Skip to content
Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Chapter 1 · North Dakota

North Dakota LLC Formation Chapter (2026): 7 Sections and the 3 Best LLC Services

For forming an LLC in North Dakota in 2026, this chapter recommends Mainstay Filing ($199), ND Registered Agents.org ($199) and North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked from first to last. Definition to start: the filing fee is the $135 paid to North Dakota. The 7 sections cover it and the annual report that comes after.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Chapter summary

Fee paid to the state to file $135 Source text at sos.nd.gov, October 2026
Annual report $50 a year Date due: November 15
Three-year state cost $235 Filing plus the recurring state fees
Section count 7 In sequence

Learning objectives

  • Where and how a North Dakota LLC is filed
  • What the registered agent rule requires
  • What is filed every year afterward
  • Which services are recommended and why

Who we recommend in North Dakota

The editorial board's five criteria are explained on how we grade and determine the order.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for no annual report to prepare

Recommended first
$199 a year plus the state fee ($334 due at checkout)

Mainstay Filing comes first. The textbook price of $199 a year includes filing, a registered agent and the annual report, with no change at renewal.

Set against ND Registered Agents.org, the three-year premium is $200, which the 30% weight on paperwork covered outweighs.

The owner never prepares the annual report; the $50 state fee is passed through unchanged.

Price covers

  • Formation paperwork completed
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • Official fee with nothing added

Advantages

  • The EIN application is filed for you
  • $199 annually, all inclusive
  • The renewal stays at $199

Limitations

  • $100 a year more than ND Registered Agents.org at renewal
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. ND Registered Agents.org: best for owners who intend to stay in North Dakota

Single-state plan
Formation $199; renewal $99 annually

Second place is held by ND Registered Agents.org, since $199 to start with the first agent year paid, followed by $99 annually.

The price stops short of the annual report.

Price covers

  • The North Dakota formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • The first agent year is free
  • Then $99 per year
  • $199 and the state fee

Limitations

  • Whoever owns the LLC prepares the annual report
  • An EIN add-on is $99
Visit ND Registered Agents.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a local filer

Single-state plan
Formation $199; renewal $99 annually

Third place is held by North Dakota Registered Agent.co, since $199 to start with the first agent year paid, followed by $99 annually.

The price stops short of the annual report.

On price, it matches ND Registered Agents.org.

Price covers

  • The North Dakota formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • $199 and the state fee
  • Then $99 per year
  • The first agent year is free

Limitations

  • Whoever owns the LLC prepares the annual report
  • An EIN add-on is $99
Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

All prices in one table

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 ND Registered Agents.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit ND Registered Agents.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 North Dakota Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397 Visit North Dakota Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each company's posted price on November 13, 2026. The $135 state fee is omitted from these figures.

How a North Dakota LLC is formed

  1. Section 1

    Search the register for the name

    Before filing, search the North Dakota Secretary of State for the name you want. A match with an existing North Dakota entity usually means choosing another.

    Keep a second choice on hand.

  2. Section 2

    Arrange the registered agent

    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.

    Providing the registered agent is part of what each recommended service sells.

    Reference: Source text at ndlegis.gov, October 2026

  3. Section 3

    Decide between self-filing and a service

    The state fee, $135, applies either way; the recommended services charge $199 for their part.

  4. Section 4

    Next comes the Articles of Organization

    Formation takes effect when the North Dakota Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization and $135 under N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-20.

    Reference: Source text at sos.nd.gov, October 2026

  5. Section 5

    Request an Employer Identification Number from the IRS

    The IRS, not North Dakota, issues EINs. Apply after the state approves the LLC and give the number to your bank. The Mainstay Filing annual price already includes this section.

  6. Section 6

    Record how the company will be run

    An operating agreement is the document in which the owners of a North Dakota LLC record who owns what and how decisions are made. It stays with the company and is never filed with the state.

  7. Section 7

    Keep the LLC in good standing

    Good standing depends on the annual report, which is filed every year and costs $50, with a deadline of November 15. The late charge is $50.

    Reference: Source text at sos.nd.gov, August 2026

The cost of this chapter

Line itemPaid toAmount
Formation filing fee The state$135
Annual report The state$50 every year
Late filing The state$50
Service fees (optional) The provider$199 in the first year
Three-year state total The state$235

State fees come from the official pages in the bibliography. Over three years they consist of the filing, two reports and, in a few states, a minimum tax.

How the ranking came out

Chapters the price completes accounts for 30% of the ranking, and led on it in North Dakota.

Handling the annual report outweighed the lower price once the weights were applied.

North Dakota questions

What does North Dakota charge to form an LLC?

North Dakota charges $135. Paid help raises the first-year bill by $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

When the North Dakota Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists.

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?

Submit the annual report every year; cost $50, deadline November 15.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

A service is optional. Owners may file by paying $135 as long as they appoint a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Mainstay Filing, ND Registered Agents.org and North Dakota Registered Agent.co, from the highest ranking to the lowest.

Next chapter

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Primary text behind North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: sos.nd.gov, accessed August 2026.
  2. Primary text behind North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division: sos.nd.gov, accessed August 2026.
  3. Primary text behind North Dakota report due date: ndlegis.gov, accessed August 2026.
  4. Primary text behind North Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.nd.gov, accessed October 2026.
  5. Primary text behind North Dakota registered agent statute: ndlegis.gov, accessed October 2026.
  6. Price reference: Mainstay Filing, North Dakota service page, November 13, 2026
  7. Price reference: ND Registered Agents.org, pricing page, November 13, 2026
  8. Price reference: North Dakota Registered Agent.co, pricing page, November 13, 2026