How to Form an LLC in Missouri: Steps & Cost (2026)
You form a Missouri LLC by filing Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the Missouri Secretary of State and paying a $50 fee online or $105 by paper. You must appoint a Missouri registered agent, and section 347.081 RSMo directs that the members adopt an operating agreement. Missouri LLCs file no annual report - the main recurring obligations are federal and Missouri taxes.
Quick Answer
- Form
- Form LLC-1, Articles of Organization
- Filing fee
- $50 online / $105 paper (2026), to the Missouri Secretary of State
- Agency
- Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division
- Registered agent
- Required - physical Missouri street address (§ 347.030 RSMo)
- Operating agreement
- Members "shall adopt" one (§ 347.081 RSMo); not filed
- Annual report
- None for LLCs
Missouri Agency and Form: Secretary of State, Form LLC-1
A Missouri LLC is created by filing Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division. The correct document for a limited liability company is Form LLC-1. Section 347.039 RSMo lists the information the articles must contain, and the Secretary of State's acceptance of the filing is the legal act that brings the LLC into existence under Chapter 347 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. The LLC exists on the date the Secretary of State files the articles, unless a later effective date (no more than 90 days out) is stated on the form.
Form LLC-1 asks for the LLC's name, its purpose, the name and address of the registered agent in Missouri, whether management is vested in managers or members, any dissolution event or term of years, and each organizer. The name must include a designator such as "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company," "LC," "L.C.," "L.L.C.," or "LLC," and must be distinguishable from entities already on file. You can search names and file electronically through the Secretary of State's Business Services portal, which is the fastest route and carries the lower $50 fee. This guide covers the general Missouri process; for the national overview, see how to form an LLC and what is an LLC.
How to Form a Missouri LLC, Step by Step
Forming a Missouri LLC is a five-step process centered on Form LLC-1. Each step below corresponds to a requirement of Chapter 347 RSMo or a federal tax rule.
- Choose and check your LLC name. Select a name that includes an LLC designator and is distinguishable from names already on file with the Secretary of State. Search availability in the Business Services database. If you are not ready to file, you may reserve the name by filing a reservation of name for a $25 fee. Confirm the name does not infringe a federal trademark.
- Appoint a Missouri registered agent. Every Missouri LLC must designate a registered agent with a physical Missouri street address (a P.O. box alone is not sufficient). Name the agent in Article 3 of Form LLC-1.
- File the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1). Submit Form LLC-1 to the Missouri Secretary of State and pay $50 to file online or $105 to file on paper. Once the Secretary of State files it, your LLC legally exists.
- Adopt an operating agreement. Section 347.081 RSMo directs that the member or members "shall adopt an operating agreement." Missouri does not file it, but it sets ownership percentages, management, voting, and profit distribution. See operating agreement basics.
- Get an EIN and register for Missouri taxes. Apply for a free federal EIN from the IRS, then register with the Missouri Department of Revenue using Form 2643 if you owe sales tax or employer withholding.
After these steps, open a business bank account (banks generally ask for the filed Articles of Organization and the EIN), obtain any local business license your city or county requires, and keep your registered agent current.
Missouri LLC Filing Fees (2026)
The core cost of a Missouri LLC is the Articles of Organization fee - $50 online or $105 by paper. The table below lists the state fees most new LLCs encounter, each verified against the Missouri Secretary of State Schedule of Fees and Charges (Chapter 347 fees). Amounts are set by the state, not by any filing service, and are effective for 2026.
| Item | Form / action | Fee (2026) | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (online) | Form LLC-1 | $50 | Secretary of State |
| Articles of Organization (paper) | Form LLC-1 | $105 | Secretary of State |
| Reservation of name | Reservation | $25 | Secretary of State |
| Change of registered agent / office | Change form | $10 | Secretary of State |
| Fictitious name (DBA) registration | Fictitious name | $7 | Secretary of State |
| Federal EIN | IRS Form SS-4 | $0 (free) | IRS |
| Annual report | None for LLCs | $0 | - |
Missouri also waives the Secretary of State filing fee for new businesses created by active duty military members and the Missouri National Guard under its Startup for Soldiers program. For a full cost breakdown including registered agent and tax setup, see how much a Missouri LLC costs and the national LLC cost guide.
Missouri Registered Agent Requirement
A Missouri registered agent is the person or entity your LLC designates to receive service of process, tax notices, and official state correspondence. Section 347.030 RSMo requires every LLC to appoint and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Missouri, and section 347.033 RSMo makes that agent the party on whom process may be served. You name the initial agent in Article 3 of Form LLC-1.
The agent must have a physical Missouri street address; the form specifically states that a P.O. box may not be used unless a street address is also provided. You may act as your own registered agent, name a manager or member, or hire a commercial registered agent service. To change agents later, file the change with a $10 fee. If an LLC fails to maintain a registered agent - and neither an authorized person nor an organizer can be found with reasonable diligence - the Secretary of State becomes the agent for service of process by operation of law. See Missouri registered agent requirements and the national registered agent overview for detail.
