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Minnesota state guide · Formation

How to form a
Minnesota LLC

Forming a Minnesota LLC is a filing, not a ceremony. Here is the actual process — what gets submitted to the Minnesota Secretary of State, how long approval takes, and what arrives in your inbox when it's done.

Filing agencyMinnesota Secretary of State
State filing fee$155
Typical approval5–7 business days
Annual reportFree on time

The filing, in plain English

A Minnesota LLC is created when the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services accepts your Articles of Organization and issues a certificate. Everything else — the EIN, the operating agreement, the bank account — happens around that central act. Our $299 flat service walks through all of it; you pay the Minnesota filing fee of $155 separately, directly to the state.

Most founders forming a single-member Minnesota LLC are done in 5–7 business days of standard processing time. Multi-member filings take about the same; the additional complexity lives in the operating agreement, not at the state.

Minnesota note

Minnesota requires an annual renewal (its version of an annual report) but the fee is $0 when filed on time. Miss the December 31 deadline and the LLC is administratively dissolved, requiring a $45 reinstatement fee to restore. On-time filing keeps the LLC in good standing for free.

The six steps we take

  1. I.

    Confirm your name is available

    We check your chosen LLC name against the Minnesota Secretary of State database before anything is submitted. If the first choice is taken, we call before filing — we do not submit a filing you did not authorize.

  2. II.

    Draft the Articles of Organization

    A formation specialist prepares the Articles to Minnesota's exact format, with your members, registered agent, principal office address, and effective date.

  3. III.

    Submit electronically

    Filed through the Minnesota Secretary of State's online system. Your Minnesota registered agent of record is our Saint Paul office for the first year.

  4. IV.

    Minnesota approves the LLC

    Approval typically arrives in 5–7 business days. We watch the queue daily and forward the stamped certificate the moment it clears.

  5. V.

    We obtain the EIN

    Once the LLC is approved, we file SS-4 with the IRS to get your Employer Identification Number — the federal tax ID you need to open a business bank account.

  6. VI.

    We deliver the bank-ready packet

    Stamped certificate, EIN letter, custom operating agreement drafted to your ownership structure, and your registered agent confirmation. You sign the operating agreement and open the account.

What you need to have ready

Before we file, we need a handful of decisions from you. None of them are heavy, but we have to confirm each one on the reservation call:

  • A Minnesota LLC name — ending in "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company," distinguishable from other Minnesota entities.
  • A principal office address — home, commercial, or mail-forwarding. Becomes part of the public record.
  • Members — the individuals or entities that own the LLC. Minnesota allows single-member LLCs.
  • Management structure — member-managed (most common) or manager-managed. We draft the operating agreement to match.
  • An effective date — either immediately on approval, or a future date if you want a January 1 start for tax reasons.

What's included in the $299 flat fee

State filingArticles of Organization, by a formation specialist
EIN includedFederal tax ID, issued by the IRS after approval
Operating agreementDrafted to your ownership structure — not a template
Registered agentOne year included in Minnesota, Saint Paul on file

The $299 is a flat service fee for everything on our side. Minnesota's state filing fee of $155 is paid directly to the Minnesota Secretary of State and is the same whether you file with us or on your own. There are no upsells — no basic, plus, or premium tiers. One price, four things.

Ready to form in Minnesota?

$299 flat, plus Minnesota's $155 state fee.

Reservation takes three minutes. A formation specialist in Saint Paul handles the rest.

Start your Minnesota filing