--- title: "Best LLC Formation Services in North Dakota" canonical: https://startupowl.com/start/llc-services-north-dakota last_updated: "September 16, 2026" --- # Best LLC Formation Services in North Dakota Northwest is our top pick, saving you time on the $135 filing and keeping annual compliance on track. - Services Compared: 6 ## How We Chose the Best LLC Services for North Dakota We compared each service at North Dakota's $135 filing fee, though the state publishes no processing time estimate. We judged each service on what North Dakota actually asks. Two state rules carry the weight. The Articles of Organization name no members or managers, so who signs as organizer is a real decision. And the state recognizes series under NDCC 10-32.1-102, so we checked whether a service can file for one. We also compared agent pricing and the November annual report. Two North Dakota rules shape which service is worth paying. The **Articles of Organization do not ask for member or manager names**, so your name can stay off the founding document. That privacy lasts one filing. The annual report names your managers a year later. The state also recognizes series under [NDCC 10-32.1-102](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf), so one parent LLC can hold separate series. A service that knows both beats a cheap one that knows neither. ## Quick Comparison of All 6 Services | Service | Price | Best For | Rating | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Northwest Registered Agent](https://startupowl.com/go/northwest-registered-agent?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $39 + state fees | Founders who want a complete business setup (formation, address, domain, email, website, phone) in one $39 entry package. | 4.8 | | [ZenBusiness](https://startupowl.com/go/zenbusiness?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $0 + state fees | First-time founders needing an easy, guided, and affordable LLC setup | 4.5 | | [Tailor Brands](https://startupowl.com/go/tailor-brands?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $0 + state fees | First-time founders who want LLC filing and basic branding tools in one place. | 4.2 | | [FileNow](https://startupowl.com/go/filenow?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $49 + state fees | Entrepreneurs who want a clean, upsell free checkout and will take the $199 Premium plan to get 24-hour processing. | 4.2 | | [Swyft Filings](https://startupowl.com/go/swyft-filings?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $0 + state fees | Founders needing fast turnaround who can navigate heavy upsells. | 3.2 | | [LegalZoom](https://startupowl.com/go/legalzoom?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) | From $0 + state fees | Founders prioritizing brand recognition and access to an extensive legal document library. | 2.8 | ## Full Reviews ### Northwest Registered Agent [Northwest Registered Agent](https://startupowl.com/go/northwest-registered-agent?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Best Overall | From $39 | 4.8 A transparent LLC formation service that bundles a complete business identity (address, domain, email, phone, website) into a $39 entry package. Northwest is our top pick for LLC formation. The $39 package carries a business address, domain, website, email, phone line and mail scanning, plus the filing itself and a year of registered agent service. An EIN and a prepared operating agreement sit in the $139 package, not this one. It is privately held, and the Corporate Guides know the state rules they are quoting. The dashboard is plain rather than polished. At $125 a year to renew, that is a fair trade. In interviews with founders who used Northwest, one kept costs down by skipping the paid EIN add-on and applying to the IRS directly. **Best For:** Founders who want a complete business setup (formation, address, domain, email, website, phone) in one $39 entry package. **Pros** - The $39 entry package covers the state filing and a full year of registered agent service. - Business Identity comes free, a business address, domain, hosted website, email address and phone line. - Agent renewal has held at $125 a year for 20 years, with no contract and cancellation at any time. - Registered agent mail is scanned and uploaded to your account at no extra charge. - Every filing carries a 100% error-free guarantee, and Northwest files any correcting amendment at no cost. - U.S.-based Corporate Guides who actually answer the phone. **Cons** - An EIN and a prepared operating agreement need the $139 Deluxe package, not the $39 one. - Same-day processing only comes with the $199 Premium package. - The free business address includes 10 mail scans a year of ordinary mail, and each additional piece you want to view costs $15. - Customer support is not available on weekends. - Online cancellation process can be cumbersome. - The free phone line only works through Northwest's Android or iOS app, and extra numbers have no published price. ### ZenBusiness [ZenBusiness](https://startupowl.com/go/zenbusiness?