Minnesota LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | Minnesota amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $155 online or in person, $135 by mail |
| Annual renewal | $0, but mandatory |
| When it is due | 31 December every year |
| State tax on the LLC | Minimum fee only for partnership LLCs above $1,280,000 of Minnesota property, payroll and sales |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $155 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $0 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the Minnesota Secretary of State and other official Minnesota sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Minnesota?
The Minnesota Secretary of State charges $155 to file Articles of Organization online or in person and $135 by mail. Minnesota reverses the pattern of most states: the online and in-person route costs $20 more than paper, and the same $20 gap applies to amendments, name reservations and other filings.
Minnesota has no separate expedite fee. Online filings are processed in two to five business days, and in-person filings are processed while you wait.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in Minnesota covers the form field by field.
How much does a Minnesota LLC cost every year?
Minnesota charges $0 for the annual renewal, but every LLC must file it by 31 December each year. The renewal confirms the LLC’s registered office and contact details and takes a few minutes online.
Because the renewal is free, Minnesota is one of the cheapest states to keep an LLC in. The risk is forgetting it: a free filing is still a mandatory one, and missing it dissolves the LLC.
What does a Minnesota LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a Minnesota LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts Minnesota charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $155 | $155 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $147 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $147 |
| Three-year total | $155 | $449 |
The table uses the $155 online fee, the route BusinessAnywhere files. Filing by mail saves $20.
Does Minnesota charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
Minnesota charges a minimum fee to LLCs taxed as partnerships, but only when Minnesota property, payroll and sales add up to more than $1,280,000. Below that the fee is $0. Above it, the 2026 table runs from $260 to $12,830.
A single-member LLC follows its federal classification, so the owner reports the profit on a personal Minnesota return. An LLC that elects corporate treatment pays Minnesota corporate franchise tax and its own minimum fee instead.
How much does a registered agent cost in Minnesota?
Every Minnesota LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in Minnesota. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our Minnesota registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a Minnesota LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A Minnesota LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other Minnesota LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the Minnesota state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $55 online/in person, $35 by mail | Renewal same fee |
| Expedited filing | No separate fee | Online filings process in 2 to 5 business days; in-person filings are processed while you wait |
| Certificate of good standing | $15 online, $5 mail/in person | Certificate of Good Standing |
| Certified copy | $5 per certification plus the copy fee | Copies $3 by mail or $13 online for the original filing |
| Amending the articles | $55 online/in person, $35 by mail | |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $50 online/in person, $30 by mail | Assumed Name (Ch. 333); annual renewal $0 |
| Changing registered agent | $55 online/in person, $35 by mail | |
| Foreign LLC registration | $205 online/in person, $185 by mail | Certificate of Authority |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $85 online/in person, $65 by mail | Filed with a current annual renewal |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in Minnesota, and Minnesota does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a Minnesota LLC deadline?
Minnesota charges no late fee, but an LLC that misses the 31 December renewal is administratively dissolved.
Reinstatement costs $85 online or in person and $65 by mail, filed together with a current annual renewal. Reinstatement restores the LLC as if it had never been dissolved. An LLC inactive for more than six years cannot reinstate online.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in Minnesota sets out the steps.
How does Minnesota compare with other states?
Minnesota costs more than the median to form and nothing to keep. Its $155 online fee is $55 above the $100 national median, but the free annual renewal means a small LLC pays the state nothing after year one.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $155 | $0 | $155 online to form, free annual renewal |
| Wisconsin LLC cost | $130 | $25 | $130 online to form, $25 annual report |
| Iowa LLC cost | $50 | $15 | $50 to form, $30 report every two years |
| North Dakota LLC cost | $135 | $50 | $135 to form, $50 annual report due 15 November |
| South Dakota LLC cost | $150 | $55 | $150 online to form, $55 annual report |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a Minnesota LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your Minnesota LLC for $0 plus the $155 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the Minnesota filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every Minnesota deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in Minnesota first.
Minnesota LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Minnesota?
A Minnesota LLC costs $155 to form online or in person, or $135 by mail. The annual renewal is free, so most small LLCs pay nothing to the state after formation.
Why does Minnesota charge more online than by mail?
Minnesota adds $20 to online and in-person filings because they are processed faster. By mail, Articles of Organization cost $135 instead of $155.
When is the Minnesota annual renewal due?
By 31 December every year. It is free but mandatory, and an LLC that misses it is administratively dissolved.
Do Minnesota LLCs pay a minimum fee?
Only LLCs taxed as partnerships with more than $1,280,000 of Minnesota property, payroll and sales. Below that threshold the minimum fee is $0.
How much does it cost to reinstate a Minnesota LLC?
$85 online or in person and $65 by mail, filed with a current annual renewal.
How much does a Minnesota LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $155 in state fees, all paid at formation. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the three-year total is $449.
Sources
- Minnesota Secretary of State, business filing and certification fee schedule
- Minnesota Secretary of State, annual renewals
- Minnesota Department of Revenue, minimum fee
- Official Minnesota source: Expedited filing fee
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the Minnesota Secretary of State before you file.
