Kansas LLC formation runs through the Kansas Secretary of State: choose a name with an approved “word of formation,” name a resident agent with a Kansas street address, and file Articles of Organization for $85 online or $90 on paper (as of October 2026). After that, set up your operating agreement, EIN and tax accounts, and file an information report every two years by April 15.
That two-year cycle is newer than many guides suggest. Kansas now has LLCs file information reports biennially, in even or odd years depending on when the business was formed, so older advice about yearly reports is out of date.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Kansas (2026)
If you’d rather not handle forming an LLC in Kansas yourself, these are the services we recommend, in order. The table compares price and what’s included.
| 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 | KS Registered Agent.org | Kansas 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 |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Kansas. 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. KS Registered Agent.org
KS Registered Agent.org is a Kansas 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.
Kansas LLC at a glance
| Item | Kansas (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (Form DL) |
| Filing fee | $85 online; $90 paper |
| Agent | Resident agent with a registered office in Kansas (no P.O. boxes) |
| Ongoing report | Information report every two years, due April 15; $5 online, $25 paper |
| Late window | Three-month delinquency period, then forfeiture |
| Name reservation | Available (Form NR) |
| Publication | Not required |
Formation fees and naming rules come from the Secretary of State’s Articles of Organization instructions, revised February 2026. For service and state costs together, see Mainstay Filing’s Kansas LLC cost page.
Step 1: Choose a name with a “word of formation”
Kansas calls the required ending a “word of formation.” Under K.S.A. 17-7920, your LLC name must include one of these: L.L.C., L.C., LLC, LC, Limited Liability Company or Limited Company. The name can’t be in use by another registered business unless that business files a Consent to Use of Similar Business Name with your formation document.
Not sure what to call the company? The namechk business name generator gives you dozens of options from a few keywords. Check each one with the Secretary of State’s name availability search, and see our Kansas business name search guide for tips.
Before you file:
- Run the name through the USPTO trademark database.
- Check the matching domain and social handles on namechk.
- Leave DBAs, trade names and fictitious names off the Articles; Kansas wants only the legal name in that box.
Step 2: Appoint a resident agent
Kansas uses the term “resident agent.” According to the Articles instructions, the resident agent can be an individual, a business already registered with the Kansas Secretary of State, or the LLC itself. The agent’s registered office must be a Kansas street, rural route or highway address where the agent may regularly be present. P.O. boxes are rejected.
If you name a registered business as your agent, its name must match the Secretary of State’s records exactly. Many owners prefer a professional agent to keep their address off the public record and ensure lawsuits are received. Mainstay Filing includes resident agent service for the first year in its formation package. Our Kansas registered agent guide has more on choosing one.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
Kansas’s Articles of Organization are a one-page form with four sections:
- The LLC’s name, including the word of formation
- The resident agent’s name
- The registered office address in Kansas
- The signature of one or more authorized persons, under penalty of perjury
Filing online through the Secretary of State’s Register a Business page costs $85, and card payments are accepted. You can print a certified copy of the Articles from the site once it’s processed. The paper form costs $90 and is mailed to the Secretary of State at the Docking State Office Building in Topeka; the certified copy is mailed back.
Kansas also offers separate Articles for series LLCs, professional LLCs and public benefit LLCs if your business fits one of those categories.
Step 4: Draft an operating agreement
Kansas doesn’t ask for your operating agreement, and you won’t file it anywhere. It’s still the document that decides how the company runs: ownership, contributions, management, voting, profit distributions and buyouts.
Multi-member LLCs especially need one, because the default statutory rules rarely match what the members intend. For a single-member LLC, a signed agreement helps show that the business is separate from you.
Step 5: Get an EIN and register for Kansas taxes
Apply for a free EIN on the IRS website after the Articles are filed. You’ll need it for banking and payroll.
If you’ll collect sales tax or withhold wages, register with the Kansas Department of Revenue. The state’s Business OneStop portal brings together state registrations and licensing information in one place.
At the federal level, FinCEN’s BOI page states that U.S.-formed companies are exempt from beneficial ownership reporting under the rule effective August 2026.
Step 6: File the biennial information report
Kansas information reports are filed every two years. The Secretary of State explains the rule this way: businesses formed in even years file in each following even year, and businesses formed in odd years file in each following odd year. For-profit businesses, including LLCs, are due by April 15 of their reporting year.
An LLC formed in 2026 therefore files its first report by April 15, 2028. The LLC report asks for the principal office address and the name and address of each member who owns 5% or more of the capital.
The fee dropped on February 27, 2026 to $5 online or $25 on paper, so filing online costs almost nothing. A late report carries a $10 penalty.
Kansas allows a three-month delinquency period after the due date, during which the report can still be filed, but the business is limited in what else it can file. After that, the LLC forfeits and must file past-due reports and reinstate before it can file anything else.
Step 7: Licenses and permits
Kansas doesn’t issue a general statewide business license. Your city or county may require a local license, and many occupations need a state license from the relevant board. Business OneStop is a good starting point for figuring out which apply to you.
A real property notice on the Kansas forms
The Secretary of State’s LLC forms carry a Kansas Attorney General notice: since July 1, 2025, certain foreign principals, such as governments, companies or citizens of countries including China, Iran and Russia, must register interests in real property within 100 miles of a military installation with the Attorney General within 90 days. Most new Kansas LLCs aren’t affected, but check if your ownership or property could fall under it.
Kansas LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Kansas?
The Kansas Secretary of State charges $85 to file Articles of Organization online or $90 on paper, according to its Articles of Organization instructions revised in February 2026. After formation, LLCs file an information report every two years by April 15. Local licenses and any registered agent service you hire are extra.
Do Kansas LLCs file an annual report?
Kansas LLCs now file an information report every two years instead of every year. Businesses formed in even years file in each following even year, and those formed in odd years file in odd years. For-profit businesses, including LLCs, must file by April 15 of their reporting year. The fee is $5 online or $25 on paper.
What happens if a Kansas LLC misses its information report?
Kansas gives a three-month delinquency period after the April 15 due date, during which the report can still be filed, though the business is limited in what other documents it can file. After that, the LLC forfeits and can’t file anything else until it submits past-due reports and is reinstated.
What is a resident agent in Kansas?
A resident agent is Kansas’s term for a registered agent: the person or business that receives subpoenas, summonses and other legal documents for the LLC. It can be an individual, a business registered with the Kansas Secretary of State, or the LLC itself, with a Kansas street address that isn’t a P.O. box.
What words must a Kansas LLC name include?
Under K.S.A. 17-7920, a Kansas LLC name must include a word of formation: L.L.C., L.C., LLC, LC, Limited Liability Company or Limited Company. Equivalents in another language written in Roman characters are also allowed. Don’t add a DBA or trade name to the Articles of Organization.
Can I file Kansas LLC Articles of Organization online?
Yes. Online filing through the Kansas Secretary of State costs $85 and accepts credit and debit cards, and the certified copy of your Articles can be printed from the website once processed. Paper filings cost $90 and are mailed to the Secretary of State in Topeka, with the certified copy mailed back.
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