How to Form an LLC in Missouri
Missouri LLC formation runs $199 through us — that covers preparing and submitting your Articles of Organization, on top of the state's $50 filing fee. Keeping the LLC compliant afterward is a separate matter: Missouri requires an ongoing registered agent, which we provide for $99/year, billed apart from the one-time $199.
Filing a Missouri LLC reduces to three things: one Articles of Organization filing with the Missouri Secretary of State, a registered agent in place from day one, and a famously short compliance list afterward (no annual report, ever). Below: the fee both ways, the form itself, every step in order, and what we handle if you'd rather not DIY.
Quick price summary: LLC formation — $199 one-time (plus Missouri's $50 state fee). Registered agent — $99/year, ongoing, required for every Missouri LLC.
File Your Missouri LLC — $199
The full filing service is $199. We prepare the Articles, submit them through the Missouri Secretary of State, and see the filing through to approval.
What an LLC Does for You in Missouri
An LLC gives you a separate legal entity for liability and tax purposes, even when one person owns the whole thing. Around Missouri, consultants, real estate holders, solo operators, and small partnerships favor the LLC for its blend of low overhead and real protection, and the state sweetens the deal by skipping annual LLC fees entirely.
The Missouri LLC Filing Fee: $50 Online, $105 by Mail
The official Missouri filing fee is $50 when you submit the Articles of Organization through the state's online business portal. Mail the paper form instead and the fee is $105. Same document, $55 apart, so file online unless you have a real reason not to. Electronic payments add a small third-party convenience fee on top. And once you're formed, that's it: no annual report fee, no franchise tax, no recurring charge from the state.
All-In Missouri LLC Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| Missouri state filing fee | $50 online / $105 by mail |
| Registered agent (required for every Missouri LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | None (no report exists) |
Our $199 is the filing service alone. The state's portion is paid to the Missouri Secretary of State. Agent product is separate at $99/year.
Missouri is one of only four states (with Arizona, New Mexico, and Ohio) that charges LLCs nothing on an ongoing basis, and it levies no franchise tax on LLCs.
Articles of Organization: Missouri's Formation Document
Missouri's formation statute is RSMo 347.037, and it keeps things simple: "Any person, whether or not a member or manager, may form a limited liability company by signing and filing articles of organization for such limited liability company with the secretary." The Articles ask for the LLC's legal name, its principal address, the registered agent and registered office, the management designation (member-managed or manager-managed), and the organizers.
The paper version is form LLC-1 (LLC 1), which prints its $105 fee right on the form. Online filers skip the PDF entirely and pay $50 through the portal.
How to Form an LLC in Missouri, Step by Step
- Name the LLC. The name needs 'Limited Liability Company,' 'LLC,' or 'L.L.C.' and must be genuinely unique among entities on record with the state. Run the free entity search first; it answers in seconds. Skip words that suggest a bank, insurer, or government body unless you hold the license to back them up.
- Appoint your registered agent. RSMo 347.030 requires one from day one: a Missouri street address, staffed through normal business hours. Whatever name and address you list becomes public record. Our agent service runs $99 per year, and our address is what the public sees.
- File the Articles of Organization. Submit online through the state's business portal for $50, or mail form LLC-1 with $105. Online submissions generally move through faster than mailed paperwork.
- Put together an operating agreement. Missouri doesn't file or require one, but skipping it invites trouble with banks, members, and any future dispute. Cover ownership splits, profit distribution, decision-making authority, and exits; otherwise the statute's default rules take over, and they're rarely a good fit.
- Apply for the EIN. The IRS issues it free at IRS.gov in about ten minutes, and the number arrives immediately. Never pay a third party for this.
- Handle ongoing compliance. Keep the registered agent continuously on file (RSMo 347.030; a lapse is grounds for administrative dissolution), keep LLC and personal finances strictly separate, and stay on top of federal and Missouri tax deadlines. An annual report is not on this list, because Missouri LLCs don't file one.
Done filing things yourself? $199 hands the Missouri filing to our team.
The Registered Agent Piece
Missouri LLCs are required to have a registered agent at all times, starting the day you file. The agent must:
- Hold a physical street address in Missouri (a PO box counts only alongside one)
- Stay available across business hours to accept legal correspondence and lawsuits
- Get incoming legal and state mail to you fast enough that response windows stay open
You can't be your own agent in Missouri; the eligibility rules cover resident individuals and authorized corporations, not the LLC itself. Listing a friend instead puts that person's address into the public entity database for anyone to browse.
Our Missouri office handles this for $99 a year. We list our office address on the formation documents in your place.
Common Missouri LLC Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Missouri?
The Missouri Secretary of State charges $50 for the online Articles of Organization and $105 for the paper form LLC-1. No annual report fee follows; Missouri doesn't impose one on LLCs.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Missouri?
The state doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround, so treat any specific promise with suspicion. Filing online rather than by mail is the dependable way to keep things moving.
Does Missouri require an annual report?
No. Missouri LLCs file no annual report at all, one of just four states where that's true (alongside Arizona, New Mexico, and Ohio).
Do I need a registered agent for my Missouri LLC?
Yes. Missouri requires a registered agent with a Missouri street address from formation onward. It's a continuous obligation, not a one-time setup.
Can I form an LLC in Missouri if I live in another state?
Yes. Missouri doesn't require LLC owners to be residents. The one in-state requirement is the registered agent, and we fill that role at $99/year.
File Your Missouri LLC Today
Self-filing with the Missouri Secretary of State is fully available through the state's online system: $50 to the state, with a registered agent on record from the start. Prefer to hand it off? For $199 we prepare and submit the Articles, and our $99/year registered agent service puts our Missouri address on the public record with same-day document scanning and deadline reminders.
Just want the registered agent role? The standalone Missouri agent plan costs $99/year.
Got other questions about Missouri LLCs or how our service handles the agent role? Visit the FAQ page or send a message via contact.
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