How Much Does an LLC Cost in North Dakota

LLC Cost in North Dakota

Forming a North Dakota LLC doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult, but if you’re worried about getting started that’s definitely understandable. A lot of people think about starting up a business every year but they don’t move forward with it because of concerns over the work involved or how much it might cost. Still, it doesn’t have to be that way for you, and you can get your LLC started in North Dakota pretty easily with a little help.

If you really want to make your business dreams come true you can work with an LLC formation service to make that easier. Doing this will take most or all of the pressure off, so you can get your North Dakota LLC formed and start working on getting clients and customers right away. Remember that where you live makes a difference for your LLC formation costs and requirements, so it’s very important to understand the specific costs for North Dakota.

Here, we can show you the basic costs for forming an LLC in North Dakota, which will help you be prepared when you start formally creating your new business.

General steps and costs when forming a North Dakota LLC

Before you start on the formation of your North Dakota LLC, you want to make sure you know what steps to take, along with the cost for each step. You don’t want to miss anything, and you also don’t want to be partway through the process and realize the costs were more than you were anticipating. That could delay your plans and lead to a lot of frustration. The more you understand about the process before starting the easier it will be for you to move through each step and keep your financial life secure. That makes developing your LLC a lot more fun.

Naming your North Dakota LLC

There’s good news when naming an LLC in North Dakota – the name search is free. You’ll conduct this search to see if anyone already has the name you want to use, because you may have to pick a different one. It’s vital to make sure you can use the name you want before you start doing any kind of advertising or marketing under that name.

If you want to lock down a business name but you’re not quite ready to start your LLC yet, you can reserve a business name for $10. To do that you’ll need to create an account first, and the reserved name will be held for one year. You can also use a DBA (doing business as) name, which North Dakota calls a trade name, for $25 for a five-year registration.

Filing articles of organization

There are three ways to file your Articles of Organization in North Dakota, which are by mail, by fax, or online. The cost is $135 no matter which option you choose, so you can select the one that’s more convenient for you. Many people choose to file online because it’s usually faster when it comes to processing th forms and getting your LLC operational. If you need to make any amendments to your LLC after it’s created, there’s a $50 filing fee for doing that. You’ll also need to file an Annual Report every year, which comes with a $50 fee, as well.

Appointing a registered agent

A registered agent is another important part of owning and operating an LLC. There are several options for using one, and you can appoint one yourself or serve as your own registered agent for free. To use a registered agent service such as ours you’ll have a starting cost of $199 per year, which can rise if you need to add on services or there are additional duties required.

Additionally, you can choose to work with an attorney or someone else to act as your registered agent, and the cost of that can vary depending on what they require from you. Using a registered agent service is generally the most cost-effective way to keep your LLC running efficiently and ensure that any important paperwork or other correspondence can be properly delivered.

Creating an operating agreement

An Operating Agreement isn’t required for your North Dakota LLC, but you should take the time to create one anyway. It spells out the specifics of your LLC and the legal details, so you know what to do if a member leaves or dies, for example. For a single-member LLC this isn’t necessarily as important of a document as it is for one with multiple members, but it’s still a good idea. The cost can be as low as $0 if you do it yourself, or up to approximately $1,000 for an attorney’s help. Our operating agreement service has low fees and will help you feel confident that you have a strong Operating Agreement.

Other annual and additional North Dakota LLC costs

Business licenses & permits

Like many other states, North Dakota doesn’t require a general business license to operate an LLC in the state. However, many of the cities, counties, and other municipalities have licensing and permit requirements. Depending on what your business does and how it operates you may need to register with the North Dakota Secretary of State and the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.

Some common business licenses and permits for your North Dakota LLC might include:

What expenses you can write off

One of the best things to know about starting your LLC in North Dakota is that you can write off a lot of the costs to do so on your federal taxes. That helps you have a little more money to keep your company running, especially when you first get started. Not all companies make a profit right away, so you want to make sure you have some money put back for expenses and other needs until you see more growth for your new LLC. The most frequently deducted costs include:

North Dakota LLC Costs – Summary

LLC Filing Fee (Articles of Organization)

$135

Annual Report

$50

Business License or Permit

varies by city/town (generally $20 – $50)

Registered Agent (Optional)

$199 – $400

Reserving a Business Name (Optional)

$10

Filing a DBA (Optional)

$25

Operating Agreement (Optional)

$0 – $1000

Conclusion

You don’t need to worry when setting up a North Dakota LLC because the process doesn’t have to be complicated or add to your stress. Still, it’s easier when you have a little help. Using your LLC creation service removes the guesswork from getting your LLC operating quality and efficiently, so you can shift your focus to its ongoing growth. North Dakota is a business-friendly state with low fees and reasonable filing requirements, making it a great choice for an LLC. You can get started today and have your LLC ready to go in just a few days.

FAQs

1Why Should You Work With an LLC Formation Service?

The best reason to work with an LLC formation service is that it's more convenient and can provide a lot of peace of mind. It's possible to create your LLC on your own, but that comes with additional stress and worry that you really don't want or need. Plus, having a formation service handle everything means you have someone to contact if you have questions about the process. You don't want to miss something in the formation of your LLC that could put you at legal or financial risk, and working with an LLC formation service helps avoid those kinds of problems.

2Why Choose North Dakota for an LLC?

North Dakota is friendly to businesses and encourages them to operate ther by providing low costs and barriers to entry. You won't have to handle complex paperwork or be hit with unexpected expenses, so you can work on building your LLC and getting your name out to clients and customers. When you want to get your LLC dreams off the ground and see success, North Dakota can be one of the best places to do that.