What do I do after the Indiana Articles of Organization are approved?

Get a federal EIN from the IRS, adopt an operating agreement, register with the Indiana Department of Revenue through INBiz for any sales tax (RRMC) or withholding, and calendar the biennial Business Entity Report due in your anniversary month.

Indiana Articles of Organization: Form 49459 Fee (2026)

Q: What are the Indiana Articles of Organization?

The Articles of Organization (State Form 49459) is the document you file with the Indiana Secretary of State to legally create a limited liability company. The fee is $95 filed online through INBiz or $100 by mail, and the Secretary of State's acceptance is what creates the LLC.

Q: How much does it cost to file the Articles of Organization in Indiana?

The state filing fee is $95 online through INBiz or $100 by paper. After formation, the only recurring state filing is the Business Entity Report every two years, which costs $32 online or $50 by mail. A federal EIN from the IRS is free.

Q: What form number is the Indiana Articles of Organization?

It is State Form 49459, the Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC. You file it with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, most often through the INBiz online portal.

Q: Do I need a registered agent to file in Indiana?

Yes. Under Indiana Code 23-0.5-4-1, every domestic LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical Indiana registered office. You name the agent directly in the Articles of Organization, and the agent may be an Indiana resident or a qualified business entity.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

You form an Indiana LLC by filing the Articles of Organization (State Form 49459) with the Indiana Secretary of State through the INBiz portal and paying $95 online, or $100 by mail. You must name an Indiana registered agent, and after formation Indiana requires a Business Entity Report every two years ($32 online) rather than an annual report.

Quick Answer

Form: Articles of Organization, State Form 49459
Filing fee: $95 online (INBiz) / $100 by mail (2026), to the Indiana Secretary of State
Agency: Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division - file via INBiz
Registered agent: Required - Indiana resident or qualified entity with a physical address
After filing: Business Entity Report every 2 years ($32 online / $50 mail)
Federal EIN: Free from the IRS

What the Articles of Organization Do

The Articles of Organization is the founding document that legally creates an Indiana limited liability company. The Indiana Secretary of State provides it as State Form 49459. Filing this form - and the Secretary of State's acceptance of it - is the legal act that brings the LLC into existence under the Indiana Business Flexibility Act (Indiana Code Title 23, Article 18), read together with the entity-wide filing rules in IC 23-0.5. Until the Articles of Organization are on file, the entity does not exist and its owners have no liability shield.

Indiana genuinely uses the term "Articles of Organization" for an LLC, unlike states such as Texas or Delaware that call it a Certificate of Formation, or Massachusetts, which calls it a Certificate of Organization. If you are researching the general national process first, see how to form an LLC, and for the full state walk-through see how to form an LLC in Indiana.

What State Form 49459 Requires

The Articles of Organization ask for a limited set of items, defined in part by IC 23-18-2-4 and the general filing rules of IC 23-0.5:

LLC name. The name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from existing names. Confirm availability before filing.
Principal office address. The street address of the LLC's principal office.
Registered agent and registered office. The name and physical Indiana address of the registered agent.
Management structure. Whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed.
Organizer. The name and signature of the person forming the LLC.

Because the form is standardized, most rejections come from a name that is not distinguishable or a missing registered agent address rather than the body of the document. Your internal governance - ownership percentages, voting, and distributions - goes in an operating agreement, which Indiana does not file.

How to File the Articles of Organization

The fastest way to file is online through INBiz, the state's official business portal. You can also file the paper State Form 49459 by mail. The steps are:

Check the name. Search existing entities in the INBiz business database and reserve a name for 120 days if needed.
Name your registered agent. Confirm the agent consents and has a physical Indiana street address.
Complete the Articles of Organization in INBiz, choosing your management structure.
Pay the fee - $95 online or $100 by mail - and submit. Keep the stamped, filed copy INBiz returns; banks ask for it.
Calendar the biennial Business Entity Report and set up your tax accounts.

Online filings through INBiz are typically processed in about one business day, while mailed paper filings take roughly five business days plus mailing time. You can verify the filing later on the state business search.

Indiana LLC Filing Fees (2026)

The core cost of an Indiana LLC is the Articles of Organization fee - $95 online or $100 by mail. The table below lists the state fees most new LLCs encounter, each verified against the Indiana Secretary of State / INBiz fee schedule, the Indiana Department of Revenue, or the Indiana Code. Amounts are effective for 2026 and are set by the state, not by any filing service.

