How to start an LLC in New Mexico
Every step to form your LLC in New Mexico, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.
- Filing fee
- $50
- Regular report
- None
- What you file
- Articles of Organization
- Where
- The New Mexico 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 New Mexico
| Filing Articles of Organization with the New Mexico Secretary of State | $50 |
|---|---|
| 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.
-
With the state
Check your name is free
Search the New Mexico 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.
-
Your records
Choose a registered agent
In New Mexico, your registered agent must accept the appointment in writing: a statement signed by the agent is filed with your articles.
-
With the state
File your Articles of Organization
File them with the New Mexico Secretary of State, online through the state's business portal (all business filings are online), with your registered agent's signed acceptance. The state's fee is $50. 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.
-
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
Anyone doing business in New Mexico registers with the Taxation and Revenue Department for a Business Tax Identification Number, which covers gross receipts tax and withholding; it's free, online. Employers also register with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions for unemployment insurance.
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City or county
Check local licenses and permits
Some businesses and professions need a state license, such as construction, liquor, environmental and financial work; the New Mexico Business Portal lists them, and the Regulation and Licensing Department (505-476-4500) can tell you what applies. Your city or county may also need a business license, permits or zoning approval.
-
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.
Questions about an LLC in New Mexico
How much does it cost to start an LLC in New Mexico?
The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $50. There's no regular report to file with the state. An EIN from the IRS is free.
Does New Mexico require a yearly report for an LLC?
No. New Mexico doesn't ask an LLC for a regular report. Its other steps, below, still apply, and so do its taxes.
Can I form an LLC in New Mexico myself?
Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the New Mexico 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 New Mexico's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.
Where this comes from
New Mexico's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:
- sos.nm.gov/business-services/
- sos.nm.gov/business-services/statutes-governing-business-in-nm/
- sos.nm.gov/business-services/resources/
- sos.nm.gov/business-services/user-guides/
- api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/ee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2/c32ddb0d-44ba-4b43-aa86-b6ebdbb624ba/Business%20Online%20Filing%20Help.pdf
- api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/ee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2/d2c3a47f-72ea-405c-9496-f70bf5b2d678/Fictitious%20name.pdf
- nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4400/index.do
- nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/4400/1/document.do
- sos.nm.gov/commercial-services/trademarks/
- enterprise.sos.nm.gov/
- tax.newmexico.gov/businesses/who-must-register-a-business/
- tax.newmexico.gov/businesses/corporate-income-franchise-tax-overview/
- dws.nm.gov/en-us/Businesses/employer-information/register-for-unemployment-insurance
- biz.nm.gov/business-navigator/register-legal-business-structure/
- biz.nm.gov/business-navigator/licenses-and-permits/
- cabq.gov/economicdevelopment/small-business/how-to-start-a-business
LLC guides for other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- 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