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How to start an LLC in Oregon

Every step to form your LLC in Oregon, 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
$100
What you file
Articles of Organization
Where
The Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division

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 Oregon

Filing Articles of Organization with the Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division$100
The regular report that keeps it in good standing$100
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 Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division'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

    Your registered agent is a person who lives in Oregon, or a business registered in Oregon, at a physical street address in the state where legal papers can be handed to them; a mail-forwarding business or virtual office doesn't qualify. The person or business must have agreed to serve. An owner can be the agent, but the LLC or corporation can't be its own.

  3. With the state

    File your Articles of Organization

    File them with the Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division, online through the Oregon Business Registry (with an account on their site) or by mail. The state's fee is $100. Once they're 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 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.

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

  6. With the state

    Register for state taxes

    Oregon has no general sales tax, so there's no sales tax registration. If you'll pay employees, register with the Oregon Department of Revenue for a business identification number (BIN) before your first payday, online through Revenue Online or on the Combined Employer's Registration (Form OR-CER). The same registration covers unemployment insurance with the Oregon Employment Department. A corporation without employees also registers, to report pay to its corporate officers. Once a business's Oregon commercial activity reaches $750,000 in a year, it registers for the Corporate Activity Tax within 30 days.

    Register for state taxes (opens the official site)

  7. City or county

    Check local licenses and permits

    Oregon has no general state business license; your registration with the Secretary of State serves that purpose. Many trades and activities need a license, permit or certification from a state agency or board, listed in the state's License Directory. Cities and counties may need their own licenses, permits or zoning approval, such as to work from home. Portland, for example, has its own business registration with the city's Revenue Division, with a tax return each year.

    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 Articles of Organization and your EIN.

  9. With the state

    Put the yearly report in your calendar

    Every LLC in Oregon files an annual report with the Secretary of State by the anniversary of the date its articles were filed, each year. The fee is $100, and you can file and pay by card online. The state mails a reminder about 45 days before, but the report is due even if it doesn't arrive. If it isn't filed, the state can dissolve the LLC after giving 45 days' notice.

    About annual reports (opens the official site)

Questions about an LLC in Oregon

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

The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $100. To stay in good standing, it also files a regular report, which costs $100. An EIN from the IRS is free.

Does Oregon require a yearly report for an LLC?

Yes. Oregon asks every LLC for a regular report to stay in good standing. It costs $100, and the step below says when it's due and where to file it.

Can I form an LLC in Oregon myself?

Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division 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 Oregon's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Where this comes from

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

LLC guides for other states