Start a Business by State › South Dakota
How to start an LLC in South Dakota: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in South Dakota, file the Articles of Organization with the South Dakota Secretary of State for $150, 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
South Dakota checklist
- File the formation document. Articles of Organization, South Dakota Secretary of State, $150.
- Name a registered agent. Required. A commercial registered agent listed with the state, a noncommercial agent (an individual or entity with a South Dakota address), or the title of an office in the company.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. We could not confirm a general-license statement from South 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: $55, due due during the entity's anniversary month each year.
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 South Dakota?
The state filing fee is $150 for the Articles of Organization. The first Annual Report later costs $55.
Do I need a registered agent in South Dakota?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in South Dakota?
We could not confirm a general-license statement from South 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
- SDCL 47-34A-203 (articles of organization); fee set by SDCL 47-34A-212 (multira state research spine): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/47-34A-212, checked August 12, 2026
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sdsos.gov/general-information/filing-fees.aspx, checked October 1, 2026
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/47-34A-212.html, checked October 1, 2026
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (multira state research spine): sdsos.gov/docs/business/llc-domestic-annualreport.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (multira state research spine): sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Business/AnnualReportInstr.aspx, checked August 12, 2026
- South Dakota yearly filing: Annual report: fee and how, official source read 2026-10-01: sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/59-11-24.html, checked October 1, 2026
- South Dakota report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/47-34A-211, checked August 12, 2026
- South Dakota registered agent statute (SDCL 59-11-6): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/59-11-6, checked October 20, 2026
- South Dakota Secretary of State: sdsos.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
- South Dakota Department of Revenue (starting a business): dor.sd.gov/businesses/business-faqs/, checked October 21, 2026