When planning to start a business in Missouri, many small business owners opt to form a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC is a business structure that combines the flexibility and lack of formalities provided by a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a corporation. If you want to limit your personal liability for business debts and lawsuits, consider forming an LLC.
Follow these steps to create an LLC in Missouri. For more information on how to form an LLC in any state, see our article on how to start an LLC. You can also use our online LLC formation service to register your LLC.
Before you legally create your LLC, you need to pick a business name. Be sure to follow Missouri's rules for LLC names.
LLC name must be distinguishable. Your LLC's name must be distinguishable from the names of other business entities licensed, organized, registered, or reserved with the Missouri Secretary of State. These business entities include corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and limited liability limited partnerships. You can check which business names are available in Missouri by searching the SOS's business entity database. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.020 (2024).)
LLC name must include an entity designator. Under Missouri law, an LLC name must contain the words "limited company" or "limited liability company" or the abbreviations "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C." (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.020 (2024).)
Name reservation. You can reserve an available business name for exclusive use for 60 days by filing an application with the SOS. To reserve a name, file an Application for Reservation of Name (Form BE-1). You can renew the reservation twice, totaling no more than 180 days. As of 2024, the filing fee to reserve a name is $25. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.025 (2024).)
Using a fictitious name. When you register your LLC with the SOS, the name you choose for your LLC on your articles of organization becomes your business's legal name. But you don't have to use your LLC's legal name when doing business in the real world. You can instead use a fictitious name, also called a "DBA" (short for "doing business as"), "trade name," or "assumed name." If you plan to use a fictitious name in Missouri, you must register your fictitious name with the SOS. You can register your name online with the SOS's Online Business Filing System or by mail using the Corp. 56 form. As of 2024, the filing fee to register your assumed name is $7. The registration is good for five years and can be renewed. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 417.200 (2024).)
You can find a list of fees and forms on the SOS website.
Every Missouri LLC must have an agent for service of process (called a "registered agent") in the state. This agent is an individual or business entity that agrees to accept legal and government papers on the LLC's behalf. For example, a registered agent would be expected to receive and forward any service of process, notice, or demand (like a complaint) to the LLC.
In Missouri, a registered agent must be either a:
The registered agent must have a physical street address in Missouri.
(Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.030 (2024).)
You can create a Missouri LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the SOS. The articles must include:
(Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.039 (2024).)
You can file the articles online through the SOS's Online Business Filing System or by mail using the Form LLC-1. As of 2024, the filing fee for Missouri Articles of Organization is $50 for online filings and $105 for paper filings.
Missouri, unlike most states, requires an LLC to adopt an operating agreement. An operating agreement for an LLC is similar to bylaws for a corporation. An LLC's "operating agreement" is the primary document that establishes the rights, powers, duties, liabilities, and obligations of the members among themselves and to the LLC.
An operating can cover topics such as:
(Mo. Rev. Stat. § 347.081 (2024).)
You don't need to file your operating agreement with the state. This document is purely internal.
For help creating an LLC operating agreement, you an use our online LLC formation service. You can also work with a Missouri attorney to help you draft your LLC's operating agreement.
Other tax and regulatory requirements might apply to your LLC. For instance, your LLC might need to obtain an EIN, apply for business licenses and permits, and register for business taxes.
EIN. If your LLC has more than one member, it must obtain a federal employer identification number (EIN), even if it has no employees. If you form a single-member LLC, you must obtain an EIN for your LLC only if either you elect to have your business taxed as a corporation instead of a sole proprietorship (disregarded entity) or your single-member LLC has employees. You can get an EIN by completing an online EIN application on the IRS website. There's no filing fee.
Business licenses. Depending on your business's location and activities, you might need to obtain state and local business licenses and permits. For local licenses, check with your city or county clerk or your local government's website. For state professional licenses, check out the Missouri Division of Professional Registration. For further guidance on regulatory requirements for your business, read how to get a small business license in Missouri.
