How to start an LLC in Kansas
Every step to form your LLC in Kansas, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.
- Filing fee
- $85
- Regular report
- $90
- What you file
- Articles of Organization
- Where
- The Kansas 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 Kansas
| Filing Articles of Organization with the Kansas Secretary of State | $85 |
|---|---|
| The regular report that keeps it in good standing | $90 |
| An EIN from the IRS | Free |
| A registered agent | Free 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.
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With the state
Check your name is free
Search the Kansas 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.
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Your records
Choose a registered agent
Kansas calls it a resident agent. It can be an individual in Kansas, a business registered in Kansas, or your business itself, with a Kansas street address (not a PO box) where the agent can regularly be found.
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With the state
File your Articles of Organization
File them with the Kansas Secretary of State; online is fastest, and the filing is usually processed within minutes. The state's fee is $85 online or $90 on paper. Once they're filed, your business exists.
-
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.
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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 Articles 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.
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With the state
Register for state taxes
If you'll sell taxable goods or services, or hire employees, register with the Kansas Department of Revenue online through its Customer Service Center; there's no fee to register. Employers also register with the Kansas Department of Labor for unemployment insurance tax.
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City or county
Check local licenses and permits
In Kansas, licenses and permits depend on the kind of business: some trades and industries need one from a state agency, and your county or city may have its own permits, filings or zoning rules. Kansas Business One Stop lists the common ones.
-
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 Articles of Organization and your EIN.
-
With the state
Put the information report in your calendar
Every LLC in Kansas files an information report with the Secretary of State every two years, by April 15: in even-numbered years if it was formed in an even-numbered year, and in odd-numbered years if it was formed in an odd one. The fee is $90 online or $110 on paper. A business that still hasn't filed three months after the due date forfeits its registration.
Questions about an LLC in Kansas
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Kansas?
The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $85. To stay in good standing, it also files a regular report, which costs $90. An EIN from the IRS is free.
Does Kansas require a yearly report for an LLC?
Yes. Kansas asks every LLC for a regular report to stay in good standing. It costs $90, and the step below says when it's due and where to file it.
Can I form an LLC in Kansas myself?
Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the Kansas 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 Kansas's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.
Where this comes from
Kansas's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:
- sos.ks.gov/businesses/register-a-business.html
- kssos.org/businesses/register-a-business.html
- kssos.org/businesses/information-reports.html
- kssos.org/forms/business_services/DL.pdf
- kssos.org/forms/business_services/AI.pdf
- kssos.org/forms/business_services/ILC.pdf
- kssos.org/forms/business_services/IFP.pdf
- kssos.org/publications/Register/Volume-45/PDF/Vol-45-No-07-February-12-2026.pdf
- kssos.org/media/press-releases/2026/05-26-26-secretary-of-state-reduces-fees-for-kansans.html
- ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch17/017_075_0003.html
- ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch17/017_076_0136.html
- ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch17/017_076_0139.html
- sos.ks.gov/business/faq-business-entity.html
- ksrevenue.gov/busregistration.html
- ksrevenue.gov/faqs-taxbusreg.html
- ksbiz.kansas.gov/plan/select-a-name/
- ksbiz.kansas.gov/plan/research-licenses-permits/
- ksbiz.kansas.gov/start/hiring-employees/
LLC guides for other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming