LLC for Beginners › North Dakota
Forming an LLC in North Dakota for the first time
The North Dakota filing fee is $135. For a beginner the best service is Mainstay Filing: $199 a year covers the filing, agent, EIN application and the annual report, so year 1 comes to $334.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
Your North Dakota checklist
- File the Articles of Organization. $135 to the North Dakota Secretary of State.
- Registered agent. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. Mainstay Filing includes it.
- EIN. Free from the IRS; included in the application Mainstay Filing prepares.
- Operating agreement. Write one even for a single owner. No upcharge at Mainstay Filing.
- Annual report. Annual Report, every year, $50. Due: November 15.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year + $135 state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Total for the first three years
$832 with Mainstay Filing, state fees included. Others: Northwest Registered Agent $524; ZenBusiness $732; Bizee $533; LegalZoom $982 (these totals leave out any charge for filing the annual report).
Questions
What is the best LLC service for a beginner in North Dakota?
Mainstay Filing. First year $334 including the $135 North Dakota filing fee; $249 in year 2.
Can a beginner file an LLC in North Dakota without a service?
Yes: file the Articles of Organization with the North Dakota Secretary of State for $135. Required registered agent: 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.
Sources
- N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20 (North Dakota Uniform Limited Liability Company Act — Formation of a limited liability company; Articles of organization); fee set by § 10-32.1-92(1) (multira state research spine): ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-company-llc, checked October 1, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (multira state research spine): www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/maintain-registration, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division (multira state research spine): sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-companies/limited-liability-company-llc/llc-faqs.html, checked August 12, 2026
- North Dakota registered agent statute (N.D. Cent. Code § 10-01.1-05): ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c01-1.pdf, checked October 20, 2026