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Best for LLC Formation | From $0 | 4.5 ZenBusiness files your LLC for $0. The add-ons are where it earns. ZenBusiness runs the smoothest filing in this category. The setup walks a first-time founder through every step, and the dashboard chases your deadlines for you. Starter is $0 and never renews, so a founder who buys nothing else pays the state and stops. The catch sits beside it. Pro renews at $199 a year and Premium at $299, and on Starter the EIN, the operating agreement and the agent are each priced on their own. A strong pick if you want a polished filing and you read the cart before you pay. Founders liked getting formation, the EIN and the S corp election in one place, and one who kept the services said yearly cost was about $398. **Best For:** First-time founders needing an easy, guided, and affordable LLC setup **Pros** - Starter is $0, you pay only the state fee - The dashboard is the clearest we have used - Phone support runs 7 days a week - A free first year of Worry-Free Compliance on Starter - Good iOS app, 4.5 stars from 1.8K ratings; Android is 4.2 from 970 reviews **Cons** - Heavy push for add-ons at checkout - The registered agent is $199 a year on every tier including Premium, and on Starter the EIN and operating agreement cost $99 each on top - Renewals climb, Pro at $199 a year and Premium at $299 - Auto-renewing subscriptions are hard to cancel ### Tailor Brands [Tailor Brands](https://startupowl.com/go/tailor-brands?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Best for Branding | From $0 | 4.2 Tailor Brands bundles logo design and a website into LLC formation, then charges $199 a year for the registered agent almost everyone needs. Formation is the free part. The logo and website builders are easy to use, and the guided setup is beginner friendly. The catch is checkout. Plan prices stay hidden until the end, a $39 a month bookkeeping trial comes pre-checked, and the registered agent most founders need costs $199 a year. That puts the real first-year cost at $199 plus your state's filing fee. If you want branding and formation together, it works. If you only need the LLC, Northwest files for a flat $39 with no upsells. Founders liked the interface and admin dashboard, but one mentioned an automatic renewal charged after about a year of no use, and they received only a partial refund. **Best For:** First-time founders who want LLC filing and basic branding tools in one place. **Pros** - Free Lite plan files the LLC for $0 plus your state fee - Beginner-friendly dashboard that is easy to navigate - Built-in logo maker and website builder in one dashboard - Customer support available on weekends - Guided questionnaire walks you through setup **Cons** - Plan prices stay hidden until the end of the questionnaire - Pre-checked $39 a month bookkeeping trial you must cancel yourself - Registered agent service costs $199 a year, more than budget rivals ### FileNow [FileNow](https://startupowl.com/go/filenow?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Best for Speed | From $49 | 4.2 FileNow files fast and sells cleanly, but the 24-hour processing its reputation rests on sits in the $199 Premium plan, not the $49 Starter. FileNow runs the cleanest checkout in this category. Two plans, no pre-checked add-ons, no hidden fees, and every price visible before you commit. The speed is real but it is priced. FileNow's own plan comparison puts 24-hour order processing inside the $199 Premium plan and values it at $50, and same day filing is a separate $75 to $150 add-on on either plan. The $49 Starter files your Articles and runs the name search, nothing more, and the registered agent costs $119 a year on top of it. Premium bundles the agent for a free first year, the EIN, an operating agreement, a banking resolution and contract templates, which FileNow lists at $443 of value against the $199 price. **Best For:** Entrepreneurs who want a clean, upsell free checkout and will take the $199 Premium plan to get 24-hour processing. **Pros** - Checkout is transparent, no pre-checked add-ons and no hidden fees - Premium at $199 includes 24-hour processing, a free agent year, the EIN and an operating agreement - Two plans only, so the choice takes a minute - Support runs on phone, chat and email - Every plan price is shown per state before you start **Cons** - No free formation tier, the entry plan is $49 - 24-hour processing belongs to Premium, the $49 Starter does not carry it - Same day filing is an extra $75 to $150 on either plan - Starter leaves out the registered agent, which is $119 a year - No ongoing compliance dashboard ### Swyft Filings [Swyft Filings](https://startupowl.com/go/swyft-filings?