To start an LLC in Missouri, file Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State, naming a registered agent at a Missouri registered office. Filing online costs $50; filing on paper with the LLC-1 costs $105 (as of October 2026). After that, sign an operating agreement, get an EIN and register for any Missouri taxes. Missouri doesn’t require LLCs to file annual reports.
That makes Missouri one of the lowest-maintenance states for an LLC. With no annual report and no LLC franchise tax, the main ongoing duty to the state is keeping a registered agent and registered office in place.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Missouri (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming an LLC 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.
Missouri LLC at a glance
| Item | Missouri (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Missouri Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (LLC-1) |
| Filing fee | $50 online; $105 on paper |
| Annual report | None required |
| LLC franchise tax | None |
| Registered agent | Missouri resident or authorized corporation; LLC can’t be its own agent |
| Agent or office change | $10 (form Corp. 59) |
| Publication | Not required |
Formation rules are in RSMo 347.037 and agent rules in RSMo 347.030. For state fees alongside service costs, see Mainstay Filing’s Missouri LLC cost page.
Step 1: Choose a Missouri LLC name
Your LLC’s name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC” or “L.C.” and be distinguishable from other names on the Secretary of State’s records.
If you need inspiration, the namechk business name generator can help. Check availability with the Secretary of State’s business entity search, and use our Missouri business name search guide to search for close matches.
Before filing:
- Search the USPTO trademark database.
- Check domain and social handle availability with namechk.
- If you’ll trade under a different name, plan the fictitious name registration before you start using it.
Step 2: Appoint a Missouri registered agent
RSMo 347.030 requires every Missouri LLC to continuously maintain a registered office in the state and a registered agent at that office. The registered office can be, but doesn’t have to be, the LLC’s place of business. The agent must be either:
- An individual who lives in Missouri and whose business office is the registered office, or
- A domestic corporation, or a foreign corporation authorized to do business in Missouri, whose business office is the registered office
The Secretary of State’s change form adds that the entity may not act as its own agent, and that the agent and address must be in Missouri. A P.O. box can only be used together with a physical street address.
Because Missouri has no annual report, the registered agent is the one thing the state expects you to keep current, and failing to maintain one is grounds for administrative dissolution. Mainstay Filing includes a year of registered agent service in its formation package. Our Missouri registered agent guide explains the options, and changing agents later costs $10.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
Online filing through the Secretary of State’s business portal is the better deal at $50. The paper LLC-1 costs $105, and electronic payments may carry a small third-party convenience fee.
The Articles ask for:
- The LLC’s name
- The purpose of the LLC
- The registered agent’s name and Missouri registered office address
- Whether the LLC is managed by managers or members
- The events, if any, that will cause dissolution, or a statement that its duration is perpetual
- The organizer’s name, address and signature
Step 4: Write an operating agreement
Missouri doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement, but it’s the document that controls the LLC: ownership, contributions, management, voting, distributions and exits. Without it, Missouri’s default LLC rules fill the gaps.
For a single-member LLC, a signed agreement helps show the business is separate from its owner, which supports liability protection. Because Missouri never asks to see the agreement, it’s easy to skip; don’t. Banks, lenders and buyers often ask for a copy, and a dispute between members is far easier to resolve when the rules were written down at the start. Review the agreement whenever ownership changes or a new member joins.
Step 5: Get an EIN and register for Missouri taxes
Apply for a free EIN on the IRS website. If you’ll sell taxable goods or services or have employees, register with the Missouri Department of Revenue for sales tax and withholding, and with the Division of Employment Security for unemployment insurance.
Next, open a business bank account in the LLC’s exact name using your filed Articles and EIN letter. Keeping business and personal money separate is one of the easiest ways to protect the LLC’s liability shield.
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: Keep your Missouri LLC in good standing
Missouri LLCs don’t file annual or biennial reports, and there’s no LLC franchise tax. Staying in good standing mostly means:
- Keeping a registered agent and registered office in Missouri at all times
- Filing a change of registered agent or office (form Corp. 59, $10) whenever either changes, with the new agent’s written consent
- Filing amendments if the LLC’s name or other details in the Articles change
- Staying current on state tax filings
Because no annual report prompts you to review your record, put a yearly check on your calendar to confirm that the agent and address on file are still correct.
Step 7: Licenses and permits
Missouri doesn’t issue a general statewide business license. Cities and counties commonly require local business licenses, and many professions need state licenses. Check with your city hall or county clerk before opening. Home-based businesses should also ask about zoning rules, which can limit customer visits, signs or storage in residential areas.
How much does a Missouri LLC cost?
| Item | Fee (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization, online | $50 |
| Articles of Organization, paper | $105 |
| Annual report | None |
| Change of registered agent or office | $10 |
Missouri LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?
The Missouri Secretary of State charges $50 to file Articles of Organization online or $105 on paper using the LLC-1, according to its fee schedule, as of October 2026. Missouri has no annual report or LLC franchise tax, so the formation fee can be the only state filing cost.
Does a Missouri LLC have to file an annual report?
No. Missouri’s LLC Act (RSMo chapter 347) has no annual or biennial report requirement, and Missouri doesn’t charge an LLC franchise tax. The LLC must still keep a registered agent and registered office in Missouri, and it must stay current on any state tax filings that apply.
Who can be a registered agent in Missouri?
Under RSMo 347.030, the registered agent must be a Missouri resident whose business office is the registered office, or a domestic or authorized foreign corporation with its business office there. The LLC can’t be its own agent, and the agent’s address must be in Missouri.
How do I change my registered agent in Missouri?
File a statement of change of registered agent or registered office (form Corp. 59) with the Missouri Secretary of State. The fee is $10, and the new agent must sign the form or attach written consent. Keeping the agent current matters because failing to maintain one is grounds for administrative dissolution.
Why is filing online cheaper in Missouri?
Missouri’s fee schedule sets the Articles of Organization fee at $50 for online filings and $105 for paper filings. Filing online through the Secretary of State’s business portal saves $55. Electronic payments may include a small third-party convenience fee.
Do Missouri LLCs pay a franchise tax?
No. Missouri doesn’t charge LLCs a franchise tax, and there’s no annual report fee either. An LLC still owes any state taxes that apply to its activities, such as sales tax on taxable sales or withholding for employees, and LLCs that elect corporate tax treatment follow corporate income tax rules.
Does Missouri require newspaper publication for a new LLC?
No. Missouri doesn’t require a new LLC to publish notice of its formation. Once the Secretary of State files the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists. The remaining steps are an operating agreement, an EIN, tax registrations and any local business licenses.
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