How to Start an LLC in Missouri (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services
MO Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Missouri Registered Agent.co ($199) are our 2026 picks, in that order, for starting an LLC in Missouri. After the picks come 7 short steps; the state's own charge to file is $50.
Prices from each company's own site, read November 12, 2026. Every row excludes the $50 state fee.
Forming the LLC, in order
Step1
Step 1: Pick the LLC's name
Your first homework: search the state's business records for the name you want. The Missouri Secretary of State keeps that list.
TipPick a spare name too, in case the first is taken.
Step2
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Missouri resident, or a corporation authorized in Missouri, whose business office is the registered office.
The address has to be a physical street address in Missouri. A P.O. box can be listed only together with a street address.
TipEach pick above can serve as the registered agent.
Official source: Source: revisor.mo.gov, confirmed October 2026
Step3
Step 3: Decide how you will file
The state fee ($50) is the same either way; a service adds $199. See the picks.
Step4
Step 4: File the Articles of Organization
The Missouri Secretary of State receives the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) along with $50.
Official source: Source: sos.mo.gov, confirmed October 2026
Step5
Step 5: Apply for an EIN
Next, the federal side: an EIN from the IRS, applied for after the Missouri approval. Mainstay Filing handles this application in its package.
Step6
Step 6: Draft the operating agreement
Write down who owns the Missouri LLC and how decisions are made. This operating agreement stays with your records, not with the state.
Step7
Step 7: Keep the LLC active
No recurring report is due in Missouri. The registered agent requirement continues.
Missouri costs by step
Step
Paid to
Cost
Forming the LLC
The state
$50
A service, if you use one
Service company
$199 to start
Three years of state fees
The state
$50
For the three-year state total we add the filing fee, the reports in years two and three and any minimum yearly tax.
How we ranked the Missouri picks
MO Registered Agent.org beat Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, our 30% criterion.
A founder paying MO Registered Agent.org spends $397 by the end of year three, keeping $200 that Mainstay Filing would cost.
Common questions
What does it cost to form an LLC in Missouri?
Missouri charges $50. A service from our picks adds $199 in year one.
Which form creates the LLC?
The state's form is the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) (submitted to the Missouri Secretary of State).
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Missouri require each year?
No recurring LLC report.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes. File directly with the state and pay $50; you also need a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
We'd go with MO Registered Agent.org, because it forms the Missouri LLC for $199, agent included for year one and renews the agent at $99. Then Mainstay Filing and Missouri Registered Agent.co.