needs to be available at that address during normal business hours. You can serve as your own registered agent if you have a Missouri street address, but many business owners use a registered agent service to keep their personal address off public records.
Step 3: File your Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the formation document that officially creates your LLC with the state. You file it with the Missouri Secretary of State's Corporations Division — online at bd.sos.mo.gov for $50, or by mail to P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102 for $105.
Your Articles of Organization must include your LLC's exact name, your registered agent's name and address, your management structure (member-managed or manager-managed), the name and address of at least one organizer, and your principal office address.
To file online, create an account on the Missouri Secretary of State's Business Registration portal, log in, go to your Business Filings Dashboard, select LLC Filings, and click "Create LLC." Standard processing takes about 3 weeks. Expedited processing is available for online filings and takes 1 business day.
Step 4: Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. You'll need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Even single-member LLCs with no employees benefit from having an EIN — it keeps your Social Security number off business documents.
You can apply for an EIN for free at irs.gov/ein. The online application takes about 10 minutes and gives you your EIN immediately.
Step 5: Create an operating agreement
Missouri law actually requires LLC members to adopt an operating agreement under Missouri Revised Statute § 347.081. The statute allows it to be written or oral, but a written agreement is far more useful — it's what you'll rely on if a dispute comes up between members or if a bank asks for documentation.
Your operating agreement should cover ownership percentages, each member's capital contributions, how profits and losses are split, how decisions get made, and how a member can exit the business. Missouri doesn't prescribe specific required provisions, so the content is largely up to the members.
Annual report requirements
Missouri LLCs don't have an annual report requirement. You won't need to file a periodic report with the Missouri Secretary of State to keep your LLC in good standing — that requirement applies to Missouri corporations, not LLCs. This is one of the practical advantages of the LLC structure in Missouri.
Other Missouri LLC types
Most entrepreneurs form a standard domestic LLC, but two other types come up often enough to know about.
Professional LLC (PLLC): Required for licensed professionals like attorneys, physicians, and accountants. A PLLC follows the same formation steps as a standard LLC but members must hold the relevant state license to practice.
Foreign LLC: If your LLC is already formed in another state and you want to do business in Missouri, you'll need to register as a foreign LLC with the Missouri Secretary of State. The paper filing fee is $105.
FAQ
It costs $50 to file your Articles of Organization online with the Missouri Secretary of State, or $105 if you file by mail or in person. Optionally, you can reserve your business name before filing for $25. There's no annual report fee for Missouri LLCs.
Standard processing for an online filing takes about 3 weeks. If you need it faster, expedited processing is available for online filings and takes 1 business day. Paper filings by mail generally take longer than online filings.
Yes. Missouri law requires LLC members to adopt an operating agreement under Missouri Revised Statute § 347.081. The statute allows it to be written or oral, but a written agreement is strongly recommended. It documents ownership, decision-making, and how members can exit — and it's what banks and courts will look to if questions arise.
No. Missouri LLCs don't have an annual report requirement. You won't need to file a periodic report with the Secretary of State to stay in good standing. That requirement applies to Missouri corporations, not LLCs.
Yes, but you need a physical Missouri street address and you need to be available there during normal business hours. A P.O. box or mailbox service doesn't qualify. Many business owners use a registered agent service instead to keep their home address off public state records.
File online at bd.sos.mo.gov. Create an account with your name, address, phone number, and email, then verify it via confirmation email. Once logged in, go to your Business Filings Dashboard, select LLC Filings, and click "Create LLC." The online filing fee is $50 and standard processing takes about 3 weeks.
The formation document is called the Articles of Organization. If you file online through the Missouri Secretary of State's Business Registration portal, the system walks you through the required fields. If you file by mail, you'll use the paper Articles of Organization form (sometimes referenced as Form LLC-1) and send it to the Corporations Division at P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
No. The Missouri Secretary of State charges a $50 state filing fee for online filings — that fee goes directly to the state and can't be waived. Some formation platforms charge $0 in service fees on top of the state fee, so you'd pay only the $50 state fee. But the state fee itself is always required.