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Best for Fast Filing | From $0 | 3.2 Swyft Filings offers exceptionally fast processing speeds, but you must navigate a minefield of expensive upsells during checkout. Swyft Filings lives up to its name by offering some of the fastest LLC formation times on the market. Their 5-step setup process is simple and easy for beginners to understand. However, their aggressive upsells and missing registered agent service make their $0 starting price highly deceptive. We recommend them only if you desperately need same-day processing and know exactly which add-ons to decline. **Best For:** Founders needing fast turnaround who can navigate heavy upsells. **Pros** - Exceptionally fast processing speeds - Streamlined 5-step application interface - Knowledgeable and responsive phone support - Basic package starts at $0 plus state fees - No confusing legal jargon during setup **Cons** - Registered agent service is billed quarterly at $149, which is $596 a year - Aggressive multi-page upsell flow - Difficult cancellation process for ongoing subscriptions ### LegalZoom [LegalZoom](https://startupowl.com/go/legalzoom?src=startupowl.com%2Fstart%2Fllc-services-north-dakota.md_card) Most Recognized | From $0 | 2.8 A famous name with an aggressive checkout process and expensive recurring fees. LegalZoom relies heavily on its brand recognition to charge premium prices for basic services. While the platform is easy to navigate and offers excellent legal document libraries, the checkout process is a maze of expensive upsells and auto-renewing trials. We do not recommend it if you are on a budget. You will end up paying significantly more for registered agent and compliance services than you would with competitors. Founders who used LegalZoom said the formation itself was easy, then got a surprise about a year later with a registered agent renewal of about $299. **Best For:** Founders prioritizing brand recognition and access to an extensive legal document library. **Pros** - Highly intuitive platform that is easy for absolute beginners to navigate. - Access to a massive library of legal documents and forms. - Long-standing brand reputation provides reliability and peace of mind. - Customer support is available seven days a week. - Basic LLC formation is free excluding mandatory state fees. **Cons** - Incredibly aggressive upselling for simple tasks like obtaining an EIN. - Registered agent fees are heavily inflated at $249 per year. - Checkout includes pre-selected free trials that auto-renew at high prices. - Standard processing times are slow unless you pay a $99 expedite fee. ## What Makes a Good LLC Service for North Dakota Founders Every one of these goes to the state, whichever service files for you. The [Secretary of State's LLC fee list](https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-company-llc) sets all four. Read 16 September 2026. North Dakota's **Articles of Organization do not ask for member or manager names**. A formation service or registered agent can sign as organizer, so your name stays off the founding document. The privacy stops there. [NDCC 10-32.1-89](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf) requires every annual report to carry the names and addresses of the managers and governors, or of the managing members. Your first one is due by November 15 of the year after you form. Plan for one filing of privacy, not lasting anonymity. That November date is not everyone's. The Secretary of State sets the annual report deadline by entity type, and the two farm entities file seven months earlier than the rest. North Dakota annual report deadlines by entity type. Source, the Secretary of State's [Maintain Registration](https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/maintain-registration) page, read 16 September 2026.| Entity type | Annual report due | | --- | --- | | Limited liability company (LLC) | November 15 | | Professional limited liability company (PLLC) | November 15 | | Farming or ranching LLC | April 15 | | Authorized livestock farm LLC (ALF LLC) | April 15 | Licensed professionals have a second date coming. From 1 January 2027 a PLLC must file a Certificate of Professional License with its annual report, form SFN 13610, completed by the licensing board for every governor and member who practices the profession. The board fills that form in, not the Secretary of State. Start it early. **Series LLCs are recognized** in North Dakota. One parent LLC can hold separate series, each with its own assets and liabilities. That beats paying $135 per standalone company. One catch. A series created after the parent's articles are filed must be named in [articles of amendment](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/north-dakota/N-D-A-C-72-03-01-02), and that is another $50. Naming is forgiving here. Say the name you want is already registered. North Dakota will still take your filing if the current holder signs a **Consent to Use Business Name**. The fee is $10. A near miss on the [FirstStop portal](https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/) does not send you back to the drawing board. North Dakota has no statewide business license. But sell taxable goods or services and you need a **North Dakota sales and use tax permit** before you collect the state's 5% sales tax. ## What to Do After You File Your North Dakota LLC 1. Get your North Dakota registered agent in place. Your agent must have a **physical street address in North Dakota** (no P.O. boxes). Your LLC cannot be its own agent. 2. Apply for your [federal EIN from the IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online). It is free. Applying online takes minutes. You will need it to open a business bank account and hire employees. 