North Dakota LLC Cost: $135 to File Articles (2026)

Fact-checked and updated September 14, 2026.

A North Dakota LLC costs $135 to file with North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services. North Dakota’s exclusive fund is workers’ compensation (WSI)—not an LLC filing fee. You can file through North Dakota FirstStop or use ZenBusiness Starter for a $0 formation service fee plus the same $135 state fee. Optional services cost extra.

This guide is for creating a new North Dakota LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check North Dakota’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.

Re-check official fee pages immediately before you pay: statutes and portal convenience fees can change, and third-party blogs often lag behind the Secretary of State. Prefer the links in this guide’s cost table and the state’s own checkout total over marketing estimates.

North Dakota LLC costs: required fees and optional extras

Start with the official filing office: North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services. Government charges are separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $135 to form plus $50 for the annual report. Do not add a fictional exclusive-fund LLC fee.

No SOS franchise tax for LLCs was identified. North Dakota’s exclusive fund refers to monopolistic workers’ compensation via Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI)—not an LLC SOS fee.

Should you file yourself or use ZenBusiness?

Choose DIY if you are comfortable completing North Dakota formation forms, naming a compliant registered agent, and calendaring recurring filings. Choose a filing service if you prefer a guided questionnaire. Either way, you make the decisions about ownership, addresses, and management.

ZenBusiness lists Starter at $0 without a base-plan renewal. Its optional first year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199/year; registered-agent service is listed at $199/year (intro pricing may show about $99 for the first year—confirm at checkout). EIN and operating-agreement services are separate Starter purchases. Check the current package terms and checkout selections.

A free introductory service can become a recurring expense. Before paying, review the initial total, renewal amounts, and cancellation terms. Keep a copy of your selections. A reminder is not confirmation that a required state filing was submitted, and the state filing fee remains separate.

Can you be your own North Dakota registered agent?

Yes. Maintain a registered agent with a North Dakota street address. A member may serve if they meet the rules and can receive legal documents there.

Plan your address use before filing. State records are public. Hiring an agent does not automatically privatize every address on the filing. Supply accurate information in every field.

Before you file, write down the legal name exactly as you want it to appear on bank accounts, contracts, and the public record. Inconsistent punctuation or designators create avoidable amendment fees later. Ask your bank what ownership and formation documents it requires so you are not scrambling after approval.

Formation creates the entity; it does not automatically grant professional licenses, sales-tax permits, or zoning approvals. Match insurance to the work you actually perform, keep business and personal funds separate, and store the filed formation document with your operating agreement and EIN confirmation.

How to file your North Dakota LLC: a practical checklist

1. Check the name. Search the state business database and include a required LLC designator. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
2. Gather addresses and agent consent. Have registered-agent details and principal-office information ready.
3. Decide who manages the company. Confirm member-managed vs manager-managed as required on the formation form.
4. File the formation document. Prefer North Dakota FirstStop and pay $135 (plus any listed extras).
5. Confirm acceptance. Save the filed document and receipt, then calendar recurring compliance.

How long does approval take?

Prefer FirstStop online filing. A service’s preparation time is separate from North Dakota’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; faster service preparation does not guarantee immediate state approval.

If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for name issues and corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

North Dakota LLC annual report: what happens after formation?

File the $50 annual report each year (business LLC/PLLC deadline November 15 every year; farming/ranching schedules may differ). Exclusive fund clarification: WSI’s monopolistic workers’ compensation system is not a Secretary of State LLC tax.

FirstStop is the Secretary of State’s preferred online channel. Create the business account before you need a same-week filing so MFA and profile setup are not on the critical path.

If you will hire employees in North Dakota, research Workforce Safety & Insurance coverage separately from formation. Confusing the exclusive WC fund with an LLC franchise tax leads to wrong budgets and wrong vendors.

After filing: get the business ready to operate

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. North Dakota’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. An EIN service fee pays someone to assist; it is not an IRS charge. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Separate business finances. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
• Check taxes and operating permissions. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly before buying a BOI filing add-on.

For a simple one-owner operation, organize these tasks into a short checklist. Where ownership, investors, or tax elections are complicated, formation paperwork alone will not resolve those decisions.

Match insurance to the work your LLC performs

Entity formation and insurance solve different problems. Ask the insurer to identify the correct business and operations; ask clients or landlords what coverage and certificate of insurance they require. Use the relevant guide to compare coverage:

• North Dakota cleaning business insurance
• North Dakota food truck insurance
• North Dakota HVAC insurance
• North Dakota landscaping insurance
• North Dakota daycare insurance

Continue with the North Dakota business guide for the broader startup process.

Use the three affiliate CTAs on this page only after you have compared the state fee, any mandatory extras, and ZenBusiness renewal terms. The $0 Starter price is a formation service fee—not a waiver of government charges. Keep screenshots or emails of checkout selections if you add registered-agent or compliance products.

North Dakota annual-report deadline

A standard North Dakota business LLC’s $50 annual report is due November 15 every year. Specialized farming or ranching entities can follow different rules; that does not change the ordinary business-LLC deadline. File through North Dakota FirstStop.

North Dakota LLC questions before you file

What is the cheapest way to form a North Dakota LLC?

The state filing fee is $135 (North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services). Filing directly avoids a third-party preparation charge; ZenBusiness Starter advertises a $0 formation service fee plus the same $135 state fee.

Is North Dakota’s exclusive fund an LLC fee?

No. The exclusive state fund refers to monopolistic workers’ compensation through Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI). It is not a Secretary of State LLC formation or franchise fee.

Can I be my own North Dakota registered agent?

Yes. Maintain a registered agent with a North Dakota street address. A member may serve if they meet the rules and can receive legal documents there.

Does forming an LLC give me a North Dakota business license?

No. Formation creates the entity with North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services. Industry licenses and tax registrations are separate.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then use the IRS application if eligible.