Missouri is one of the cheapest states to run an LLC. To start a business in Missouri, file Articles of Organization online with the Missouri Secretary of State for $50 ($105 on paper), get an EIN, register with the Missouri Department of Revenue for sales tax and withholding, and get any city or county licenses. After that, a Missouri LLC has no annual report to file and no state franchise tax to pay.
Corporations are different: they file a corporate registration report every year. Facts below are current as of October 2026.
Updated October 2026.
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Best Business Formation Services in Missouri (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming a business in Missouri, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Missouri registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | MO Registered Agent.org | Missouri registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Missouri Registered Agent.co | Missouri registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Missouri. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. MO Registered Agent.org
MO Registered Agent.org is a Missouri registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Missouri Registered Agent.co
Missouri Registered Agent.co is a Missouri registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
What you’ll pay to start a business in Missouri
| Item | Missouri, October 2026 |
|---|---|
| LLC Articles of Organization (LLC-1) | $50 online; $105 on paper |
| Articles of Incorporation (Corp-1) | From $58, depending on the value of authorized shares |
| LLC annual report | None required |
| Corporate registration report | $15 online, $40 paper; due in your anniversary month |
| Change of registered agent or office (Corp. 59) | $10 |
| Fictitious name registration | $7; valid five years |
| Sources | SOS fee schedule (rev. 01/2025) |
Which structure suits a Missouri business?
- Sole proprietorship: no state formation and no liability protection. Register a fictitious name if you use a business name.
- General partnership: no formation filing; partners share liability, and a fictitious name is required if the partnership doesn’t use the partners’ names.
- LLC: $50 online, no annual report and no franchise tax, with liability protection. The upkeep is just keeping a registered agent and office.
- Corporation: from $58 to form, a corporate registration report every year (or every two years under the biennial option), and formal governance.
For most owner-run businesses, the LLC’s low maintenance makes it the easy choice in Missouri. Our Missouri LLC guide explains the Articles of Organization in detail.
What a Missouri LLC really costs
File online and you’ll pay $50 to the Secretary of State to form your LLC, and nothing to the Secretary of State in later years as long as nothing changes. A $7 fictitious name (renewed every five years) and a $10 agent change are the main optional costs. City and county business licenses, and any professional licenses, are separate.
Forming a Missouri LLC from another state
Missouri doesn’t require members or managers to live in the state, and its low upkeep attracts some out-of-state owners. You still need a Missouri registered agent and office, and the agent must be a Missouri-resident individual or a corporation. If you’ll run the business from another state, that state may require its own foreign registration and annual filings, which can outweigh Missouri’s savings.
Naming your Missouri business
Search the Secretary of State’s business entity records on bsd.sos.mo.gov before you file. A Missouri LLC name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “LC,” “L.C.,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC,” and corporations need “Corporation,” “Company,” “Incorporated,” “Limited” or an abbreviation. Our Missouri business name search guide has more on searching.
For ideas, use the Namechk business name generator, and check domains and social handles on Namechk.
Fictitious names in Missouri
Missouri requires every person, partnership, corporation or other business that operates under any name other than its true name to register a fictitious name with the Secretary of State within five days of starting to use it, under RSMo 417.210. The Secretary of State charges $7, the registration lasts five years, and you can file online or by mail. Registration doesn’t stop anyone else from using the same name.
Missouri registered agent rules
Under RSMo 347.030, a Missouri LLC must continuously maintain a registered office and a registered agent in the state. The agent must be either an individual Missouri resident whose business office is the registered office, or a corporation authorized in Missouri. The Secretary of State’s change form adds that an entity may not act as its own agent, and a P.O. box can be listed only alongside a physical street address.
An owner who lives in Missouri can serve personally. If you’d rather not use your home address, Mainstay Filing includes a registered agent for the first year with its formation package. Changing the agent or office costs $10 with form Corp. 59, and the new agent must consent. Because keeping an agent is a Missouri LLC’s main ongoing duty, letting it lapse can lead to administrative dissolution. Our Missouri registered agent guide has more.
How do you file with the Missouri Secretary of State?
- Go to the Secretary of State’s online business services at bsd.sos.mo.gov and choose Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation.
- Enter the company name, registered agent and office, purpose, management structure and organizer.
- Pay $50 online for an LLC (paper LLC-1 filings cost $105). Corporations pay at least $58, more if authorized shares are valued above $30,000.
