Missouri LLC Filing Fees and Requirements

Filing fee: $50 online / $105 by mail

Processing time: ~1 business day online; 5–10 business days by mail

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; Missouri personal income tax applies to pass-through income

Forming an LLC in Missouri requires filing Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State and paying a state fee — $50 online or $105 by mail. Missouri also requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent with a physical Missouri address and to have an operating agreement on file internally. There is no annual report requirement for Missouri LLCs.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?

The state filing fee to form a Missouri LLC is $50 when you file online through the Missouri Secretary of State's Business Registration Online Portal, or $105 if you file on paper by mail. Online filing is processed in about 1 business day. Paper filings take 5–10 business days, not counting mail time.

Missouri is one of the more affordable states for LLC formation — the $55 difference between online and paper filing is a straightforward reason to file electronically. Beyond the formation fee, Missouri LLCs don't owe an annual report fee to the Secretary of State, which keeps ongoing state costs low.

• Online filing fee: $50 (Missouri Secretary of State Business Registration Online Portal)
• Paper filing fee: $105 (mailed to the Corporations Division with a check or money order)
• Processing time: ~1 business day online; 5–10 business days by mail
• No annual report fee for Missouri LLCs

Articles of Organization: what you file and how

To legally form an LLC in Missouri, an organizer files Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State's Corporations Division. The organizer doesn't have to be a member or manager of the LLC — an attorney or any other person can sign and file on the LLC's behalf.

The Articles of Organization must include the LLC's name (with a required designator like "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "Limited Liability Company"), the registered agent's name and physical Missouri address, the management structure (member-managed or manager-managed), and the name and address of each organizer. The LLC name must be distinguishable from other entities already on file with the Secretary of State.

Registered agent requirement

Every Missouri LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Missouri — a P.O. box alone doesn't meet the requirement. The registered agent must be available at that address during normal business hours to accept legal documents and official state correspondence on behalf of the LLC.

You can serve as your own registered agent if you're a Missouri resident, at least 18 years old, and available at a physical Missouri address during business hours. Many business owners use a professional registered agent service instead — it keeps a personal home address off public state records and ensures someone is always available to receive documents.

Operating agreement

Missouri law requires every LLC to have an operating agreement, but you don't file it with the Secretary of State — it's an internal document. The operating agreement must specify whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, and it governs how the business runs, how decisions get made, and how profits are distributed.

Missouri's statute allows an operating agreement to be oral, written, or implied — but a written agreement is worth the effort. Without one, Missouri's default LLC statutes fill in the gaps, and those defaults may not reflect what you actually want for your business. A written operating agreement is especially important for multi-member LLCs where ownership percentages, voting rights, and exit terms need to be clear.

Annual report requirement

Missouri LLCs are not required to file an annual report with the Secretary of State. This is one of Missouri's more business-friendly features — there's no recurring state filing fee and no annual report deadline to track. Missouri corporations do have a reporting requirement, but that obligation doesn't apply to LLCs.

That said, staying in good standing still matters. Keep your registered agent information current with the Secretary of State, and make sure any required business licenses or permits at the state, county, or city level are renewed on time.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. Every LLC should get one — you'll need it to open a business bank account, file federal taxes, and hire employees. The IRS issues EINs at no cost, and you can apply online at irs.gov.

A single-member LLC with no employees can technically use the owner's Social Security number for some purposes. But an EIN keeps your personal number off business documents and is required the moment you hire anyone or open most business bank accounts. Getting one at formation is the cleaner move.

Business licenses and permits

Missouri doesn't issue a single statewide general business license, but your LLC may need licenses or permits depending on what you do and where you operate. Requirements vary by industry, city, and county — a restaurant in Kansas City faces different requirements than a home-based consulting business in Springfield.

Check with your city or county clerk's office for local business license requirements. For regulated industries — things like construction, healthcare, childcare, or food service — check with the relevant Missouri state agency for professional or industry-specific licenses. A tax professional or legal professional can help you figure out which licenses apply to your specific business.

Foreign LLC registration

If your LLC was formed in another state but you want to do business in Missouri, you need to register as a foreign LLC with the Missouri Secretary of State. This is a separate process from forming a domestic Missouri LLC and involves filing an Application for Registration along with the applicable state fee.

A foreign LLC registered in Missouri must also maintain a registered agent with a physical Missouri address, the same as a domestic LLC. If you're expanding into Missouri from another state, registering as a foreign LLC keeps your business in good standing and legally authorized to operate here.