Start a Business by State › North Dakota
How to start an LLC in North Dakota: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in North Dakota, file the Articles of Organization with the North Dakota Secretary of State for $135, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
North Dakota checklist
- File the formation document. Articles of Organization, North Dakota Secretary of State, $135.
- Name a registered agent. Required. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: a North Dakota resident, or an entity registered with the Secretary of State that has a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own agent.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. We could not confirm a general-license statement from North Dakota’s own pages, so check with your city or county. The state’s starting-a-business page is a good place to begin.
- Keep it current. Annual Report, yearly: $50, due november 15.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Dakota?
The state filing fee is $135 for the Articles of Organization. The first Annual Report later costs $50.
Do I need a registered agent in North Dakota?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in North Dakota?
We could not confirm a general-license statement from North Dakota’s own pages, so check with your city or county. The state’s starting-a-business page is a good place to begin.
Sources
- N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20 (North Dakota Uniform Limited Liability Company Act — Formation of a limited liability company; Articles of organization); fee set by § 10-32.1-92(1) (multira state research spine): ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-company-llc, checked October 1, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (multira state research spine): www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/maintain-registration, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (multira state research spine): sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-companies/limited-liability-company-llc/llc-faqs.html, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota registered agent statute (N.D. Cent. Code § 10-01.1-05): ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c01-1.pdf, checked October 20, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State: sos.nd.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State (starting a business): www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/start-business, checked October 21, 2026