Last Updated on February 5, 2022

Costs to Form a Minnesota LLC

To form a Limited Liability Company in Minnesota, file the Articles of Organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State. The LLC formation filing fee is $135 when submitting by mail and $155 when filing online.

Approval for the LLC typically takes between one week when filing by mail and immediately when filing online.

If you have questions, contact the Minnesota Secretary of State
Address: Minnesota Building 60 Empire Drive, Suite 100 St Paul, MN 55103
Phone: 651-296-2803 (between 9 am and 4 pm)
Email: business.services@state.mn.us

Steps to Form a Minnesota LLC

The steps for filing online or by mail are largely the same. The screenshots below how to file online.

Professional services such as accountants, attorneys, architects, and many others are required to file as a Professional Limited Liability Company (sometimes referred to as a Professional LLC or PLLC) instead. The PLLC filing is very similar to the instructions below.

• • Begin by creating an account with the Minnesota Secretary of State. To file by mail, download the PDF form of the Minnesota Articles of Organization.

• • After confirming your email, sign in and click on “Business Filings Online.”

• • Select Limited Liability Company (Domestic) under FIle a New Business or Nonprofit

• • Next, on the left side of the screen, select “For Profit.” On the right side, you are asked whether the LLC will provide services that require licensing from the state. To see more about the services that require licensing, check out the section on Minnesota licenses and permits.

Step 1: Name the LLC

Enter the name you want for the LLC. The LLC’s name also has to differ from other entity names registered with the Secretary of State. Check on available Minnesota LLC names before filing to be sure the one you want is available.

Additionally, the name of the LLC must include one of the following phrases or abbreviations at the end of the business name:

• • Limited Liability Company
  • Limited Company
  • L.L.C.
  • L. L. C.
  • LLC

If the name is not currently being used, a message will state the name is available. Otherwise, a message shows the name is not available. If the name is available and is the one you want, click on the “File Limited Liability Company (Domestic) button to proceed.

Step 2: Organizers

The LLC Organizer is someone who is involved with filing the Articles of Organization. The Organizer may or may not be a member, such as a mentor, attorney, or accountant, but the initial members could be an organizer. An organizer is ofter an individual who is 18 years of age or older.

Add the name, address, and country for each organizer. Save that individual’s or organization’s (usually a Registered Agent service, attorney, or accountant).

Step 3: Registered Agent

To have an LLC in Minnesota, a Registered Agent must be identified for service of process. The agent must have a physical street address in the state and available during normal business hours to act as a central point of contact to receive legal documents, tax notices, summons, subpoenas, etc. on behalf of the LLC. The Minnesota Registered Agent can either be a resident of Minnesota or a Registered Agent service with a registered office in the state.

A mailing address can be added if you prefer to receive mail at the Registered Agent’s address. This would be common when hiring a service as they won’t allow normal correspondence to be sent to that address. If the address is the same, simply leave this section blank and click on “Next” to proceed.

Step 4: Add an Attachment

This is an optional section and not used by most LLCs. Here you would include additional rules for the operation of the LLC. If there are no additional attachments, leave this section blank and click on “Next” to proceed.

Step 5: Delivery Information

The contact information from the organizer is already populated. If you prefer someone else to be the primary contact, should the Secretary of State have questions regarding the filing or if the Articles of Organization should be sent to someone else, enter the name, address, phone and email of this contact.

Step 6: Client Reference

Individual filers will leave this section blank, but if an attorney or filing service were completing the articles on your behalf, they can include a reference number to track the application.

Step 7: Email for Official Notices

Enter an email address for the Secretary of State to send official notices such as reminder notices of annual renewals.

Step 8: Minnesota Business Snapshot

This is a voluntary section to include information regarding the number of employees, women, minority or veteran ownership, business classification, and more. Click “Next” to proceed.

Step 9: Review and Sign

Review that all of the information is correct. If there are no corrections, click “Submit” A box will pop up, asking for a signature confirming the information is correct. Digitally sign and click “Submit.”

Step 10: Pay and File

Pay the state fees and file the Articles of Organization.