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Start an LLC by State › Minnesota

Starting an LLC in Minnesota: step by step (2026)

To start an LLC in Minnesota, file the Articles of Organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State and pay the $155 state fee. Annual renewal due by December 31; no fee is required. A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional.

  • Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
  • Prices verified October 2026

How to form an LLC in Minnesota

  1. Pick a name with “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” in it, and check that it’s free on the Minnesota Secretary of State business records.
  2. Decide on an agent or office. A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional.
  3. File the Articles of Organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State and pay $155.
  4. Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and comes after the LLC is formed.
  5. Sign an operating agreement among the members. It sets ownership and voting rules and stays with your records.
  6. File the yearly report. Annual renewal due by December 31; no fee is required.

Mainstay Filing takes care of the agent, the filing, the EIN application for $199 a year plus Minnesota’s fees.

Minnesota LLC fees and rules

State filing fee
$155
Formation document
Articles of Organization
Yearly filing
Annual renewal due by December 31; no fee is required.
Registered agent
Office required. If one is named: a Minnesota resident, or a corporation or LLC formed in Minnesota or authorized there, with a business office at the registered office.
Agent address
Every Minnesota LLC keeps a registered office at an actual office location in Minnesota; a P.O. box by itself is not accepted.
Filing fee rank
40th lowest of 50 (39 states charge less, 9 charge more)
Best overall for a Minnesota LLC

Mainstay Filing

Our rating: 4.9 out of 5

$199 / year, all-in, plus state fees

$199 a year plus Minnesota’s $155 filing fee, which is passed through at cost.

  • LLC formation, prepared and filed
  • Registered agent, all year
  • EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
  • Compliance reminders

The same $199 at renewal. Already have an LLC and only need an agent? Mainstay Filing’s registered agent service alone is $149 a year.

Prices verified October 21, 2026 on Mainstay Filing’s pricing and FAQ pages.

Minnesota compared with neighboring states

StateFiling feeYearly filing
Minnesota$155$0 renewal
Iowa$50$30 / 2 yrs
North Dakota$135$50 / yr
South Dakota$150$55 / yr
Wisconsin$130$25 / yr

All 50 states

Minnesota LLC questions

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Minnesota?

$155 to the state to file. Annual renewal due by December 31; no fee is required. With Mainstay Filing, the formation filing, registered agent and EIN application are $199 a year on top of the state fees.

Does Minnesota require an annual report for LLCs?

Annual renewal due by December 31; no fee is required.

Do I need a registered agent in Minnesota?

Office required. A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional.

Can I form a Minnesota LLC myself?

Yes. You can file the Articles of Organization directly with the Minnesota Secretary of State and pay the $155 fee. A service such as Mainstay Filing files it for you and adds the registered agent, EIN application and compliance reminders for $199 a year.

Other formation services

  • Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee, with its registered agent service included the first year, then $125 a year; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee.
  • ZenBusiness: Starter package $0 plus the state fee; Pro is $199 a year with the EIN and annual-report filing, and its registered agent is a separate $199 a year that no package includes.
  • Bizee: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Standard $199, Premium $299), with one free year of its registered agent, which is $149 a year after that.
  • LegalZoom: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Pro $249, Premium $299); its registered agent is $249 a year for first-time agent customers.

Prices from each company’s own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plus the state fee in every case.

Sources