Michigan LLC Annual Report Requirements (and Filing)

While not every state requires an LLC to file an annual report, Michigan LLCs does have that requirement. The report must be filed each year that you operate an LLC within Michigan. The deadline for filing is February 15, unless your business was started after September 30 of the prior year, and then it will not be required to be filed until the following year’s deadline.

The registered agent for an LLC will receive a pre-printed annual statement from the state indicating the filing deadline approximately three months before the due date.

What Is an Annual Report?

The purpose of filing an annual report is to confirm your company’s status for the State of Michigan. Remember, this is not an optional filing. It is required, and the cost of $25 is minimal compared to what you could lose if you fail to file.

In Michigan, if you fail to file your annual report, your company will no longer be considered in good standing. In addition, if you fail to file for two years, your company name will be at risk of being used by others.

Michigan LLC Annual Report Requirement

Before you file your annual report, you will need to gather the information that will be required. Typically this information is:

How To File an Annual Report in Michigan

There are three ways to file an annual report in Michigan. The form sent to your Registered Agent may be completed and sent by mail, you may file the form online, or the form may be delivered in person. We will go into more detail below.

Due dates

The State of Michigan requires all LLCs to file their annual reports no later than the 15th day of February. The only exception that is made is if an LLC is formed after September 30. Examples:

File online

To file an annual report online, take the following steps:

  1. Go to the LARA Business Portal
  2. Log into the system — your Customer ID Number (CID) and PIN can be retrieved by using CID/PIN recovery service
  3. Find the appropriate annual report form
  4. Payment may be made by any major credit card

It is worth noting that online filing is available approximately 90 days before the deadline for reporting. This means that by December 15, most LLCs should be able to start the filing process.

To file by mail or in person

Use the form which was sent to your registered agent and make any corrections. Once the form is signed, it may be mailed to:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau

Corporations Division

P.O. Box 30054

Lansing, MI 48909

The fee of $25 should be included using a check or money order payable to State of Michigan.

The form may also be reviewed, signed, and hand-delivered to 2501 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, MI with the appropriate fee.

Expedited services are offered which cost additional funds. As of 2022 these fees are:

File with a compliance service

If you have a registered agent, they may handle the annual compliance filing on your behalf. A registered agent service can confirm what reports are due in the State of Michigan and file them promptly to ensure you do not incur late fees, potential fines, or other penalties, including dissolution. We offer full compliance services so our LLC clients never have to worry about late filings or missed filings.

What Happens if I Failed to File on Time?

Too often, the owners of an LLC do not understand the risks associated with failure to file an annual report. However, there are penalties, including:

Late fees and fines

If an LLC fails to file by the February 15 deadline, they are considered delinquent in their filing and no longer an LLC in good standing. In order to restore the company to good standing the following steps would have to be followed:

  1. Prepare a Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing
  2. File the missing annual statements
  3. Submit fees for each year the annual report was not filed
  4. Submit the fee for the Certificate of Restoration

The documents may be submitted as follows:

By mail:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau Corporations Division P.O. Box 30057 Lansing, MI 48909

In Person:

2407 N Grand River Ave Lansing, MI 48906 Telephone: (517) 241-6470

Fees may be paid by check, money order, or major credit card

Online: LARA Business Portal

Penalties

The following fees will apply if a company fails to file its annual report on or by the due date:

It is also worth noting that when you have to go through the late filing process that anyone who searches for your business using LARA will be able to see that your company missed a filing deadline and paid a penalty for doing so.

Dissolution

If a company fails to file its annual report for two full years, the State of Michigan reserves the right to dissolve the LLC. This could create innumerable problems for your business and jeopardize your relationships with vendors and clients.

Conclusion

Annual report filings are a critical part of managing your Michigan LLC. While the process is simple, especially when completed online, it is another thing you must add to your to-do list. If you fail to update any information, you could be facing additional paperwork. This is one of the reasons so many of the clients we have helped set up an LLC depend on us to complete their state’s annual reporting requirements.