How Much Does an LLC Cost in Minnesota

The minimum Minnesota LLC cost is $135, which covers the processing fee for filing your LLC formation documents, known as the Articles of Organization.

Having said that, the total cost of forming a Minnesota LLC will depend on several factors, including your personal preferences and business needs.

In our How Much Does an LLC Cost in Minnesota article, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the different costs associated with launching and maintaining an LLC.

Minnesota LLC Cost

In the table below, you can find a summary of the main requirements of forming a Minnesota limited liability company (LLC) and their associated fees.

                                                         

Requirement	Fee
Certificate of Organization	$135-$155
Statutory Agent	$0-$150
LLC Name	$0-$105
Operating Agreement	$0+

Minnesota LLC Filing Fee ($135+)

In Minnesota, you will need to submit your LLC’s formation documents with the Secretary of the state in order to register your business.

The exact document you need to file will depend on whether you are registering a domestic (formed within Minnesota) or a foreign entity (originally established in another state but seeking to do business in Minnesota).

• Domestic LLCs: Must file a Certificate of Organization
• Foreign LLCs: Must file an Certificate of Authority to Transact Business

For domestic LLCs, the filing fee is $155 for expedited service through in-person or online submissions, and $135 for standard processing by mail.

Meanwhile, foreign LLCs are required to pay $205 for expedited service and $185 for standard processing.

Having said that, if you choose to use an LLC formation service, the cost will be a little higher as it will include a small service fee in addition to Minnesota’s state filing fee.

The fees for an LLC formation service can range significantly, but can start from as low as $29, increasing if you decide to purchase any additional offerings.

Note: For more details on the formation process, you can check out our Minnesota LLC Formation guide.

Minnesota Resident Agent ($0-$150+)

In Minnesota, you will need to appoint a registered agent in order to form your LLC. This is a person or business entity that you must assign in order to receive tax, legal, and governmental correspondence on behalf of your Minnesota LLC.

Keep in mind that should there be any modifications to your LLC’s physical address — or if you decide to change the designated registered agent — you will need to notify the Secretary of State by completing a Change of Address/Agent form.

While you can act as your own registered agent at no extra cost, it’s often recommended to hire a professional service so you avoid any potential penalties or legal issues caused by non-compliance with state regulations.

Hiring a third-party service can also be a great way of ensuring that your personal information remains private. This is because your LLC’s registered agent’s information will become publicly available.

The cost of a registered agent service in Minnesota can vary significantly depending on the level of service and support offered, with fees generally ranging between $39 and $150 per annum.

Alternatively, you can find some of the top recommendations for professional RA services in our Best Registered Agent Services of 2024 article.

Naming Your Minnesota LLC ($0-$105)

When forming your Minnesota LLC, you’ll be required to pick a suitable name that’s available to use.

There are two potential costs to be aware of when naming your LLC.

Reserving Name

If you aren’t ready to start your LLC in Minnesota but have decided on a name, you will have the option of reserving it for a period of 12 months.

To do this, you will need to fill out this Name Reservation form and submit it to the Minnesota Secretary of State.

The filing fee for this reservation is $55 for expedited service through in-person or online submissions or $35 if you choose to submit your application by mail.

Prior to submitting your application, you should perform a Business Filings Search on the Secretary of State’s website in order to make sure your desired name is available.

When choosing a name for your LLC, it’s important to select one that corresponds to an available domain. This is because a matching domain ensures consistency between your LLC’s name and its online presence, which helps to strengthen its brand recognition and credibility.

Doing Business As (DBA) Name

If you plan to operate your business under a name that differs from your LLCs official one, you will need to obtain a Doing Business As (DBA) name — which is also known as an Assumed Name in Minnesota.

To register your DBA name, you will need to start by filing a Certificate of Assumed Name with the Minnesota Secretary of State.

This comes with a cost of $50 for expedited service submissions (in-person or online), or $30 if you choose to submit your application by mail.

It should be noted that upon filing, no physical certificate will be issued; the approved form you receive will merely confirm that your Assumed Name has been filed, but not yet approved.

After filing, you will be required to publish the Certificate of Assumed Name in an approved Legal Newspaper that is located in the county of your principal business, for two consecutive issues.

After the notice runs in the newspaper, you will be issued an affidavit of publication, which should be kept by your business for its records.

Note: To keep your Assumed Name, you will be required to submit the Assumed Name|Annual Renewal Form annually. This filing incurs no fee as long as your assumed name is active and maintained properly. Having said that, failing to renew on time will result in a reinstatement fee being issued.

