How to Start an LLC in Kansas (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan To start an LLC in Kansas, you file Articles of Organization, Form DL, with the Kansas Secretary of State, and pay $85 online.

Maya Is that the whole fee?

Dan For the filing, yes. On paper it's $90, and Kansas cut these fees in February 2026.

Maya This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, Kansas for 2026, in six steps, with what it all costs and the two best ways to have it filed for you. Where do we begin?

0:31 Step 1: Choose a name

Dan Your name has to include limited liability company, limited company, or an abbreviation like LLC or LC. And it can't already be in use.

Maya How do I find out if it's taken?

Dan Search the Secretary of State's name availability tool first.

Maya What if the name is in use?

Dan Then you file a consent, which is Form CN.

Maya Can I hold a name before I file?

Dan Yes. A reservation lasts 120 days, and it isn't renewable.

1:04 Step 2: Name a resident agent

Maya You said resident agent. Is that different from a registered agent?

Dan Same job. Kansas just calls it a resident agent.

Maya Who can do it?

Dan A Kansas resident, a business registered in Kansas, or the LLC itself. It needs a Kansas street address.

Maya The LLC itself? That's unusual.

Dan In Kansas it's allowed. But a P.O. box isn't accepted for the address.

Maya Is the agent's information private?

Dan No. It's public record, which is why many owners use a commercial agent. Changing agents later costs $30 online.

1:39 Step 3: File the Articles of Organization

Maya Where do I file?

Dan On the Secretary of State's website, using Form DL. It's $85 online.

Maya How is that different from filing on paper?

Dan Paper costs $90.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Good to meet you, Maya. Now, the form itself is short: the name, the resident agent, the registered office, and a signature.

Maya And how long until it's approved?

Dan Filed online, it's processed within minutes. You can print your certified copy right away.

Maya So no expedite fee?

Dan No. There's nothing to pay extra, because online already takes minutes.

2:18 Step 4: Write an operating agreement

Maya Does the state want a copy?

Dan No. It isn't filed with the Secretary of State, and there's no state fee. Keep it with your records.

Maya What if I never write one down?

Dan Kansas law says an agreement can be written, oral, or implied. So put yours in writing.

Maya What goes in it?

Dan Who owns what, how profits are split, who makes decisions, and what happens if a member leaves.

2:41 Step 5: Get a free EIN

Maya What about the federal side?

Dan Apply for your EIN free with the IRS at IRS.gov, after the state files your Articles.

Maya How fast is it?

Dan If the online application is approved, the number is issued right away. Have the Social Security number or ITIN of the person in charge ready.

Maya And the beneficial ownership report?

Dan You can skip it. FinCEN no longer requires it from U.S. companies.

3:08 Step 6: File the information report

Maya What does Kansas want from me after I'm formed?

Dan An information report, every two years, by April 15.

Maya Which years?

Dan If you formed in an even year, you file in even years. Formed in an odd year, you file in odd years.

Maya So not annually.

Dan Right. It's $90 online, or $110 on paper.

Maya What does it list?

Dan Every member who owns 5% or more.

Maya And if I miss it?

Dan Miss it by three months, and the LLC forfeits until it files the past reports and is reinstated.

3:46 What it costs

Maya Give me the do-it-yourself number.

Dan $85 to form online. Then $90 every two years for the information report.

Maya And the EIN?

Dan Free.

Maya Anything else I might pay for?

Dan Changing your resident agent online, at $30. That's only if you switch.

Maya So the first year?

Dan $85. The first $90 report comes at your next two-year mark.

4:13 Paper or online

Maya Let me compare the two ways of filing. Start with the Articles.

Dan $85 online, $90 on paper.

Maya And the information report?

Dan $90 online, $110 on paper.

Maya So paper costs more both times.

Dan Yes, $5 more on the Articles and $20 more on the report. And online is processed within minutes.

4:38 Picking your resident agent

Maya Could I be my own agent?

Dan If you're a Kansas resident, yes, at a Kansas street address.

Maya Could the LLC do it?

Dan In Kansas, yes. It's one of the three choices.

Maya And the third?

Dan A business registered in Kansas. That's the commercial agent route.

Maya What's the catch with doing it yourself?

Dan The details are public record. A P.O. box won't do for the address, so it has to be a real street address.

Maya And switching later?

Dan $30 online.

5:07 What the form needs

Maya Walk me through Form DL, line by line.

Dan The name, the resident agent, the registered office, and a signature.

Maya That's it?

Dan That's the whole form. It's short.

Maya So the thinking happens before you file.

Dan Right. Settle the name and the agent first, and the filing takes minutes.

5:27 Why the report matters

Maya Let me press on the information report. It only comes every two years.

Dan That's the good news. But the deadline is firm, April 15.

Maya What happens at three months late?

Dan The LLC forfeits.

Maya What does that mean in practice?

Dan Until it's reinstated, it can't do other filings.

Maya And the way back?

Dan A filing fee, a penalty, and the back reports.

Maya So the $90 on time is the easier path.

Dan By a wide margin.

5:57 First-year checklist

Maya Give me the order of operations.

Dan Search the name. Choose your resident agent. File Form DL online for $85. Then get your EIN and write your operating agreement.

Maya And the calendar?

Dan The $90 information report, by April 15, every two years, in the same even or odd years as your formation.

6:21 The 2 best ways to file in Kansas

Maya What if I'd rather have someone else file?

Dan Here are the two best ways to file in Kansas. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $85 state fee, checkout comes to $284.

Maya What does that include?

Dan Your Articles filed, your EIN application, and your resident agent every year. It renews at the same $199.

Maya And the information report?

Dan Mainstay files it by April 15, every other year. You pay only the $90 state fee.

Maya Number two?

Dan KS Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Articles for $199 plus the state fee, also $284 at checkout. Your first year of agent service is free, then it's $99 a year.

Maya How do I choose?

Dan Kansas's report only comes every two years. So if you'll file it yourself, number two costs less from year two, at $99 a year for the agent alone. The $90 state fee is the same either way.

7:29 Three years of service fees

Maya Give me the three-year view.

Dan Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597. Number two is $199 in year one, then $99 in each of the next two years, for $397.

Maya A $200 gap.

Dan Yes, and with Mainstay that gap pays for the information report being filed on time.

7:53 Recap

Maya Can I hear it one more time?

Dan Choose a name with LLC in it, name a resident agent at a Kansas street address, file Form DL online for $85, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and file your $90 information report every two years.

Maya The links to both services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new Kansas LLC.