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LLC 101 Guide

Course unit 1 · North Dakota

Starting an LLC in North Dakota (2026): 7 Tasks and the 3 Best LLC Services

For setting up an LLC in North Dakota in 2026, this unit puts ND Registered Agents.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) at the top of the class, in that order. 7 tasks make up the unit; the state's own price tag is $135, and the annual report adds $50.

Prepared by the LLC 101 Guide instructors

The quick version

Cost at the state office
$135
Source: sos.nd.gov, read in October 2026
Annual report
$50 a year
Deadline: November 15
State cost, years 1 to 3
$235
Formation, reports and any minimum tax
Unit tasks
7
One by one

Course objectives

  • The North Dakota formation paper, its price and where it goes
  • What the registered agent rule asks for
  • How to stay in good standing
  • Who we would hire to file

The North Dakota honor roll

Five published criteria decide the order; read them on how we grade.

Top of the class

1. ND Registered Agents.org: best for a small first bill

Start with this oneFormation $199, renewal $99 yearly

Start the list with ND Registered Agents.org, because the formation costs $199 beyond the state fee, and the agent renews at $99.

A smaller three-year total than Mainstay Filing earns it first place; cost counts 34%.

The price leaves out the annual report, so that is yours to file every year.

What the price covers

  • The North Dakota formation, prepared and sent
  • A year of agent service is part of the price

What works

  • The agent renews at $99
  • A $199 formation fee
  • No agent fee in year one

What to weigh

  • You prepare the annual report yourself
  • The EIN application is not included ($99)
Visit ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a first year with very little homework

Does most of the workFirst year $199; renewal $199; state fee extra

Mainstay Filing takes second place: one price, $199 a year, pays for the filing, the registered agent and the annual report, and it stays at $199 when you renew.

After three years the total is $200 more than ND Registered Agents.org.

The annual report is part of the service, and the $50 state fee is passed through.

What the price covers

  • Filing made with the state
  • Registered agent for the whole year
  • Annual report filed for you on time
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • State fee billed at cost

What works

  • $199 every year
  • It files your EIN application for you
  • $199 a year covers filing, agent and report

What to weigh

  • After year one it costs $100 more each year
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

3. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for owners who file their own reports

In-state serviceFormation $199, renewal $99 yearly

North Dakota Registered Agent.co takes third place: the formation costs $199 beyond the state fee, and the agent renews at $99.

The price leaves out the annual report, so that is yours to file every year.

ND Registered Agents.org and this service cost the same.

What the price covers

  • The North Dakota formation, prepared and sent
  • A year of agent service is part of the price

What works

  • A $199 formation fee
  • The agent renews at $99
  • No agent fee in year one

What to weigh

  • You prepare the annual report yourself
  • The EIN application is not included ($99)
Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3 services, side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1ND Registered Agents.org$199$99/yr$397Visit ND Registered Agents.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3North Dakota Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Listed prices, read November 13, 2026. Every row also owes the $135 state fee.

The unit, task by task

  1. Task 1

    Choose the LLC's name

    If another North Dakota company already has your name, the filing can come back rejected, so run a search at the North Dakota Secretary of State first.

    A spare name saves a repeat trip if the first is gone.

  2. Task 2

    Assign the registered agent role

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: a North Dakota resident, or an entity registered with the Secretary of State that has a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own agent.

    The address has to be a complete physical address in North Dakota. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

    Every service we recommend here can be your registered agent.

    Source: Source: ndlegis.gov, read in October 2026

  3. Task 3

    Compare doing it alone with paying for help

    The state charges $135 either way. Hiring help adds $199; see the ranked list for the order.

  4. Task 4

    Fill out and send in the Articles of Organization

    Once the North Dakota Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization and $135, the LLC exists, as N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20 provides.

    Source: Source: sos.nd.gov, read in October 2026

  5. Task 5

    Request your EIN

    After North Dakota approves the LLC, ask the IRS for an Employer Identification Number; banks and payroll companies want it. Mainstay Filing does this step for you at no added charge.

  6. Task 6

    Put the ownership rules on paper

    Ownership and decision rules live in the operating agreement, an internal paper that is no part of the North Dakota filing.

  7. Task 7

    Mark the deadlines that repeat

    Put the annual report on your calendar: $50, every year, deadline November 15. A late one costs $50.

    Source: Source: sos.nd.gov, read in August 2026

Costs, task by task

ItemPaid toCost
Setting up the LLCThe state$135
Annual reportThe state$50 every year
Missing the deadlineThe state$50
Paid helpYour service$199 in year one
State fees for the first three yearsThe state$235
To get the three-year state number we add up the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax, and we keep service fees separate.

Why the list runs this way

On course fee across three years (34% of the grade) won out, with right behind.

ND Registered Agents.org comes to $397 across three years, a saving of $200 next to Mainstay Filing.

Questions students ask

What is the North Dakota state fee for a new LLC?

North Dakota bills $135. Hire a service and add $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

Look for the Articles of Organization; the North Dakota Secretary of State is where it goes.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does North Dakota require each year?

North Dakota asks for the annual report every year at $50, and it gives the deadline as November 15.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

Yes. You pay the state $135 when you file, and the LLC still needs a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

The order is ND Registered Agents.org, Mainstay Filing and North Dakota Registered Agent.co, and ND Registered Agents.org is first since $199 above the state fee, agent included for year one, then $99 a year.

Reading list and sources

  1. Further reading on North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: our unit draws on sos.nd.gov, which we reopened in August 2026 so you can compare it with the original.
  2. Further reading on North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: our unit draws on sos.nd.gov, which we reopened in August 2026 so you can compare it with the original.
  3. Further reading on North Dakota report due date: our unit draws on ndlegis.gov, which we reopened in August 2026 so you can compare it with the original.
  4. Further reading on North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source: our unit draws on sos.nd.gov, which we reopened in October 2026 so you can compare it with the original.
  5. Further reading on North Dakota registered agent statute: our unit draws on ndlegis.gov, which we reopened in October 2026 so you can compare it with the original.
  6. pricing page of ND Registered Agents.org, taken on November 13, 2026
  7. North Dakota service page of Mainstay Filing, taken on November 13, 2026
  8. pricing page of North Dakota Registered Agent.co, taken on November 13, 2026