Starting a Missouri LLC: Cheap to Form, Cheap to Maintain

Missouri charges $50 to form an LLC and requires no annual report afterward. No franchise tax either. Combined with our $99/year registered agent service, your total ongoing state compliance cost is remarkably low. Here is how to do it right from the start.

Why Missouri?

An LLC separates your personal assets from your business obligations. If the business faces a lawsuit or debt, your house, personal bank account, and savings are generally off-limits to creditors — provided you keep things properly separated.

Missouri sweetens the deal:

• One of the lowest formation fees in the country ($50)
• No annual report for LLCs
• No franchise tax for LLCs
• Pass-through taxation by default (business income on your personal return)
• Fast processing (3 to 5 business days standard)

What It Costs

First-year total: $149 (online filing + agent). After that, just $99/year.

The Formation Process

1. Choose a Name

Include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." in the name. Must be different from all other entities registered with the Missouri Secretary of State. Search the state database at sos.mo.gov to confirm availability.

2. Designate a Registered Agent

Missouri requires a registered agent with a physical address in the state. Under Missouri law (RSMo 351.370), only individuals (Missouri residents, 18+) and corporations are explicitly authorized to serve as agents. The entity itself cannot be its own agent.

Appointing Missouri Registered Agent.co means our address goes on your filings and your home stays private. $99/year, all features included.

3. File Articles of Organization

Submit to the Missouri Secretary of State with the $50 fee (online at sos.mo.gov) or $105 by mail. Include:

• LLC name
• Principal office address
• Registered agent name and address
• Management structure (member-managed or manager-managed)
• Organizer information
• Effective date

Standard processing: 3 to 5 business days. Expedited (same-day): additional $50.

4. Write an Operating Agreement

Not required to be filed with the state, but you need one. It defines ownership percentages, profit distribution, voting rights, member responsibilities, and what happens if someone leaves. Banks will ask for it. Courts will reference it. Without one, Missouri's default rules apply — which may not reflect what you actually want.

5. Get an EIN

Free from IRS.gov. Takes 10 minutes online. You receive the number instantly. Required for business bank accounts, hiring, and tax filing. Never pay a third party for this.

6. Separate Your Finances

Open a business bank account. Use it exclusively for business transactions. This is what protects your personal assets. Mix personal and business funds and a court can "pierce the veil" of your LLC protection.

After Formation

Missouri makes ongoing compliance simple:

• No annual report — nothing to file, nothing to pay
• Maintain a registered agent — that is us, for $99/year
• Handle taxes — federal and state income tax obligations, sales tax if applicable
• Keep records current — update the Secretary of State if your agent or principal address changes

Our Role

We are your registered agent. We provide the physical Missouri address on your formation documents. When legal papers or state correspondence arrive, we scan and forward them the same day. Our address on your public filings keeps yours private. And at $99/year with no annual report to worry about, your total Missouri compliance cost is minimal.

Begin Service — $99/yr