How to Start an LLC in Mississippi (2026)
To start an LLC in Mississippi, you submit a Certificate of Formation to the Mississippi Secretary of State's Business Services Division. The fee is $50, filed online through the state's own system. Mississippi charges no fee for a domestic LLC's annual report.
This guide walks a first-time founder through forming a new Mississippi LLC step by step, then covers what the state expects afterward. Moving an LLC from another state into Mississippi works differently, with a different form and fee than the steps below.
Quick Summary
- Check your name before you pay. Mississippi rejects any Certificate of Formation whose name isn't distinguishable from one already on file.
- You can serve as your own registered agent. Just remember that address becomes part of the public filing.
- File your annual report every year. Miss it long enough and the state can administratively dissolve your LLC.
Mississippi LLC Requirements at a Glance
The table below shows what Mississippi requires to form an LLC. It also covers what you must do to keep it in good standing.
| LLC requirement | State-specific answer |
|---|---|
| Filing document | Certificate of Formation of MS LLC, generated inside the online filing system rather than downloaded as a standalone PDF |
| Filing authority | Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| State filing fee | $50 |
| Online filing | Yes, business.sos.ms.gov; paper filing by mail is also allowed |
| Processing time | Immediate online for simple filings, up to 24 hours if reviewed; mail is much slower |
| Registered agent | MS resident or authorized business entity at the registered office address; new agents must give written consent |
| Annual report | No fee for a domestic LLC, due April 15 each year; a foreign LLC's annual report is $250 |
| Publication required? | No formation notice required. The Act's only newspaper notice is an optional post-dissolution creditor-claims notice |
| State business tax | None by default. A Mississippi LLC follows its federal tax classification and owes state tax only if it elects corporate treatment |
| Last verified | September 3, 2026 |
Filing the Certificate of Formation in Mississippi: What to Expect
Here's exactly what happens when you file, from what the form asks for to what lands in your inbox once it's approved.
1. What the form asks for
The online form asks for basic facts: your LLC's name, your registered agent's name and street and mailing address and an NAICS code describing your business activity.
You'll also need an email address for your account. The state sends your stamped document there. It sends any notices there too.
You can set a future end date for the LLC if you want one. If not, you just sign and certify the filing.
2. Fee and payment methods
The fee is $50. Pay it online by credit card, e-check or a pre-registered ACH bank account. Mississippi takes American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover for card payments.
You can skip paying online, too. Fill out the form on the portal. Print it out. Mail it in with a check.
3. Processing times
| Filing method | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Online | Immediate for straightforward filings. Up to 24 hours for filings the SOS staff must review |
| Not published as a specific day count. The SOS states only that paper filings mailed in will take significantly longer to process than online filings | |
| In person | Not offered. The SOS Business FAQs describe only online submission and mail-in paper forms, with no walk-in filing option |
| Expedited | Not offered |
| Current state estimate | Not published. The SOS posts no dated backlog or current-turnaround notice beyond the standard immediate or 24-hour online rule |
File online and a simple filing gets approved right away. One that needs a closer look from state staff takes longer. Expect up to 24 hours in that case.
The state doesn't give an exact time for mailed filings. It just says they take much longer than online ones. For a broader look at timing, see how long it takes to form an LLC in Mississippi.
4. Where to file by mail or in person
Mississippi doesn't offer walk-in filing. Everything goes through the online portal. If you choose the paper route instead, mail your printed form and check to Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services, 125 S. Congress Street, Jackson, MS 39201.
5. Common reasons filings are rejected
The Secretary of State doesn't publish a checklist of rejection reasons. If something's wrong, you get an emailed note about the issue. Then you can fix it and resubmit.
6. What you receive when it is approved
Once it's filed, you get a copy of the stamped document by email. You also get a payment invoice. Keep both for your records. The state returns all documents by email, never on paper.
How to Start an LLC in Mississippi: 5 Steps
Forming a Mississippi LLC takes five steps: choosing a name, appointing a registered agent, filing your paperwork, adopting an operating agreement and getting an EIN. Do them in order.
Step 1: Choose and check your LLC name
Your name must include "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "limited liability company" [1]. It has to look different from every other name on file with the state. Words like "bank," "insurance," "trust," or "corporation" aren't allowed in an LLC name.
Look up an LLC in Mississippi to check availability first. If you're not ready to file yet, you can reserve the name for $25. The reservation lasts 180 days.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every Mississippi LLC needs a registered agent. The agent needs a physical address in the state. It can be a Mississippi resident or a business allowed to operate here. That address has to match your listed registered office.
You, a co-owner or a manager can fill this role at no cost. Or hire a registered agent service in Mississippi to keep your address private. If you need to swap agents later, here's how to change your registered agent in Mississippi.
Step 3: File the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State
Once your name and agent are set, file the Certificate of Formation online. Pay the fee at the same time. The next section covers what the form asks for, how to pay and what you get back.
If you'd rather not file it yourself, a Mississippi LLC formation service can do it for you. Our how to start an LLC guide covers the general process too.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Mississippi law doesn't require a written operating agreement. It can be spoken, or even just understood among the members. No one has to sign anything. Skip it, though, and state law fills the gap instead.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An EIN from the IRS is free and takes just a few minutes at irs.gov, with the number arriving right away once you're approved. You'll need one to open a bank account, hire employees or register for most Mississippi tax accounts.
Mississippi-Specific Rules That Change the Process
A few Mississippi rules go beyond the basic steps above. They shape how you name, run and register your LLC.
1. Naming rules and restricted words
Your name needs "LLC" or "L.L.C." in it. Beyond that, Mississippi won't let you use words like "bank," "banker," "insurance," "trust," or "corporation."
