Business formation

Form your business in North Dakota

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in North Dakota with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in North Dakota costs $135 in state filing fees, which is above the national median: 36 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $100 and a nonprofit for $40. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

North Dakota state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the North Dakota Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$135
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$100
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$40

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the North Dakota Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in North Dakota

Annual Report

$50

November 15 each year Late filings add $50.

State tax on the LLC

North Dakota has no franchise tax on LLCs. LLC income passes through to the owners' state income tax, whose top rate is 2.5 percent for 2025, among the lowest in the country.

How long North Dakota takes

Filings go through the FirstStop online portal and usually process within a week. Expedited service is not offered, so plan for the standard window.

What is different about North Dakota

• The $135 filing fee is on the high side for the region, but the $50 annual report and low income tax keep the running cost modest.
• The annual report is due November 15 regardless of when the LLC was formed.
• A registered agent with a North Dakota street address is required and must consent in the filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the North Dakota Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a North Dakota street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by North Dakota. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about North Dakota

What is the annual fee for a North Dakota LLC?: $50 for the Annual Report, due November 15 every year. Filing late adds $50.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?: $135 for the Articles of Organization, filed through the FirstStop portal. Standard processing takes about a week.
Does North Dakota tax LLCs?: There is no franchise tax. Owners pay state income tax on their share of profit at rates that top out at 2.5 percent.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Dakota?: The North Dakota state filing fee for an LLC is $135, paid once when you file the formation document. That is above the national median: 36 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in North Dakota?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in North Dakota who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the North Dakota Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your North Dakota formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in North Dakota? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

North Dakota state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the North Dakota Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$135
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$100
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$40

What an LLC costs every year in North Dakota

Annual Report

$50

November 15 each year Late filings add $50.

State tax on the LLC

North Dakota has no franchise tax on LLCs. LLC income passes through to the owners' state income tax, whose top rate is 2.5 percent for 2025, among the lowest in the country.

How long North Dakota takes

Filings go through the FirstStop online portal and usually process within a week. Expedited service is not offered, so plan for the standard window.

What is different about North Dakota

• The $135 filing fee is on the high side for the region, but the $50 annual report and low income tax keep the running cost modest.

• The annual report is due November 15 regardless of when the LLC was formed.

• A registered agent with a North Dakota street address is required and must consent in the filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the North Dakota Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a North Dakota street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by North Dakota. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about North Dakota

What is the annual fee for a North Dakota LLC?

$50 for the Annual Report, due November 15 every year. Filing late adds $50.

How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?

$135 for the Articles of Organization, filed through the FirstStop portal. Standard processing takes about a week.

Does North Dakota tax LLCs?

There is no franchise tax. Owners pay state income tax on their share of profit at rates that top out at 2.5 percent.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Dakota?

The North Dakota state filing fee for an LLC is $135, paid once when you file the formation document. That is above the national median: 36 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in North Dakota?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in North Dakota who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the North Dakota Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.