Missouri Operating Agreement Requirement
Missouri is unusual among states because its statute uses mandatory language about operating agreements. Section 347.081 RSMo provides that "the member or members of a limited liability company shall adopt an operating agreement containing such provisions as such member or members may deem appropriate," subject to the statute and other law. The Secretary of State does not collect, file, or review the agreement, and there is no filing fee, so no state penalty flows from not having one - but the statute treats adoption as expected, and courts look to the operating agreement to resolve internal disputes.
A single-member LLC still benefits from an operating agreement: it documents that the business is a separate entity, which supports liability protection, and it controls what happens on the owner's death or departure. A multi-member agreement should cover capital contributions, ownership percentages, voting, profit and loss allocation, transfer restrictions, and dissolution triggers. Because Missouri also authorizes series LLCs under section 347.186 RSMo, an operating agreement is where a series LLC establishes each designated series.
EIN and Missouri Taxes
A federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is issued free by the IRS and is used to open a bank account, hire employees, and file taxes. By default, the IRS treats a single-member LLC as a disregarded entity (taxed on the owner's return) and a multi-member LLC as a partnership; either can elect corporate or S-corporation treatment. An EIN is required if the LLC has more than one member or any employees.
If your LLC sells taxable goods or services in Missouri, or has employees, register with the Missouri Department of Revenue using the Missouri Tax Registration Application (Form 2643) or the online registration system. Missouri's state sales and use tax rate is 4.225% before local add-ons, and an LLC that elects corporate treatment pays Missouri corporate income tax at 4% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020. For how these obligations work together, see Missouri LLC taxes and filing.
What Happens If You Miss a Requirement
Because Missouri LLCs have no annual report, the most common lapses involve the registered agent and taxes rather than a missed filing deadline with the Secretary of State. If your LLC stops maintaining a registered agent, service of process can be made through the Secretary of State, and you may miss lawsuits or notices with default consequences. Keeping a current agent on file is the simplest safeguard.
On the tax side, failing to file or pay Missouri sales tax, withholding, or corporate income tax exposes the LLC to Department of Revenue penalties and interest, and unresolved tax debts can block a clean dissolution later. Missouri retail sales tax accounts generally require a bond, so keep the account and returns current. If you eventually close the business, follow the formal wind-up and termination steps rather than abandoning the entity.
Closing a Missouri LLC
To close a Missouri LLC properly, the members approve dissolution, the LLC winds up its business and pays creditors, and it files with the Secretary of State. Missouri uses a Notice of Winding Up ($25) and, after affairs are settled, Articles of Termination ($25). Simply walking away leaves tax accounts open and the entity on the state's records. See how to dissolve an LLC in Missouri for the full sequence, and the national dissolution overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?
The Secretary of State fee for Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) is $50 online or $105 by paper. Missouri LLCs pay no annual report fee. A name reservation is $25 and a fictitious name (DBA) is $7. See Missouri LLC cost.
What form do I file to create a Missouri LLC?
Form LLC-1, the Articles of Organization. File it online through the Business Services portal for $50, or by mail or in person for $105, with the Missouri Secretary of State.
Does a Missouri LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Under section 347.030 RSMo, every Missouri LLC must maintain a registered agent and registered office with a physical Missouri street address. You name the agent in Article 3 of Form LLC-1.
Does a Missouri LLC need an operating agreement?
Section 347.081 RSMo says the members "shall adopt an operating agreement." Missouri does not file or review it and charges no fee, but the statute treats adoption as expected and courts rely on it for internal disputes.
Do Missouri LLCs file an annual report?
No. Missouri LLCs have no annual report or annual registration requirement with the Secretary of State, unlike Missouri corporations. The recurring obligations are federal and Missouri taxes.
Related
- How to form an LLC (cluster hub)
- Missouri registered agent requirements
- How much does a Missouri LLC cost?
- Missouri LLC taxes and filing
- Business license in Missouri
- How to dissolve an LLC in Missouri
- How to form an LLC in Texas (sibling)
- How to get an EIN
More Missouri business guides
Business License In Dissolve An Llc In Annual Report Articles Of Organization Certificate Of Formation Dba Filing Llc Cost Llc Tax Filing Operating Agreement Registered Agent
Sources
- Missouri Secretary of State - Start a Business (Articles of Organization; § 347.039 RSMo; management by members or managers).
- Missouri Secretary of State - Form LLC-1, Articles of Organization (PDF) ($105 paper fee; registered agent street address; series LLC; 90-day effective date).
- Missouri Secretary of State - Schedule of Fees and Charges (PDF) ($50 online / $105 paper LLC; $25 name reservation; $10 registered agent change; $7 fictitious name; $25 winding up and termination).
- Missouri Secretary of State - Business Services online filing and search.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.039 RSMo, Articles of organization, contents.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.037 RSMo, Formation and effective date.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.030 RSMo, Registered agent and office required.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.033 RSMo, Service of process on registered agent.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.081 RSMo, Operating agreement ("shall adopt").
- Missouri Revised Statutes - § 347.186 RSMo, Series limited liability companies.
- Missouri Department of Revenue - Register a Business (Form 2643 tax registration).
- Missouri Department of Revenue - Corporation Income Tax (4% rate for tax years on or after Jan 1, 2020).
- Missouri Department of Revenue - Sales and Use Tax (4.225% state rate).
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
- Legal Information Institute (Cornell) - Limited liability company (LLC).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the Missouri Secretary of State and Missouri Department of Revenue before acting.