Forming an LLC in North Dakota in 2026

A North Dakota LLC begins with one filing: Articles of Organization, submitted to the North Dakota Secretary of State with a $135 fee. The filing authority is N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20, and the state takes the submission through its FirstStop online portal. Below is the full sequence, the exact fees, and where our service takes the busywork off your plate.

Start Your North Dakota LLC — $199

Hand the filing to us for $199. We prepare your Articles of Organization, submit them through the state's system, and confirm as soon as North Dakota approves the company.

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What a North Dakota LLC Gives You

The LLC pairs the liability shield of a corporation with the tax simplicity of a partnership, and it asks far less ongoing formality than a corporation does. That combination is why it has become the default choice for North Dakota small businesses.

The North Dakota LLC Filing Fee: $135

The official state filing fee is $135, set by § 10-32.1-92(1) and paid to the Secretary of State when the articles are filed.

Here is the complete picture of what forming and running the company involves:

What you pay	Amount
Our formation service (one-time)	$199
North Dakota state filing fee (one-time)	$135
Registered agent, required for every North Dakota LLC	$99 per year
State annual report, due each November 15	$50 per year

Worth flagging for North Dakota specifically: the annual report carries a $50 late fee if it misses November 15, and bringing back a terminated company means a $135 reinstatement fee.

Articles of Organization: North Dakota's Formation Document

The Articles of Organization are the document that brings the LLC into existence. The statute behind them, § 10-32.1-20, opens with the rule that "one or more individuals of the age of eighteen years or more or other persons may act as organizers," which is the law's way of saying almost anyone can start the filing. The full LLC Act is published as a Century Code chapter PDF if you want the source text.

Two practical notes. North Dakota does not publish a numbered fill-in form for LLC articles; the FirstStop portal assembles the filing interactively, which is why you will not find a form number to reference. And because business filings run through the portal, the articles are an online submission rather than a mailed packet. The filing asks for your company name, principal address, registered agent name and address, management structure, and organizer information.

Six Steps to Form a North Dakota LLC

1. Settle on a name that reads as an LLC and stands apart from every entity already in the Secretary of State's records. A search of the state's business database before you commit saves a rejected filing later.
2. Line up your registered agent, a person or company with a physical North Dakota street address that will sit on your public record. Our $99 per year service fills this slot.
3. File the Articles of Organization through FirstStop and pay the $135 state fee. Processing time depends on the state's current workload, and we watch the status for you when we file.
4. Write an operating agreement. North Dakota never sees it, but banks and courts will ask for it, and without one the state's default LLC rules decide questions the members should have decided themselves.
5. Request an EIN from the IRS at IRS.gov. It is free, takes minutes online, and every bank and payroll provider will want it. Paying a third party for this step buys you nothing.
6. Calendar the ongoing obligations: a registered agent on file at all times, the $50 annual report by November 15 each year, clean separation between company and personal finances, and your federal and state taxes.

Let an LLC drift out of compliance and the Secretary of State can terminate it, which suspends the liability shield until reinstatement. If you would rather never think about the mechanics, our $199 service files the whole thing.

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The Registered Agent Requirement

The LLC Act builds the agent requirement directly into the statute, at §§ 10-32.1-16 and 10-32.1-17. Every North Dakota LLC keeps an agent with an in-state street address on its public record, available during the business day to receive legal papers.

Owners who list a home address learn that the record is public and permanently searchable. Our $99 per year plan puts our address there instead, with same-day scanning of anything served.

Common North Dakota LLC Questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?

The Secretary of State collects $135 with the Articles of Organization. After formation, budget $50 each year for the annual report.

How long does it take to form an LLC in North Dakota?

Timing rides on the state's filing volume. FirstStop submissions enter the queue immediately, and we notify you the moment the state responds to a filing we handle.

Does North Dakota require an annual report?

Yes. Every LLC files one by November 15, with a $50 state fee.

Do I need a registered agent for my North Dakota LLC?

Yes, without exception. The appointment, with a North Dakota street address, lasts as long as the LLC does.

Can I form an LLC in North Dakota if I live in another state?

Yes. The formation filing works the same wherever you live. The one piece that must be physically in North Dakota is the registered agent, which is exactly what our $99 per year service provides.

Get Your North Dakota LLC Filed

You can absolutely file directly: the Articles of Organization go through FirstStop with the $135 fee, and everything above maps the route. The registered agent requirement applies either way.

Put us on the formation filing as your agent and $99 per year covers the public address, same-day document delivery, and reminders before every state deadline.

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Want the RA service without the LLC formation? The standalone registered agent plan carries a $99/year price.

Curious about other parts of North Dakota LLC formation or the way our agent product operates? Our FAQ handles most questions; the contact form is open for the rest.