- Corporations also file their first corporate registration report within 30 days of incorporating.
Then adopt an operating agreement or bylaws. Missouri doesn’t collect them, but they set ownership and decision-making rules. Because Missouri LLCs have no annual report, the operating agreement and your own records are where member and manager details live, so keep them current as the business changes. For a fuller cost breakdown, see Mainstay’s Missouri LLC cost guide.
Getting an EIN
Apply free on the IRS website. The Missouri Department of Revenue may require it to register, and banks will ask for it, so get it right after your Articles are approved.
U.S. companies no longer file federal BOI reports; FinCEN’s final rule took effect August 14, 2026.
Registering for Missouri taxes
The Missouri Department of Revenue lets you register a new business location online for sales tax, vendor’s use tax, consumer’s use tax, withholding tax, unemployment tax, the tire and lead-acid battery fee, and corporate income tax.
- Sales tax: register if you sell taxable goods in Missouri. State and local rates combine, so check the rate for each location.
- Withholding: register before your first Missouri payroll.
- Unemployment tax: the Secretary of State’s startup checklist also points employers to the Missouri Division of Employment Security.
Register each business location separately if you sell from more than one place, and keep the confirmation the Department of Revenue issues with your other formation records. If your business only sells exempt goods or services, check with the department before assuming you don’t need an account.
Licenses and permits in Missouri
Missouri has no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State’s startup steps tell owners to register for a business license and any necessary permits with their city or county. Beyond that:
- State licensing boards: the Division of Professional Registration licenses many occupations, from cosmetology to real estate.
- Other agencies: the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control for alcohol and tobacco, and local health departments for food businesses.
Banking, insurance and a website
Open a business bank account with your filed Articles and EIN, and keep business and personal money separate to protect your liability shield. Set up bookkeeping from day one too, so sales tax returns, withholding filings and your own year-end income tax return are straightforward rather than a scramble.
Get general liability insurance, add professional liability if you provide services, and set up workers’ compensation before you hire. Then claim a matching domain and launch your website.
Our picks of the best website builders
Ongoing requirements in Missouri
- LLCs: no annual or biennial report and no franchise tax. Keep a registered agent and office on file, and file amendments when your articles change.
- Corporations: file the corporate registration report every year in your anniversary month ($15 online, $40 on paper), or choose the biennial option.
- Renew fictitious names every five years; an expired registration means you’re operating under an unregistered name until you renew.
- File sales, withholding and other tax returns with the Department of Revenue on schedule, and renew local licenses.
FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?
Filing Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State costs $50 online or $105 on paper, according to the Secretary of State’s fee schedule. Missouri LLCs don’t file annual reports or pay a franchise tax, so the formation fee is often the only Secretary of State charge, apart from optional filings like a $7 fictitious name.
Do Missouri LLCs file an annual report?
No. Missouri’s LLC Act, Chapter 347 of the Revised Statutes, has no annual or biennial report requirement, and LLCs pay no franchise tax. The main ongoing duty is keeping a registered agent and registered office in Missouri. Corporations, by contrast, file a corporate registration report each year.
How do I register a DBA in Missouri?
Register a fictitious name with the Missouri Secretary of State, online or by mail, within five days of starting to use the name. The fee is $7 and the registration lasts five years. It applies to individuals, partnerships, corporations and LLCs using any name other than their true legal name, and it doesn’t give exclusive rights to the name.
Can my LLC be its own registered agent in Missouri?
No. Missouri’s change-of-agent form states that an entity may not act as its own agent, and RSMo 347.030 limits agents to Missouri-resident individuals or authorized corporations. A Missouri-resident owner can serve personally. Changing the agent later costs $10.
When do Missouri corporations file their registration report?
Missouri corporations file their first corporate registration report within 30 days of incorporating, then each year in their anniversary month. The fee is $15 online or $40 on paper. Corporations can choose to file biennially instead, in even or odd years based on their formation year.
Does Missouri require a state business license?
No. Missouri has no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State’s startup steps direct owners to register for a business license and any necessary permits with their city or county, and licensed occupations need approval from the Division of Professional Registration or another state agency.
How do I register for Missouri taxes?
Register online with the Missouri Department of Revenue, which lets new businesses sign up for sales tax, use tax, withholding tax, unemployment tax and corporate income tax in one application. You may need a federal EIN first. Local licenses are handled separately by your city or county.
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