Home › North Dakota › LLC Formation

LLC Formation in North Dakota: Cost, Steps & How to File

In North Dakota, the hard part of an LLC formation is usually finding the right office — not the form. That office is named below, followed by the general US process and the typical cost range of $50–$500.

North Dakota filing fee
$135
Annual state fee
$50
Typical timeline
1–20 days
Who needs it
anyone starting a business as a legal entity

Depending on the state this recurring amount is called an annual report fee, a franchise tax, or a business privilege fee. It is the amount an LLC pays the state to stay in good standing.

What we verified for North Dakota

Every figure in this box was found on the page linked underneath it, by machine, on 9 August 2026 — we publish no number we could not locate on the government page we cite. It is the part of this page that is actually about North Dakota; the process, documents and ranges further down are the national pattern.

Issuing office
North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services
Fee
$135
Renewal fee
$50

Source

Who issues an LLC Formation in North Dakota

In North Dakota, an LLC formation is issued by the office below. That is the office to confirm every figure with.

Starting point for anything else in North Dakota: the state business portal, https://firststop.sos.nd.gov. It is a starting point, not the issuer of this permit.

The general US process

This sequence is the shape the process takes across the US. It is not a list of North Dakota requirements, and no step here should be read as one — the issuing office named above sets the actual requirements.

  1. Step 1: Pick a name and check it against the state's business-entity register — most states let you search this online for free.
  2. Step 2: Name a registered agent with a physical street address in the state; a PO box is generally not accepted.
  3. Step 3: File the formation document — usually called Articles of Organization or a Certificate of Formation — with the state's business-filing office.
  4. Step 4: Pay the state filing fee. This is the one figure on this page that we do hold per state, shown above.
  5. Step 5: Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free, online, and usually issued immediately.
  6. Step 6: Open a business bank account in the LLC's name using the EIN and the filed formation document.
  7. Step 7: Write an operating agreement. A handful of states require one; in the rest it is optional and still worth having.

What varies: the filing fee, the name of the form, how often the state wants a report, and whether the state adds its own publication or franchise-tax step. New York, for example, adds a newspaper publication requirement.

Documents usually asked for

A typical list, not a North Dakota checklist.

Heads up: Once you've filed, keep a copy in your business records. Proof of a filing gets asked for at awkward moments — an audit, a tax filing, a related application — and reproducing a lost one costs more than the original did.

Related permits in North Dakota

Business License in North DakotaSales Tax Registration in North DakotaEmployer Registration in North DakotaDBA Filing in North Dakota

LLC Formation in states bordering North Dakota

Rules stop at the state line — same permit, each state bordering North Dakota:

LLC Formation in MinnesotaLLC Formation in MontanaLLC Formation in South Dakota

See LLC Formation in all 50 states & DC →

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?

North Dakota's formation filing fee is $135. On top of that, the recurring amount to stay in good standing is $50 per year. Expedited processing, a registered agent service and a name reservation cost extra. Some states add their own steps with their own costs.

Does North Dakota charge a recurring fee for an LLC?

Yes — $50 per year. Depending on the state this recurring amount is called an annual report fee, a franchise tax, or a business privilege fee. It is the amount an LLC pays the state to stay in good standing. Confirm the amount and the due date with the office linked above; due dates commonly key off your formation date.

Who issues an LLC filing in North Dakota?

North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services. The state office named at the top of this page.

What is North Dakota-specific on this page: the issuing office, the two North Dakota fees, every figure in the verified North Dakota box, each one located on the government page it cites. Everything else — the numbered process, the document list, the cost and timeline — is the general US pattern, not a North Dakota rule, and is labelled that way above. Requirements, fees and deadlines are set by the issuing office; confirm with it before you file or pay.