How to Start an LLC in Missouri (2026)

Q: How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?

Filing the Articles of Organization online costs $50, and the paper version costs $105, so online saves you $55. Your EIN is free from the IRS. There is no annual report fee for a Missouri LLC, which makes it one of the cheapest states in the country to keep a business registered in.

Q: Does a Missouri LLC have to file an annual report?

No. Missouri requires annual or biennial registration reports from corporations, not from limited liability companies. The Secretary of State fee schedule lists those reports under Chapter 351 and Chapter 355 only, while LLCs sit under Chapter 347. You still need to keep your registered agent and addresses current.

Q: Is an operating agreement required in Missouri?

Yes, and this is unusual. RSMo 347.081 states that the member or members of a limited liability company shall adopt an operating agreement. It is not filed with the state, so nobody sends you a reminder, but a Missouri LLC operating without one is out of step with the statute. Even single-member LLCs should have one.

Q: Can veterans or active-duty military form a Missouri LLC for free?

Active-duty military, including members of the Missouri National Guard, can create a new business with the Missouri Secretary of State without paying the filing fee, under the state's Startup for Soldiers program. Check the current eligibility rules on the Secretary of State site before filing.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

To start a Missouri LLC, file the Articles of Organization online with the Missouri Secretary of State for $50 ($105 on paper), name a registered agent with a Missouri address, and get a free EIN. Missouri is one of the cheapest states to maintain a business in, because LLCs do not file an annual registration report. One catch: Missouri law requires you to adopt an operating agreement.

Quick note: we're operators, not attorneys or accountants. This is general educational info, not legal or tax advice. Active-duty military, including the Missouri National Guard, can form a business here with no state filing fee.

Missouri is a genuinely low-maintenance state. It is cheap to file online, there is no yearly report to remember, and the only real obligation most owners miss is the one document Missouri actually requires by statute. Here is the whole process in plain English, written for people starting something real like a courier route.

Missouri is one of the few states that legally requires an operating agreement Most states treat the operating agreement as optional. Missouri does not. RSMo 347.081 says the member or members of an LLC shall adopt an operating agreement. It is not filed with the state, so nobody chases you for it, but a single-member LLC without one in Missouri is out of step with the statute and weaker if your liability protection is ever challenged.

How to start a Missouri LLC in 6 steps

Name it, appoint a Missouri registered agent, file the Articles online ($50), adopt the required operating agreement, get a free EIN, then keep your registration current.

Name your Missouri LLC

The name must be distinguishable from other Missouri entities and include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C." Search it in the Missouri business filings search before you file so the Articles are not rejected.

Appoint a Missouri registered agent

Missouri requires a registered agent with a physical Missouri street address, available during business hours. You can act as your own, or use a service so your home address is not published in a searchable state database. Northwest includes registered-agent service free the first year with their $39 filing.

File the Articles of Organization

File with the Missouri Secretary of State. It is $50 online and $105 on paper, which is one of the biggest online discounts in the country, so file online unless you have a reason not to. Active-duty military can file with no fee at all.

Adopt your operating agreement (required here)

This is not optional in Missouri. Under RSMo 347.081 the members shall adopt an operating agreement. It stays in your own records rather than going to the state. It sets out ownership, management, and signing authority, and banks routinely ask for it when you open the business account.

Get a free EIN from the IRS

Your EIN is free at irs.gov and takes about ten minutes. You need it for the business bank account, contracts, and hiring. Never pay a third-party site for one.

Keep the registration current (no annual report)

Missouri does not require an annual registration report from LLCs. The Secretary of State's fee schedule lists annual and biennial reports only for corporations, not for Chapter 347 limited liability companies. Your job is simply to keep the registered agent and address current, and to file amendments ($25) when something changes.

Missouri LLC cost breakdown

$50 online to form, and no recurring Secretary of State fee at all. Missouri is one of the least expensive states to keep an LLC in.

Item	Cost	Required?
Articles of Organization (online)	$50	Yes
Articles of Organization (paper)	$105	Alternative
Active-duty military filing	No filing fee	If eligible
EIN	Free from the IRS	Yes (free)
Registered agent service	$0 (yourself) to $300/yr	No
Annual report	None for LLCs	No
Amendment (name, address, etc.)	$25	Only if changing

Missouri figures as of August 2026, from the Secretary of State Schedule of Fees and Charges. Note that the annual registration report line items apply to corporations (Chapters 351 and 355), not to LLCs under Chapter 347. Confirm before filing.

Rather have it filed for you? Northwest will form your Missouri LLC for $39 + the $50 state fee and act as your registered agent the first year, keeping your home address off the public record. See the $39 formation service → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Setting up to run courier routes in Missouri?

The LLC is step one. Our course covers the rest: insurance and certifications, the business bank account, and how to find routes and win contracts with Missouri clinics, labs, and hospitals.

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Missouri LLC FAQs

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Missouri?

It is $50 online or $105 on paper. Your EIN is free. There is no annual report fee for Missouri LLCs, so the ongoing cost is effectively zero.

Does a Missouri LLC have to file an annual report?

No. Annual registration reports apply to corporations in Missouri, not to LLCs. Just keep your registered agent and address current.

Is an operating agreement required in Missouri?

Yes. RSMo 347.081 says the members shall adopt an operating agreement. It is not filed with the state, but Missouri is one of the few states that requires one.

Can veterans or active-duty military form a Missouri LLC for free?

Active-duty military, including the Missouri National Guard, can file with no state fee under the Startup for Soldiers program. Check current eligibility on the SOS site.

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