Kansas LLC Filing Fees and Requirements

Filing fee: $160 online / $165 by mail

Processing time: Immediate for online filings; 2–3 business days additional for mailed filings

State agency: Kansas Secretary of State

Annual report due: Biennial Information Report due April 15 of the applicable odd or even year

State tax rate: No state franchise tax; state income tax and sales/use tax may apply depending on business activity

Forming an LLC in Kansas requires filing Articles of Organization with the Kansas Secretary of State, paying a state filing fee of $160 online or $165 by mail, designating a registered agent with a Kansas street address, and meeting ongoing requirements that include a biennial Information Report. Kansas has no state franchise tax, which keeps the long-term cost of staying in good standing lower than in many other states.

Articles of Organization and filing fees

To form a Kansas LLC, you file Articles of Organization (form DL) with the Kansas Secretary of State. Online filing costs $160 and is processed immediately. Mailing a paper form costs $165 and adds 2–3 business days to processing after the state receives it. Online is faster and slightly cheaper — most people file online.

The Articles of Organization form asks for your LLC's legal name, the name and Kansas street address of your registered agent, your principal office mailing address, and whether the LLC will be member-managed or manager-managed. Getting the management structure right at formation matters — changing it later requires an amendment filing.

LLC name requirements

Your LLC's name must be distinguishable from all other business entities on file with the Kansas Secretary of State. Check availability before you file using the Secretary of State's Name Availability search tool. A name that looks unique to you can still be rejected if it's too similar to an existing entity.

Kansas law requires the name to include a word of formation — "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." Certain words like "bank," "insurance," and "trust" are restricted and require additional licensing or approval before you can use them. Kansas does not have a state-level DBA registration system, so if you want to operate under a different name, you'd need to amend your legal name with the Secretary of State rather than file a trade name.

Registered agent requirement

Every Kansas LLC must maintain a registered agent — called a "resident agent" in Kansas — with a physical street address in the state. A P.O. box does not satisfy this requirement. The registered agent receives service of process, legal notices, and official state correspondence on behalf of your LLC during normal business hours.

You can serve as your own registered agent if you have a Kansas street address and are available during business hours. Many business owners use a professional registered agent service instead — it keeps your personal address off public records and ensures you don't miss a legal notice if you're traveling or working offsite.

Employer Identification Number

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. You'll need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal and state taxes. The IRS issues EINs at no cost through its online application at irs.gov/ein. Most applicants get their EIN the same day.

Even if your LLC has no employees right now, getting an EIN keeps your Social Security number off business documents and makes it easier to open accounts and apply for credit later.

Biennial Information Report

Kansas replaced its annual report requirement with a biennial Information Report, effective for filings beginning in 2024. For-profit LLCs file every 2 years by April 15. Whether you file in odd or even years depends on when your LLC was formed — entities formed in even years file in subsequent even years, and entities formed in odd years file in subsequent odd years.

The switch from annual to biennial reporting is one of the things that catches Kansas LLC owners off guard — especially those who formed their business before 2024 and are used to filing every year. Check the Secretary of State's Information Reports page to confirm your specific filing year.

State tax obligations

Kansas repealed its franchise tax effective tax year 2011, so Kansas LLCs don't owe a franchise tax. That said, your LLC may still have state tax obligations depending on what your business does. If you sell taxable goods or services, you'll need to register for a Kansas sales tax permit with the Kansas Department of Revenue. If you have employees, you'll need to register for employer withholding tax.

Register for state business taxes through the Kansas Department of Revenue's online Customer Service Center. A tax professional can help you figure out which registrations apply to your specific business activities.

Foreign LLC registration

If your LLC was formed in another state but you want to do business in Kansas, you need to register as a foreign LLC with the Kansas Secretary of State. This is a separate filing from forming a domestic LLC and carries its own state fee. You'll still need a Kansas registered agent with a physical street address in the state.

Business licenses and permits

Kansas doesn't issue a single general business license at the state level. What you need depends on your industry, your location, and the type of work you do. Some professions — things like contractors, healthcare providers, and financial services — require state-level licenses. Local governments may have their own permit requirements on top of that.

Check with the Kansas Business Center and your local city or county office to figure out which licenses apply to your business before you start operating.

Operating agreement

Kansas does not require LLCs to have an operating agreement, and you don't file one with the state. Even so, having one is worth the effort. An operating agreement sets out how your LLC is managed, how profits and losses are divided, and how decisions get made — details that matter most when something goes wrong or a member wants to exit.

Without an operating agreement, your LLC falls back on Kansas's default LLC statutes, which may not reflect how you actually want to run your business.