Mississippi doesn't make you publish a notice of your new LLC in a newspaper. Some other states do. If you need to change your name later, see how to change your LLC name in Mississippi.
2. Professional LLC rules
Licensed professionals, like doctors, lawyers or accountants, can use Mississippi's separate PLLC option under the LLC Act. Its name has to include "professional limited liability company," "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC."
Only people licensed in that field can be members. Other qualifying PLLCs can join too. A PLLC can't offer any service beyond what its own formation paperwork lists.
3. What the certificate discloses about members and managers
Mississippi's Certificate of Formation asks for just two things: your LLC's name, and your registered agent's name and address. Member and manager names don't go on the form at all, which keeps ownership details off the public record at formation.
4. Registering a foreign LLC
If you already formed your LLC in another state and want to do business in Mississippi too, register it as a foreign LLC. File an Application for Registration with the Secretary of State. The fee is $250, well above the domestic rate.
5. No general state business license
Mississippi has no general state business license. If you sell goods or services, you may need a sales tax permit instead. Your city or county may also require its own local license.
6. Reinstatement after administrative dissolution
Miss enough obligations and the state can shut your LLC down: an unpaid fee, a missing registered agent or a report more than 60 days late. You then get 60 more days, after written notice, to fix the problem.
If the state shuts your LLC down anyway, reinstating it costs $50 for a domestic LLC. You'll also need a tax clearance letter from the Department of Revenue first. If you're winding down instead, see how to dissolve an LLC in Mississippi.
What to Do After Your Mississippi LLC Is Approved
Once your Certificate of Formation is filed, a few things still need your attention. Use your filed certificate and your EIN to open a business bank account.
Next, check whether your business needs a license. Mississippi has no general state license, so check the Department of Revenue for tax-specific permits, like a sales tax permit. Check with your city or county for a local license too.
Register with the Department of Revenue for the taxes that apply to you. Use its Taxpayer Access Point. See filing LLC taxes in Mississippi for the full picture.
A default LLC follows its federal tax setup. It owes no separate state franchise tax. Only an LLC taxed as a corporation owes that tax, on top of income tax [2].
Keep your books separate from your personal money from day one. Put the annual report on your calendar too. It's free for a domestic LLC. But going more than 60 days past the deadline puts your LLC at risk of dissolution.
| Compliance item | Deadline, fee and department |
|---|---|
| Initial report | None required. The LLC Act's Article 2 formation provisions include only the annual report, with no separate initial report or initial list requirement |
| Annual or biennial report | No fee (domestic), due April 15 each year, filed online with the Secretary of State's Business Services Division |
| State tax registration | Registers with the Mississippi Department of Revenue through the Taxpayer Access Point for whichever taxes apply, such as sales tax or employer withholding |
| Renewal deadline | Not applicable. Mississippi has no statewide general business license to renew |
| Late fee | No late fee on the report itself, but a missed report can lead to administrative dissolution starting 60 days after the due date |
| Responsible state department | Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division (filings); Mississippi Department of Revenue (state taxes) |
What It Costs to Start an LLC in Mississippi
Here's every fee Mississippi charges to form and run an LLC. Handle the paperwork yourself, and you can skip most of them.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 |
| Name reservation | $25, reserves the name for 180 days |
| Registered agent | $0 if a member, manager or MS resident serves; no published commercial-agent fee |
| Certified copy | Not published. The Business Services fee list has no certified-copy or certificate-of-existence line item for LLCs |
| Expedited filing | Not offered. No expedite tier is listed for LLC filings, since standard online filing is already same-day or immediate for most submissions |
| Annual report | No fee for a domestic LLC, due April 15 each year; a foreign LLC's annual report is $250 |
| Other mandatory state fees | None. The $50 Certificate of Formation fee is the only fee the state requires to form the LLC. Name reservation and registered-agent filings are optional |
Only the Certificate of Formation fee is required. Reserving your name early is optional. Hiring a commercial registered agent is optional too.
Mississippi doesn't charge extra for a faster filing. Online filing is already the fast option. For a full cost breakdown, see what it costs to start an LLC in Mississippi.
FAQs
Is There a Residency Requirement to Form an LLC in Mississippi?
No, there is no residency requirement to form an LLC in Mississippi. Nothing in the LLC Act requires you to live in the state, but you do need a registered agent with a Mississippi address, whether that's yourself, a co-owner or a hired service.
Will My Address Show Up on Public Record If I File in Mississippi?
Yes, your address will show up on public record if you file in Mississippi using your own address as the registered office. Serving as your own registered agent works, but it puts that street address on the state's public filing.
Is an Annual Report Required for a Mississippi LLC?
Yes, an annual report is required for every Mississippi LLC, due April 15 each year through the Secretary of State's Business Services Division.
Does Mississippi Require LLCs to Publish a Notice?
No, Mississippi doesn't require newly formed LLCs to publish a notice. The LLC Act's only newspaper notice applies optionally when a dissolved LLC publishes a creditor claims notice.
What Happens If I Miss the Mississippi Annual Report Deadline?
If you miss the Mississippi annual report deadline, the state can administratively dissolve your LLC after 60 days. Reinstating a foreign LLC then costs $100, twice what a domestic LLC pays.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Mississippi?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent in Mississippi as an owner, co-owner or manager, at no charge. Naming a new agent later requires that agent's written consent.
References:
- https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/documents/pol_res/llcs/1revisedLLCact.pdf
- https://www.dor.ms.gov/business/business-tax-frequently-asked-questions