3. File your **Annual Report by November 15 each year** with the [North Dakota Secretary of State](https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/maintain-registration). The fee is **$50**. A farming or ranching LLC files by April 15 instead, and so does an authorized livestock farm LLC. Your first report is not due until the year after the calendar year you formed in. Miss it and the state moves you into Not Good Standing. File the past due report within a year and you can be reinstated. Past that, the company is dissolved or terminated. 4. If you sell taxable goods or services, apply for a **North Dakota sales and use tax permit** through the [Office of State Tax Commissioner](https://www.tax.nd.gov/business/sales-and-use-tax) before making any sales. 5. **Skip the BOI report.** FinCEN exempted every company formed in the United States in March 2025, so a domestic North Dakota LLC files nothing. A final rule made that permanent on 14 August 2026. Only companies formed abroad still report. A letter asking for a fee to file one is a scam, and [FinCEN says so](https://www.fincen.gov/boi). 6. Draft an operating agreement. North Dakota does not require one by law, but banks often ask for it when opening a business account, and it protects your limited liability status in disputes. ## North Dakota LLC Tax Overview North Dakota taxes personal income at three rates, 0%, 1.95% and 2.50%. The 2.50% top rate is set in [NDCC 57-38-30.3](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t57c38.pdf). The rates are fixed in the statute. Only the income bands move, once a year, with the cost of living. Your LLC profit lands on your own return by default. The state tax on it lands there too. There is no franchise tax. There is no capital stock tax either. Nothing is owed to North Dakota simply for existing as an entity. One thing to watch before you elect. Ask the IRS to tax your LLC as a corporation and you move onto the state corporate income tax under [NDCC 57-38-30](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t57c38.pdf). That is a separate return with its own bill. The $50 annual report is a filing fee, not a tax. You owe it either way. ## Hidden Costs to Watch Out For in North Dakota - **$50 every year, forever** - The annual report is due November 15, or April 15 for farm and ranch LLCs. The fee does not scale with size. A dormant North Dakota LLC still costs $50 a year to keep alive. - **$50 to change your articles** - A name change is a $50 filing. So is adding a series. - **$20 Certificate of Good Standing** - You need one to register your LLC in another state. Lenders and contract counterparties ask for it too. FirstStop issues it. - **$20 to close it properly** - Dissolution is its own filing. Walk away instead and the LLC sits in Not Good Standing. The state typically terminates it 6 to 12 months later. Pay the $20. - **$10 Consent to Use Business Name** - Your first choice of name may already be taken. A signed consent from the holder, filed with your registration, costs $10. No refiling needed. - **$10 to change your registered agent** - Swapping agents is its own filing with the Secretary of State. The fee is $10. Where the agent is a noncommercial one the state charges it per entity, so a founder holding four LLCs pays it four times. ## Frequently Asked Questions About North Dakota LLCs ### How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota? The state charges $135 to file your Articles of Organization online. After that it is $50 a year for the annual report, due November 15 for most LLCs and April 15 for farm and ranch ones. A formation service adds its own fee on top of the state fee. The table above shows today's totals. ### Does North Dakota require a registered agent? Yes. Every North Dakota LLC needs an agent with a physical address in the state, under NDCC ch. 10-01.1. One rule catches founders out. Your LLC may not serve as its own agent. You can be the agent yourself if you live in North Dakota, or you can hire a service. Get the agent's approval first either way. The Secretary of State warns that naming an agent who has not agreed can lead to involuntary dissolution. ### How long does LLC formation take in North Dakota? North Dakota does not say. The Secretary of State publishes fees, deadlines and forms for LLCs, but no processing time, and its LLC fee list carries no expedite fee. There is no queue to buy your way up. So file clean the first time. A rejected filing starts the wait over. ### Can I form an anonymous LLC in North Dakota? Only for the first filing. The Articles of Organization do not ask for member or manager names, so your formation service or agent can sign as the organizer. The annual report undoes it. North Dakota Century Code 10-32.1-89 requires that report to name the managers and governors, or the managing members, with their addresses. Most file one by November 15, farm and ranch LLCs by April 15. That report is public. If anonymity is the point, check the annual report rule in the state you are weighing against. Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up for a service through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our rankings.