Missouri Department of Revenue. In some cases, for example, if you have employees or will be selling goods and collecting sales tax, you'll need to register with the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR). You can register your business online with multiple agencies using MyTax Missouri. MyTax allows your business to register for corporate income tax, withholding tax, unemployment tax, sales tax, and other business taxes. For more information on Missouri LLC tax registration, check out the LLC annual report and tax filing requirements in Missouri.
Here are some other questions you might have about your Missouri LLC.
If you're just starting your business or have already been operating as a sole proprietor, you should consider forming an LLC. LLCs limit an owner's personal liability for business debts and lawsuits and offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to ownership, management, and taxation of the business.
To learn more about LLCs and decide if it's the right business structure for you, see our article on LLC basics.
Below are the fees (as of 2024) you might need to pay to form your LLC in Missouri:
Filing on your own is often the cheapest option, but completing all of the forms and filing them yourself can be complicated. Hiring a lawyer is another option, but it will often cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the process. If you'd like help completing all the filings, try our online LLC formation service.
To learn more about the costs associated with forming and running an LLC, see our article on how much it costs to form an LLC.
No. Missouri doesn't require LLCs to file an annual report.
While you don't have to file an annual report for your company, you'll need to file and pay applicable taxes to the local, state, and federal governments for your LLC. In addition, your LLC might need to obtain and periodically renew any required general or special business licenses or permits. You'll be responsible for keeping track of these maintenance requirements to keep your LLC in good standing and legally compliant.
Starting in 2024, all LLCs were previously required to submit a beneficial ownership information (BOI) report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury. However, in March 2025, after some constitutional challenges, FinCEN revised the BOI reporting rule so that the requirement only applies to companies created outside the U.S. So, if you form your LLC within the U.S., then you no longer need to worry about the BOI reporting requirement.
Yes. Missouri, unlike most states, requires LLCs to adopt an operating agreement. In addition to fulfilling this legal requirement, having an operating agreement will help protect your limited liability status, prevent financial and managerial misunderstandings, and ensure that you decide on the rules governing your business instead of state law by default.
Depending on your business's location and activities, you might need to apply for licenses, permits, or registrations at the local, state, and federal levels. Missouri, like most states, doesn't require a statewide general business license.
Some of the more common business licenses are professional licenses, city operating licenses, retail sales license, and zoning and building permits.
For state license information, check out the Missouri Business Resources page on the Missouri state website. You can also find more information in our article on how to get a small business license in Missouri.
Yes. To do business in Missouri, all LLCs organized outside of the state (called "foreign LLCs") must register with the SOS. Foreign LLCs must appoint a registered agent for service of process physically located in Missouri.
To register, file an Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company with the SOS. The completed application must be accompanied by a certificate of legal existence or good standing from the foreign LLC's home state dated not more than 60 days before the application is filed.
You can file the articles online through the SOS's Online Business Filing System or by mail using Form LLC 4. As of 2024, the filing fee for the application for registration is $50 for online filings and $105 for paper filings.
(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 347.151 and following (2024).)
See our guide to qualifying to do business outside your state for more information.
Yes. For most formation purposes, a Missouri single-member LLC is considered the same as a multi-member LLC. The steps to form a single-member LLC in Missouri are generally the same as those listed above.
Single-member LLCs do have additional flexibility when it comes to filing a tax return. To learn more, see our article on how single-member LLCs pay federal income tax.
No. Missouri doesn't recognize professional LLCs (PLLCs). However, professionals can form a regular LLC or a professional corporation (PC).
In Missouri, a PC must:
Examples of providers of professional services include architects, dentists, nurses, certified public accountants, and more. Generally, if you provide a service that requires you to be licensed by the state, then you provide a professional service.
To form a PC in Missouri, you must file Articles of Incorporation with the SOS. Along with your articles, you must include a certificate of professional license/registration from the licensing authority for your profession.
(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 356.011 and following (2024).)
If you reach the point where it's time to close your business and cease all operations, then you'll want to properly dissolve your LLC to limit your liability for lawsuits and government fees. Your dissolution process will include obtaining tax clearance, filing a certificate of dissolution, settling debts, and distributing assets.
Read our article on dissolving a Missouri LLC for an explanation of these steps.
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