Last Updated on January 26, 2022
Step 1: Register with the Mississippi Secretary of State
- Begin by registering for an account at the
- After registering, log in and select “Form a Mississippi Corporation, Non-Profit, LLC, Partnership or Cooperative.”
Step 2: Business Information
Business Type – In this drop-down menu, select “Limited Liability Company” to form an LLC.
Business Name – 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. See how to do a Mississippi LLC name search 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
- Professional Limited Liability Company
- LLC
- L.L.C.
- PLLC
- P.L.L.C.
A Professional Limited Liability Company is an LLC that provides services that require licensing in Mississippi. To see more about professional licensing, see our guide on Mississippi licenses and permits.
Enter the name you want to use and the desired designator at the end of the name. If the name you want isn’t registered, a message will show up saying it is available.
If there is a name you want but are not ready to register the LLC, you can file the Reservation of a Business Entity Name with the Mississippi Secretary of State. The name reservation will hold a name for up to 180 days, at the cost of $25.
Business Email – Enter any email for the Secretary of State to communicate with you regarding any questions during the LLC formation.
Step 3: Future Effective Date
If you want the LLC to start on today’s date, leave the field blank. If you want to delay the LLC start to a date in the future, enter a date less than 90 days in the future to start.
Some will delay the LLC start date if they aren’t ready to go but want the filing out of the way or if they are close to the end of a calendar year and want to delay until the following year so they won’t have to file business taxes.
Step 4: Nature of Business
This section is asking for information regarding the activities of the business. To do that, there is a number called NAICS (North American Industry Classification System). This code is a six-digit number that classifies and categorizes the different business industries. This information is used in reporting statistical data for each of the industries in the U.S. Remember this number as you will need it when filing annual tax returns. Find your NAICS number by clicking on the “Search for NAICS Codes” and enter the keyword(s) that most closely resemble what your business will do. Enter the code(s) in the boxes.
If the activities of your business aren’t specifically listed, choose one that is close. The filing allows for up to three codes to be entered. The first one is typically the code for the main business activity.
To have a Mississippi Limited Liability Company, a Registered Agent must be identified for service of process. The Registered Agent can either be a resident of Mississippi (Select “Individual” from the drop-down box) or a Resident Agent service (Select “Organization” from the drop-down box) who is registered with the Secretary of State. The agent must have a physical street address in the state (PO Boxes are not allowed) and act as a central point of contact to receive legal papers, tax notices, summons, subpoenas, etc. on behalf of the LLC.
You are not required to pay for a registered agent. Any individual meeting the requirements can be the agent; however, the agent’s name and address become public record, and with that comes a loss of privacy.
Step 6: Signature
At least one signature from someone authorized to sign on behalf of the LLC is needed. This can be a member, manager, or non-members like an attorney or accountant, that the members give signing authority to. Enter the person’s title, name, and address.
Under title, there are three options – Manager, Member, and Organizer. The definitions of these are:
A Manager is someone the Members hired to run the LLC, similar to a CEO of a corporation.
A Member is an owner of the LLC.
An Organizer is someone who is assisting with the formation of the LLC. This is often a Registered Agent, Attorney, or Accountant.
Enter all of the people / organizations signing on behalf of the LLC and click “Next” to proceed.
Step 7: Review
Review that all of the information is correct. If there are no corrections, click “Next.”
Step 8: Acknowledgement
You are asked to acknowledge that “By clicking below, I acknowledge that all steps will be taken to register this company with the Mississippi Department of Revenue pursuant to their rules and guidelines.” If you agree, click, “I Acknowledge.”
Step 9: Upload Attachments
If there are additional rules for the LLC to file, they can be added here. Most filers will click “Next” and skip this step.
Step 10: Pay and File
Pay and file the Certificate of Formation.