Sign in Start free

How to start an LLC in Idaho

Every step to form your LLC in Idaho, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.

Filing fee
$100
Regular report
Free
What you file
Certificate of Organization
Where
The Idaho Secretary of State

Get the free checklist It follows these steps with you, for your business, and keeps track of what's done.

What an LLC costs in Idaho

Filing Certificate of Organization with the Idaho Secretary of State$100
The regular report that keeps it in good standingFree
An EIN from the IRSFree
A registered agentFree if you're your own; a service charges a yearly fee

The state's fees only. Card or handling fees, a registered agent service, local licenses and taxes come on top where they apply. Checked against official sources on September 30, 2026. It's general information, not legal or tax advice.

Step by step

In the order most owners do them. Each step says where it happens and links to the official page.

  1. With the state

    Check your name is free

    Search the Idaho Secretary of State's business records to check no business already uses your name, or one too close to it. An LLC's name must also end with "LLC" or a similar ending.

    Search business names (opens the official site)

  2. Your records

    Choose a registered agent

    Every LLC and corporation in Idaho needs a registered agent: a person or company with a street address in Idaho who receives legal papers and state notices for it. You can be your own, or pay a registered agent service.

  3. With the state

    File your Certificate of Organization

    File it with the Idaho Secretary of State online through SOSBiz. The state's fee is $100 online; paper filings cost $20 more. Once it's filed, your business exists.

    File online (opens the official site)

  4. Your records

    Write an operating agreement

    It sets out who owns the LLC, how decisions are made and what happens if someone leaves. It isn't filed with the state: keep it with your records. A lawyer can help you write one.

  5. With the IRS

    Get an EIN from the IRS

    An Employer Identification Number is your business's tax number, for taxes, hiring and a bank account. Apply once your Certificate of Organization are filed. It's free from the IRS: with a Social Security number or ITIN, you can apply on the IRS's own site and get it at once. Watch out for look-alike sites that charge for it.

    Apply for an EIN on IRS.gov (opens the official site)

  6. With the state

    Register for state taxes

    If you'll sell taxable goods or services, or have employees, register with the Idaho State Tax Commission through the online Idaho Business Registration (IBR) application. Employers, and Idaho corporations, use the same application to set up a withholding account and an unemployment insurance account with the Idaho Department of Labor.

    Register for state taxes (opens the official site)

  7. City or county

    Check local licenses and permits

    Idaho has no state business license; registering with the Secretary of State is a registration, not a license. Some trades and professions need a state license (the Business Wizard at business.idaho.gov lists them), and your city or county may require a local business license, a home occupation permit or other permits.

    Find your local requirements (opens the official site)

  8. Your records

    Open a business bank account

    Keep the business's money apart from your own: it keeps your records clear at tax time, and keeps the LLC separate from you. Banks usually ask for your filed Certificate of Organization and your EIN.

  9. With the state

    Put the yearly report in your calendar

    Every Idaho LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State by the end of the month it was formed in, each year starting the year after it's formed. It's free, and you can file online through SOSBiz. The state can start dissolving a business whose report isn't in by the due date.

    About annual reports (opens the official site)

Questions about an LLC in Idaho

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

The state's fee to file Certificate of Organization is $100. Its regular report is free. An EIN from the IRS is free.

Does Idaho require a yearly report for an LLC?

Yes. Idaho asks every LLC for a regular report to stay in good standing. It's free to file, and the step below says when it's due and where.

Can I form an LLC in Idaho myself?

Yes. You file Certificate of Organization with the Idaho Secretary of State and pay the state's fee, and the steps above show where. You don't need a lawyer, though one can advise on your situation. PressUp's free checklist follows these steps with you.

Is this legal or tax advice?

No. PressUp isn't a law firm or an accountant. This guide is general information from Idaho's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Where this comes from

Idaho's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:

LLC guides for other states