LLC Formation in North Dakota (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
Our order for starting an LLC in North Dakota, 2026, is North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), ND Registered Agents.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). The primer has 7 moves. The state charges $135 and $50 for the annual report.
Each company's listed price on November 13, 2026. Add the $135 state fee to every row.
The primer, move by move
Move 1
Pick the name and test it
Start at the North Dakota Secretary of State: its business records show whether a North Dakota company already uses your name.
Show up with a second name.
Move 2
Name a registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: a North Dakota resident, or an entity registered with the Secretary of State that has a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own agent.
The address has to be a complete physical address in North Dakota. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Every pick above takes the registered agent role.
Where this comes from: Official page: ndlegis.gov (October 2026)
Move 3
DIY or hire help
Skip the service: $135 to the state. Use one of our picks: $199 more, and you skip the forms.
Move 4
Prepare the Articles of Organization
the North Dakota Secretary of State forms the LLC when it accepts the Articles of Organization with $135, under N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20.
Where this comes from: Official page: sos.nd.gov (October 2026)
Move 5
Get your EIN
The IRS issues EINs, not North Dakota. Apply after approval and hand the number to your bank. Mainstay Filing's yearly price covers this application.
Move 6
Get the owners' deal on paper
The operating agreement is the owners' rulebook. The company keeps it; the state does not ask for it.
Move 7
Handle North Dakota's recurring filing
What repeats is the annual report ($50, every year, by November 15). Late filings add $50.
Where this comes from: Official page: sos.nd.gov (August 2026)
North Dakota costs by move
Move
Paid to
Price
Filing the LLC
State office
$135
Annual report
State office
$50 every year
Late report
State office
$50
Service fees (optional)
Service company
$199 in the first year
State fees, years one to three
State office
$235
State fees come from the official pages in the sources. Three years means the filing, two years of reports and the minimum tax where one applies.
How the marks came out
won on founder outlay over three years (27% of the mark), with close behind.
Three years with North Dakota Registered Agent.co come to $397, $200 under Mainstay Filing.
Short answers
What does it cost to file an LLC in North Dakota?
You pay $135 to file. Service fees on this list run $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
Look for the Articles of Organization; the North Dakota Secretary of State is the office.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does North Dakota require each year?
Mark your calendar for the annual report: $50, every year, November 15.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes. Pay the state $135 at filing; the LLC still needs a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Our order: North Dakota Registered Agent.co, ND Registered Agents.org and Mainstay Filing. North Dakota Registered Agent.co leads because $199 on top of the state fee, agent free in year one, then $99 a year.