[0:00] The short answer Dan: To start an LLC in Missouri, you file Articles of Organization, which is Form LLC 1, with the Missouri Secretary of State. It's $50 online, or $105 on paper. Maya: Is there a yearly filing after that? Dan: Here's the good news. Missouri LLCs file no annual report. Maya: This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, Missouri for 2026, in six steps, with what it costs, and the three best ways to have it filed for you. Where should we begin? [0:32] Step 1: Choose a name Dan: The name must include limited company, limited liability company, LLC, or L.C. Maya: Can I use corporation or incorporated? Dan: No. Corporation, incorporated, and limited partnership aren't allowed. Maya: And it has to be unique? Dan: It has to be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records. The Business Entity Search is free, so check there first. Maya: Can I hold a name while I get ready? Dan: Yes. A reservation is $25 and lasts 60 days. You can renew it twice. [1:08] Step 2: Name a registered agent Maya: Who can be my agent? Dan: A Missouri resident, or a corporation authorized to do business in Missouri. Maya: Where does the agent's address come in? Dan: The agent's business office is your registered office. Maya: Can that be a P.O. box? Dan: Only alongside a street address. Maya: Is it all public? Dan: The agent's name and address are, yes. That's why many owners go with a commercial agent. And if you change agents later, it's $10. [1:36] Step 3: File Articles of Organization Maya: Where do I file? Dan: Online, through Missouri Business Filings. You submit Form LLC 1 and pay $50 by card, plus a small card convenience fee. Maya: I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan. Dan: Nice to meet you, Maya. The form asks for quite a bit. The name, the purpose, your registered agent, and whether members or managers run the company. Maya: Anything else? Dan: How long the LLC lasts, and each organizer, who all sign. Maya: How fast is it? Dan: Many online filings are processed right after you submit. Maya: And on paper? Dan: It's $105. That's $55 more than online. [2:17] Step 4: Write an operating agreement Maya: Does Missouri want a copy of mine? Dan: No. You keep it with your records. It isn't filed with the state. Maya: But I do need one? Dan: Missouri law says members shall adopt one. So write it down. Maya: What goes in it? Dan: Who owns what, how profits are split, who makes decisions, and what happens if a member leaves. [2:39] Step 5: Get a free EIN Maya: What's the federal step? Dan: An EIN, free, from the IRS at IRS.gov. Wait until the Secretary of State has filed your Articles. Maya: How quickly do I get it? Dan: If the online application is approved, the IRS issues the number 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 one from U.S. companies. [3:09] Step 6: No annual report, but stay current Maya: So what keeps a Missouri LLC in good standing? Dan: Keeping your registered agent in place. There's no annual report and no yearly Secretary of State fee. Maya: That's rare, isn't it? Dan: It's a real perk. But there's one more thing to watch. Maya: Taxes? Dan: Yes. If you sell taxable goods or services, or you have employees, register with the Department of Revenue for sales tax or withholding. [3:35] What it costs Maya: Give me the do-it-yourself total. Dan: $50 to form online, plus that small card fee. Maya: And after that? Dan: Nothing to the Secretary of State. No annual report fee. Maya: And the EIN? Dan: Free. Maya: Any optional costs? Dan: A $25 name reservation, and $10 to change your agent. Maya: So what's the all-in first year? Dan: $50 plus the card fee. If you add both extras, it's $85 plus the card fee. [4:07] Online or paper Maya: Compare the two ways to file for me. Dan: Online is $50. Paper is $105. Maya: So paper costs $55 more. Dan: And it's slower, because many online filings are processed right after submission. Maya: Is there any reason to choose paper? Dan: Nothing in the numbers. Online costs less, and the small card fee doesn't change that. [4:30] Choosing your registered agent Maya: Let me push on the agent. Why not just list myself? Dan: If you live in Missouri, you can. A Missouri resident qualifies. Maya: What's the downside? Dan: Your name and address go on the public record. Maya: And with a commercial agent? Dan: Their office is the registered office, so your home doesn't have to be. Maya: What if I want a P.O. box? Dan: Pair it with a street address. The box alone doesn't work. [4:54] What the form asks for Maya: Take me through Form LLC 1. Dan: The name and the purpose come first. Then your registered agent. Maya: And management? Dan: You say whether members or managers run the LLC, and how long it lasts. Maya: Who signs? Dan: Each organizer. Everyone listed signs. Maya: It sounds like a few decisions to make before I log in. Dan: Exactly. Settle those first, and the online filing goes quickly. [5:19] Taxes beyond the EIN Maya: Does the EIN cover my state taxes? Dan: Not entirely. If you sell taxable goods or services, you register with the Department of Revenue for sales tax. Maya: And with employees? Dan: Withholding registration, also with the Department of Revenue. Maya: Is this a Secretary of State step? Dan: No. It's separate from your Articles, and it only applies if you sell taxable goods or have staff. [5:44] What no annual report means Maya: Let me press on the no annual report part. Is nothing ever due? Dan: Nothing to the Secretary of State on a schedule. No annual report, and no yearly fee. Maya: So what do I keep up? Dan: Your registered agent. Maya: And the cost of staying formed? Dan: The state side is zero after the first $50. Maya: That makes the comparison with a service simple. Dan: It does. You're really paying a service for the agent and the filing work. [6:11] First-year checklist Maya: Give me the order of operations. Dan: Search the name. Choose your agent. File Form LLC 1 online for $50. Write your operating agreement and get your EIN. Maya: And after that? Dan: Register with the Department of Revenue if you need to, and keep your agent current. [6:29] The 3 best ways to file in Missouri Maya: What if I'd rather have someone else handle it? Dan: Here are the three best ways to file in Missouri. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $50 state fee, checkout comes to $249. Maya: What does that cover? Dan: Your Form LLC 1 filed, your EIN application, and your registered agent every year. It renews at the same $199. Maya: Number two? Dan: MO Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Articles for $199 plus the state fee, also $249 at checkout. The first year of agent service is free, then it's $99 a year. Maya: And number three? Dan: Missouri Registered Agent.co. Same offer. $199 plus the state fee, first year of agent service free, then $99 a year. Maya: How do I decide? Dan: Missouri has no annual report. So from year two, numbers two and three cost less, at $99 a year for the agent alone, against $199 a year for Mainstay. [7:39] Three years of service fees Maya: Show me the three-year math. Dan: Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597. Number two or three is $199 in year one, then $99 in each of the next two years, for $397. Maya: A $200 difference. Dan: Yes. With Mainstay, it buys you a registered agent at one flat price that renews the same. [8:04] Recap Maya: Can I hear the whole thing once more? Dan: Choose a name with LLC in it, name a registered agent at a Missouri street address, file Form LLC 1 online for $50, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and keep your agent current. There's no annual report. Maya: The links to all three services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new Missouri LLC.