How Much Does an LLC Cost in Minnesota (Pricing Breakdown)

Published by Jon Morgan | Co-Founder & Chief Editor

Last updated: August 20, 2026

FACT CHECKED by Aran Quinn, CPA, Esq., LL.M

Methodology
We meticulously research and verify the information presented in our articles. By consulting reliable sources and ensuring factual accuracy, we are committed to providing readers with well-informed, trustworthy content.

Forming a Minnesota LLC starts with one required payment. It's the Articles of Organization filing fee. That fee falls somewhere between $135 and $155. It depends on how you file. The exact split is covered in the first section below.

Everything past that lands on a different clock. Some costs come back every year, like taxes. Others only apply if you make certain choices later. Hiring a registered agent is one example. Reserving your name ahead of time is another.

Below is the full breakdown. It's sorted by whether you pay it once, every year, or only if it applies to your business.

Quick Summary

One-Time Costs to Form a Minnesota LLC

These costs get your LLC on the books, paid a single time during formation. A second, related filing is optional. It's usually handled before the Articles of Organization ever reach the Secretary of State.

1. Articles of Organization Fee ($135-$155 - Mandatory)

Filing the Articles of Organization costs $135 by mail. It costs $155 if you file online or in person instead. Both routes register your LLC. The price gap just reflects how fast the state handles each one.

That $155 online-or-in-person tier already covers expedited handling. The Secretary of State typically turns an online filing around in 2 to 5 business days. An in-person filing gets processed the same day, right at the counter.

Mail is the slower route. Budget roughly 3 to 4 weeks once you factor in processing and delivery time. Planning around a specific date? Check the full timeline for how long it takes to form an LLC in Minnesota first.

2. Name Reservation Fee ($35-$55 - Optional)

Not ready to file yet, but want to lock in your business name? A Name Reservation form costs $35 by mail or $55 online and in person. The state holds the name for up to 12 months. You can renew for another 12 at the same price.

Confirm the name is actually available before you pay for this. Run a Minnesota business name search first. Reserving a name someone else already holds just wastes the fee.

Recurring Costs to Keep a Minnesota LLC in Good Standing

Once your LLC exists, a short list of costs keeps repeating on the calendar. Some apply no matter what your business does. Others hinge on how you choose to be taxed.

Every state charges something for this kind of upkeep. See the full state-by-state list to compare Minnesota's figures against the rest.

1. Annual Renewal ($0 - Mandatory)

Every Minnesota LLC files an Annual Renewal to stay active. There's no fee for it. Just submit it by December 31 each year.

Skip that deadline, and the state administratively terminates the LLC [1]. Reinstating it costs $25 by mail, or $45 online and in person. Set a calendar reminder for this one. It's a free filing, and free filings are easy to forget.

2. Minnesota LLC Taxes (Varies by Income and Election - Mandatory)

By default, single- and multi-member LLCs are taxed as pass-through entities in Minnesota. Business income flows through to your personal return. It gets taxed at the state's individual income tax rate. That rate runs 5.35% to 9.85%, depending on your bracket.

You'll also owe federal self-employment tax if you're actively working in the business. That rate is 15.3% total. It splits into 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.

Elect corporate taxation instead, and the math changes. You're looking at Minnesota's flat 9.8% corporate franchise tax. Add the 21% federal corporate rate on top of that. Most single-member LLCs stick with pass-through status instead. It's simpler, and it's usually cheaper.

Optional Costs for a Minnesota LLC

1. Registered Agent Service ($80-$300 a Year - Optional)

A Minnesota LLC must maintain a registered office with a physical, in-state street address [2]. A P.O. box doesn't count. Naming a registered agent at that office is optional [3].

Say you don't list one. Or your agent can't be found there when needed. Either way, the Secretary of State steps in as your LLC's agent for service of process.

Most owners still name an agent anyway. They don't rely on that fallback. You can act as your own registered agent for free.

Or you can hire registered agent services in Minnesota for $80 to $300 a year. A paid service is worth considering if you run the business from home. It keeps your address off the public record.

2. Business License (Varies - Mandatory if Applicable)

Minnesota doesn't require a general business license at the state level. You may still need specific licenses or permits, though. It depends on your industry and where you operate.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development's licensing and permits page is a good starting point. Use it to figure out what applies to your business. Confirm your requirements before you open. Compliance penalties for skipping a required permit aren't worth the risk.

3. Operating Agreement ($0-$200 - Optional, but Recommended)

Minnesota doesn't require you to file an operating agreement with the state. There's no state fee attached to it. Going without one is still risky, though.

It leaves ownership splits and voting rules undefined. Exit terms stay undefined too, right when a dispute would need them spelled out.

Without one, your LLC defaults to Minnesota's state LLC statutes. Those default rules may not reflect how you actually want to run things.

A free template gets the job done at zero cost (linked in the cost summary table above). See how to start an LLC in Minnesota for the full formation walkthrough this document fits into. Paying a lawyer to draft one instead usually runs $100 to $200. That's still far below a typical hourly attorney bill.

4. Certificate of Assumed Name ($30-$50 - Optional)

An assumed name is also called a DBA. It lets your Minnesota LLC operate under a name other than its legal registered name. Registering one costs $30 by mail or $50 online and in person.

Once the Secretary of State approves it, you'll receive a Certificate of Assumed Name. That lets you legally do business under that name. If you're branding under anything other than your LLC's official name, you'll need this filing.

5. Certified Document Copies ($8-$18 - Optional)

The Minnesota Secretary of State charges $8 for certified document copies ordered by mail or in person. Online orders cost $18. These are official duplicates of your business documents, verified and sealed by the state.

You'll need certified copies for things like opening a business bank account. Securing a line of credit is another common reason. Registering your company in another state often calls for one too. They're also worth keeping on file for your own records.

6. Certificate of Good Standing ($5-$15 - Optional)

A Certificate of Good Standing costs $5 by mail or in person, or $15 online. It's a state-issued document confirming your LLC is legally registered and in compliance in Minnesota.

Investors often want to see one before they invest. Banks frequently require it for loans. Plan to expand into other states? You'll need it there too. It's a cheap document that carries real weight.

7. Business Insurance Premiums (Varies - Optional but Recommended)

Minnesota law requires workers' compensation insurance once your LLC has employees. You'd buy it through a private insurer. Skip it, and you're on the hook. A hurt worker becomes real financial exposure fast.

Premiums depend on your insurer and the risk level of the work your employees do. Low-risk office roles cost far less to insure than physically demanding jobs.

8. Employer Identification Number ($0 - Required for Some)

Many Minnesota businesses need an EIN to file federal taxes, open a bank account, or hire staff. You can get one directly from the IRS for free. Just submit the application online, and it typically finishes in minutes.

A multi-member LLC needs one regardless. A single-member LLC can often wait until a bank or a hiring decision calls for it. Most LLC formation services will handle EIN registration for a fee of $50 to $100. But the IRS application is quick enough to do yourself.

FAQs

References:

1. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/322C.0705
2. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/5.36
3. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/322C.0201