Minnesota LLC Operating Agreement ($0+)

While not mandatory, it’s good practice for LLCs to have an operating agreement.

This document defines the roles and responsibilities of the members or managers in your LLC and will help prevent and solve any business disputes that may arise later on.

While you can opt to hire an online service or business attorney to draft this document for you (which typically costs at least a few hundred dollars), it’s actually quite straightforward to do it yourself at no extra cost.

It’s also important to note that this doesn’t actually need to be filed with the Minnesota Secretary of State — it’s purely an internal document.

Additional Minnesota LLC Formation Costs

On top of the more common fees outlined above, there are a number of additional formation costs that LLCs in Minnesota may encounter depending on their circumstances.

We’ve summarized some of these additional costs below:

Local Business Licenses

In order to comply with the local-level regulations of your city and county, your business may be required to obtain some local business licenses.

While very few municipalities impose a general licensing requirement for businesses operating within their limits, your LLC might need a municipal license if it’s involved in certain activities.

For example, if your LLC operates a mobile food vehicle in Duluth, you will need to apply for a Mobile Food Cart license from the city, which comes with a fee of $202.

Certificate of Good Standing

A Minnesota certificate of Good Standing is a document often required to open a business bank account, or by lenders in order to check that your LLC is properly registered and legally authorized to conduct business with the state.

To obtain a certificate of status for your LLC, you will have to:

• Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Website: Access the business services section to begin the process
• Search for Your Business: Use the business search feature to locate your LLC’s current records
• Order the Certificate: Look for an option to “Order Certificate of Good Standing” on your business’s detail page and click it
• Complete the Form: Fill out any required information for the certificate request, including specifying the delivery method
• Submit and Pay for Your Order: Follow the prompts to pay the associated fee for ordering the certificate. You can usually choose between electronic delivery or a mailed hard copy

This process comes with a $15 fee for online orders, which grants immediate access to the document in most cases. For those preferring or requiring a physical copy, a $5 charge applies for mail or in-person requests.

Certified Copies of Business Documents

You may need certified copies of your business documents if you’re dealing with financial institutions, regulatory bodies, or are involved in legal proceedings.

Certified copies are available from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, with fees varying depending on the document type and ordering method in question.

• Original Filings: $3 for mail and in-person orders; online orders cost $13
• Amendments: Each amendment copy is $3 for mail and in-person. Online, each amendment copy is $3, with an additional $10 fee
• Certification Fee: An additional $5 per certification applies to any filing, regardless of the order method

Cost to Maintain an LLC in Minnesota

In addition to the cost of forming an LLC in Minnesota, there are also several ongoing costs you’ll be responsible for paying each year.

We’ve outlined these recurring costs associated with maintaining a Minnesota LLC below.

Annual LLC Fee

All LLCs in Minnesota, as governed by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 322C, must file an annual renewal report by December 31 each year.

This renewal can be completed online at the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website or by mail using the Limited Liability Company Annual Renewal form.

When filing, you’ll need to provide information relating to your LLC, such as its home jurisdiction, business name, and current registered agent and office address.

Keep in mind that filing the annual renewal is free as long as your LLC is active and in good standing.

Having said that, if your LLC has been dissolved due to not filing an annual renewal, a reinstatement fee of $25 (mail submissions) or $45 (expedited in-person and online filings) will need to be paid.

Registered Agent Maintenance

If you decide to take advantage of a professional registered agent in order to handle your legal documents, you’ll be required to pay an annual fee in return for their services. This fee commonly ranges between $45 and $300 depending on the provider and features you select.

While you’re not required to use a professional registered agent service, it’s highly recommended.

Taxes

In addition to the federal taxes your LLC is required to pay regardless of the state it’s based in, there are a variety of state-specific taxes in Minnesota you need to be aware of, including:

• Sales tax
• Employment taxes
• Business privilege taxes
• Property taxes

Additionally, there are various local taxes your LLC may need to pay depending on the municipality or county it’s based in, such as:

• Sales and use taxes
• Property tax

Minnesota vs Other States

In Minnesota, the cost to start an LLC is moderate, and the state stands out for not imposing an annual fee for the renewal process.

This contrasts sharply with states like Massachusetts, where businesses face both an initial and an annual filing of $500.

Having said that, it’s important to understand that the best state to form your LLC will generally be the one in which you plan to primarily operate your business from.

This is because this makes it far easier to stay legally compliant on a number of levels, including taxation, licensing, and filing requirements, as you’ll only need to deal with one state’s set of rules.