How to Start an LLC in Minnesota (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services
Minnesota Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and MN Registered Agent.org ($199) are our 2026 picks, in that order, for starting an LLC in Minnesota. Below the picks you will find 7 steps in order, starting with the name and ending with the yearly upkeep (filing fee $155).
Company prices as published on November 12, 2026. The $155 state fee is extra in every row.
Forming the LLC, in order
Step1
Step 1: Settle on a name
A quick search of the state's business records tells you whether the name is free.
TipCheck the matching web domain at the same time.
Step2
Step 2: Line up your registered agent
A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional. 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.
Every Minnesota LLC keeps a registered office at an actual office location in Minnesota; a P.O. box by itself is not accepted.
TipOur picks all provide the registered agent.
Official source: Per revisor.mn.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Step3
Step 3: Decide how you will file
Doing it yourself costs $155. Using one of our picks adds $199, and the agent comes with it.
Step4
Step 4: Complete and file the Articles of Organization
The Minnesota Secretary of State receives the Articles of Organization along with $155, under Minn. Stat. sec. 322C.0201.
Official source: Per revisor.mn.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Step5
Step 5: Request an EIN
The EIN is the company's federal tax number. It comes from the IRS once the state has approved the LLC. This step is included with Mainstay Filing.
Step6
Step 6: Draft the operating agreement
An operating agreement is internal. Sign it, keep it with the records, and the state never needs a copy.
Step7
Step 7: Stay in good standing with Minnesota
The LLC stays active by filing the annual renewal every year; the deadline is December 31.
Official source: Per revisor.mn.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Step-by-step costs
Item
Paid to
Amount
Filing the LLC
Paid to the state
$155
Annual renewal
Paid to the state
No fee
Help from a service
Service company
$199 in year one
State fees, years one to three
Paid to the state
$155
The state rows are official figures; the service row uses each company's published price. The three-year total leaves service fees out.
How the grade worked out
What decided it: three-year cost, 30% of our rubric.
Add up years one to three and Minnesota Registered Agent.co comes to $397; Mainstay Filing is $200 more.
Check your understanding
What does it cost to form an LLC in Minnesota?
The official fee: $155. With a service, add $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
Step 4 of this lesson: the Articles of Organization, sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Is a registered agent required?
A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional.
What does Minnesota require each year?
The annual renewal: no fee, every year, due December 31.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes. File directly with the state and pay $155; you also need a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
In order: Minnesota Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing and MN Registered Agent.org. Minnesota Registered Agent.co comes first because formation at $199 over the state fee, then a $99 agent renewal.