LLC Filing Guide › North Dakota
How to file an LLC in North Dakota (2026)
File the Articles of Organization with the North Dakota Secretary of State to create a North Dakota LLC. The filing fee is $135. North Dakota LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due November 15, for $50. Every North Dakota LLC must keep a registered agent with a North Dakota street address.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
- Prices verified October 2026
How to form an LLC in North Dakota
- Pick a name with “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” in it, and check that it’s free on the North Dakota Secretary of State business records.
- Name a registered agent: 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.
- File the Articles of Organization with the North Dakota Secretary of State and pay $135.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and comes after the LLC is formed.
- Sign an operating agreement among the members. It sets ownership and voting rules and stays with your records.
- File the yearly report. North Dakota LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due November 15, for $50.
Mainstay Filing takes care of the agent, the filing, the EIN application and each annual report for $199 a year plus North Dakota’s fees.
North Dakota LLC fees and rules
- State filing fee
- $135
- Formation document
- Articles of Organization
- Filed with
- North Dakota Secretary of State
- Yearly filing
- Annual Report, every year, $50
- Due
- November 15
- 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.
- Agent address
- The address has to be a complete physical address in North Dakota. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
- Filing fee rank
- 36th lowest of 50 (35 states charge less, 14 charge more)
North Dakota compared with neighboring states
| State | Filing fee | Yearly filing |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 / yr |
| Minnesota | $155 | $0 renewal |
| Montana | $35 | $20 / yr |
| South Dakota | $150 | $55 / yr |
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, all-in, plus state fees
$199 a year plus North Dakota’s $135 filing fee, which is passed through at cost.
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report, prepared and filed every year it’s due
- Compliance reminders
The same $199 at renewal. Already have an LLC and only need an agent? Mainstay Filing’s registered agent service alone is $149 a year.
Prices verified October 21, 2026 on Mainstay Filing’s pricing and FAQ pages.
North Dakota LLC questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Dakota?
$135 to the state to file. North Dakota LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due November 15, for $50. With Mainstay Filing, the formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and annual reports are $199 a year on top of the state fees.
Does North Dakota require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. North Dakota LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due November 15, for $50.
Do I need a registered agent in North Dakota?
Yes. 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.
Can I form a North Dakota LLC myself?
Yes. You can file the Articles of Organization directly with the North Dakota Secretary of State and pay the $135 fee. A service such as Mainstay Filing files it for you and adds the registered agent, EIN application and annual reports for $199 a year.
Other formation services
- Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee, with its registered agent service included the first year, then $125 a year; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee.
- ZenBusiness: Starter package $0 plus the state fee; Pro is $199 a year with the EIN and annual-report filing, and its registered agent is a separate $199 a year that no package includes.
- Bizee: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Standard $199, Premium $299), with one free year of its registered agent, which is $149 a year after that.
- LegalZoom: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Pro $249, Premium $299); its registered agent is $249 a year for first-time agent customers.
Prices from each company’s own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plus the state fee in every case.
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