Item	Form	Fee (2026)	Agency
Articles of Organization (create the LLC) - online	State Form 49459	$95	Secretary of State (INBiz)
Articles of Organization - by mail	State Form 49459	$100	Secretary of State
Business Entity Report (every 2 years) - online	State Form 48725	$32	Secretary of State (INBiz)
Business Entity Report - by mail	State Form 48725	$50	Secretary of State
Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (sales tax)	INBiz registration	$25 per location	Department of Revenue
Federal EIN	IRS Form SS-4	$0 (free)	IRS

An optional business-name reservation holds a chosen name for 120 days before you file; confirm the current reservation fee on the INBiz fee calculator before paying. For a full breakdown of one-time and recurring costs, see Indiana LLC cost and the national how much an LLC costs guide.

Registered Agent Requirement

An Indiana registered agent is the person or entity your LLC designates to receive service of process, tax notices, and official state correspondence. IC 23-0.5-4-1 requires every domestic filing entity, including an LLC, to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in Indiana. You name the initial agent directly in the Articles of Organization.

The agent must have a physical Indiana street address - a post office box alone does not satisfy the registered office requirement - and may be an individual who resides in Indiana or a domestic or qualified foreign entity. You may act as your own registered agent, name a manager, or hire a commercial service. To change agents later, file the Statement of Change of Registered Agent through INBiz. Failing to maintain a registered agent is grounds for administrative dissolution. See Indiana registered agent requirements and the national registered agent overview.

After Formation: Business Entity Report (Biennial)

Filing the Articles of Organization is only the first obligation. Instead of an annual report, Indiana requires a Business Entity Report - State Form 48725 - every two years, a biennial requirement set by IC 23-0.5-2-13. The report confirms the LLC's principal office, registered agent, and management details, is due in the anniversary month of formation, and costs $32 online through INBiz or $50 by mail.

Missing it has consequences: if the report is not delivered within 60 days after its due date, the Secretary of State may begin administrative dissolution under IC 23-0.5-6-3. Track deadlines and reinstatement steps in the Indiana Business Entity Report guide.

EIN, Sales Tax (RRMC), and Licenses

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 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 certain services in Indiana, you must obtain a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) from the Indiana Department of Revenue before making sales. The RRMC costs $25 per business location under IC 6-2.5-8-1, and you register through INBiz; Indiana's state sales tax rate is 7%. Indiana has no single general statewide business license, but many professions and local jurisdictions require their own permits, so check requirements for your activity. See how to get a business license in Indiana.

Common Mistakes and Rejections

Most Form 49459 problems are avoidable. The frequent ones are: choosing a name that is not distinguishable from an existing Indiana entity; listing a P.O. box instead of a physical street address for the registered agent; naming an agent who has not consented; forgetting the biennial Business Entity Report; and assuming Indiana charges an annual report (it does not - the report is every two years). Filing accurately the first time avoids rejection notices and preserves your intended formation date. When you eventually close the business, you file Articles of Dissolution (State Form 49465) - see how to dissolve an LLC in Indiana.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Indiana Articles of Organization?

They are State Form 49459, the document you file with the Indiana Secretary of State to create an LLC. The fee is $95 online through INBiz or $100 by mail, and acceptance is what creates the LLC.

How much does it cost to file the Articles of Organization in Indiana?

$95 online through INBiz or $100 by paper. The only recurring state filing is the Business Entity Report every two years, $32 online or $50 by mail. See Indiana LLC cost.

What form number is the Indiana Articles of Organization?

State Form 49459, the Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC, filed with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, usually through INBiz.

Do I need a registered agent to file in Indiana?

Yes. Under IC 23-0.5-4-1, every Indiana LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical Indiana registered office, named in the Articles of Organization.

What do I do after the Articles of Organization are approved?

Get an EIN, adopt an operating agreement, register for any sales tax (RRMC) or withholding through INBiz, and calendar the biennial Business Entity Report.

Sources

Indiana Secretary of State - Business Forms (Articles of Organization, State Form 49459; Business Entity Report, State Form 48725; Articles of Dissolution, State Form 49465).
INBiz (Indiana's official business portal) - Business Filings (online filing and name search).
INBiz - Fee Calculator (current filing fees).
Indiana Code - IC 23-18-2-4 (contents of the Articles of Organization).
Indiana Code - IC 23-0.5-4-1 (registered agent requirement).
Indiana Code - IC 23-0.5-2-13 (biennial Business Entity Report).
Indiana Code - IC 23-0.5-6-3 (administrative dissolution).
Indiana Code - Title 23, Article 18 (Indiana Business Flexibility Act - LLCs).
Indiana Code - IC 6-2.5-8-1 (Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, $25 per location).
Indiana Department of Revenue - Sales Tax (7% rate; RRMC).
Indiana Department of Revenue - Rates, Fees & Penalties (individual income tax rate).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).

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 Indiana Secretary of State and Indiana Department of Revenue before acting.