In Michigan, LLCs aren’t formed through a Secretary of State. You file Articles of Organization (form 700) with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division, for $50 (as of October 2026), naming a resident agent at a Michigan registered office. After that, the yearly requirement is a $25 annual statement due February 15.
Michigan is one of the least expensive states to form and keep an LLC. There’s also a helpful first-year rule: if your LLC is organized after September 30, you don’t file the annual statement due the very next February 15.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Michigan (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming an LLC in Michigan, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Michigan 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 | MI Registered Agent.org | Michigan 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 | Michigan Registered Agent.co | Michigan 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 Michigan. 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. MI Registered Agent.org
MI Registered Agent.org is a Michigan 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. Michigan Registered Agent.co
Michigan Registered Agent.co is a Michigan 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.
Michigan LLC at a glance
| Item | Michigan (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | LARA, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division |
| Online portal | MiBusiness Registry |
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (form 700; professional LLCs use form 701) |
| Filing fee | $50 |
| Annual statement | $25; due February 15 each year |
| Late annual statement | $10 per month late, up to $50 |
| Agent | Resident agent at a Michigan registered office |
| Agent change | $5 (form 520) |
| Publication | Not required |
Fees come from LARA’s filing fee schedule, and the agent rules from MCL 450.4207. For state and service costs together, see Mainstay Filing’s Michigan LLC cost page.
Step 1: Choose a Michigan LLC name
Michigan requires “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “L.C.” (or the versions without periods) in the name, and the name must be distinguishable from others on LARA’s records.
For ideas, try the namechk business name generator. Check each candidate with the business entity search in MiBusiness Registry, and see our Michigan business name search guide for search tips.
Next:
- Run a federal trademark search in the USPTO database.
- Confirm domain and social handle availability on namechk.
- If you’ll trade under a name other than the LLC’s legal name, plan the assumed name filing before you start using it.
Step 2: Appoint a resident agent
Michigan uses the term “resident agent.” Under MCL 450.4207, every Michigan LLC must continuously maintain a registered office in the state, which may or may not be its place of business, and a resident agent whose office matches the registered office. The agent can be:
- An individual who lives in Michigan, whose business office or residence is the registered office
- A domestic corporation or domestic LLC with a business office at the registered office
- A foreign corporation or foreign LLC authorized to do business in Michigan, with a business office at the registered office
Owners often name themselves at first. If you don’t want your address on the public record, or you can’t always be reached at the registered office, a professional agent is the better fit. Mainstay Filing includes resident agent service for the first year with its formation package, and our Michigan registered agent guide explains the requirements. Changing agents later costs $5 with form 520.
Step 3: File Articles of Organization (form 700)
LARA has moved Corporations Division filings to the MiBusiness Registry Portal, so file online there. The Articles ask for:
- The LLC’s name
- The purpose statement (the form supplies standard language)
- The duration, if the LLC isn’t perpetual
- The registered office street address and the resident agent’s name
- The registered office mailing address, if different
- The name and signature of at least one organizer
Professional service LLCs, such as those formed by licensed accountants or engineers, use form 701 at the same $50 fee.
Expedited service
LARA offers paid expedited processing on top of the filing fee, including 24-hour, same-day, 2-hour ($500) and 1-hour ($1,000) options. The 24-hour and same-day prices depend on the document, so check LARA’s fee schedule if you need speed.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Michigan doesn’t require an operating agreement to be filed, but every LLC should have one. It governs ownership, contributions, management, voting, distributions and exits, and without it Michigan’s default rules apply.
For a single-member LLC, a signed agreement also helps show the business is a separate entity, which supports liability protection. Keep it with your Articles and update it whenever members or ownership percentages change.
Step 5: Get an EIN and register for Michigan taxes
Apply for an EIN on the IRS website. It’s free. If you’ll sell taxable goods or have employees, register with the Michigan Department of Treasury for sales tax and withholding, and with the Unemployment Insurance Agency for unemployment taxes.
With your EIN, open a business bank account in the LLC’s exact legal name. Banks typically ask for the filed Articles of Organization, the IRS EIN confirmation and sometimes the operating agreement. Keep every business transaction in that account; mixing personal and business money is one of the most common ways owners weaken the liability protection an LLC is meant to provide.
FinCEN’s beneficial ownership page states that U.S.-formed companies are exempt from BOI reporting under the final rule effective August 2026.
Step 6: File the annual statement by February 15
Michigan’s yearly filing is called the annual statement (form 2700). It’s due February 15 each year, costs $25, and is filed online. LARA sends a pre-populated statement about 90 days before the due date.
The first-year exception is worth knowing: an LLC organized after September 30 doesn’t file the statement due the following February 15. So an LLC formed in November 2026 files its first annual statement by February 15, 2028.
Filing late adds a penalty of $10 for each month or part of a month, up to $50. An LLC that stays delinquent loses its good standing and can eventually be dissolved, after which restoration requires filing all missed statements plus a restoration fee.
Step 7: Licenses and permits
Michigan doesn’t issue a general statewide business license. Your city or township may require local licenses, and many trades and professions need a state license, many of them issued by other bureaus within LARA. Check with your local clerk and any licensing board for your industry. Home-based businesses should also ask about zoning, since some townships restrict certain activities in residential areas.
How much does a Michigan LLC cost?
| Item | Fee (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (form 700 or 701) | $50 |
| Annual statement | $25 per year |
| Late annual statement | $10 per month, up to $50 |
| Change of resident agent (form 520) | $5 |
| 2-hour / 1-hour expedite (optional) | $500 / $1,000 |
Michigan LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Michigan?
Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs charges $50 to file Articles of Organization (form 700), as of October 2026. Professional LLCs use form 701 at the same fee. After formation, the LLC files a $25 annual statement by February 15 each year.
When is the Michigan LLC annual statement due?
The Michigan annual statement (form 2700) is due February 15 each year and costs $25. LLCs organized after September 30 don’t file the statement due the following February 15. Late statements carry a penalty of $10 per month or part of a month, up to $50.
Who files Michigan LLC paperwork?
Michigan LLCs file with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division, not a Secretary of State. Filings are submitted through LARA’s MiBusiness Registry Portal, which is also where you search existing business names and file the annual statement.
Who can be a resident agent in Michigan?
Under MCL 450.4207, the resident agent can be a Michigan resident whose business office or residence is the registered office, or a domestic or authorized foreign corporation or LLC with a business office at the registered office. Changing the resident agent later costs $5 with form 520.
Can I expedite a Michigan LLC filing?
Yes. LARA offers expedited processing for an extra fee on top of the $50 filing fee, including 24-hour and same-day service, plus 2-hour service for $500 and 1-hour service for $1,000. The 24-hour and same-day prices vary by document type on LARA’s fee schedule.
Does Michigan require newspaper publication for a new LLC?
No. Michigan doesn’t require a new LLC to publish notice of its formation. Once LARA files the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists. The remaining steps are an operating agreement, an EIN, state tax registrations, local licenses and the yearly annual statement.
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