How to Start a Kansas LLC

Kansas is named after a Native American tribe and is located in the Midwestern U.S. It is one of the most productive agricultural states in America.

If you want to start your own business in Kansas, one of the best ways to do so is by forming a Kansas LLC. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) are a business entity designed for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses. Kansas LLCs give you many of the protections and advantages of larger corporations without all the rules, regulations and compliance issues common to larger business entities.

We’ll share details on how to start an LLC in Kansas, naming your Kansas LLC, Registered Agents, taxes, fees and more. You’ll get all the information you need to help you organize and form your new business.

Briefly, the benefits of starting a Kansas LLC include:

• Separating and limiting your personal liability from your business liability and debts
• Quick and simple filing, management, compliance, regulations and administration of your Kansas LLC
• Easy tax filing and potential advantages for tax treatment

Learn more about the benefits of the LLC business structure.

Six Quick Steps for Setting Up Your Kansas LLC

We’ve got lots of useful information on starting a business in KS. On this page you’ll find the basic steps of how to form a Kansas LLC, with more in-depth content throughout the rest of our guide.

1. Gather Information for Your Members

First, you need to gather basic information about your Kansas LLC, including the names and addresses of the managers or members. The LLC members are typically the people who own and run the business. They are also the ones who can take profits out of the business to pay themselves.

2. Search for and Choose a Unique Business Name for Your Kansas LLC

You will need a distinctive and original name for your Kansas LLC that’s not used by any other business in KS. To find out if another company is using your chosen business name, carry out a Kansas business entity name search on the KS Secretary of State website.

There are a few rules you’ll need to follow when choosing an LLC name. You can find out more in our guide to searching for and naming your Kansas LLC.

Learn about Kansas LLC business naming rules.

3. Provide an Official Address for Your KS LLC

Every Kansas LLC must have a designated street address. That could be your home address (if you’re running the company from your residence), your company’s office building or any physical address of your preference. The address can be outside the state of Kansas, but it cannot be a P.O. Box. You can also use a Virtual Mailbox service if you do not have a physical address.

4. Assign a Resident Agent for Your Kansas LLC

Every KS LLC must have a “Registered Agent,” known in Kansas as a Resident Agent when it is formed. This is an official position; the Registered Agent is someone who receives official legal and tax correspondence and has responsibility for filing reports with the Kansas Secretary of State.

This position can be filled by you, another manager in the business or a dedicated Registered Agent service. Your KS Resident Agent must have a physical street address in Kansas and must be present to receive important documents for your company during business hours.

At Incfile, all of our packages include a Kansas Resident Agent service that is free for the first year and just $119 per year afterward. We also have a dashboard where you can log in and easily view any document your Registered Agent has received on your behalf.

Learn more about Kansas Resident Agents.

5. Get an Employee Identification Number (EIN) From the Internal Revenue Service

You will need an EIN to identify your business to the IRS. You use this number when filing and paying taxes or when submitting payroll information and payments for your employees. You can obtain one directly from the IRS, or we can get one for you as part of the Kansas LLC business formation process.

6. File Articles of Organization With the Kansas Secretary of State

Once you've gathered all the information together for your Kansas LLC, you’ll need to file a formal document with the KS Secretary of State. This document is known as your “Articles of Organization,” and filing the document creates your Kansas LLC. Here’s what is typically included:

• Your business name and address
• Details of your Resident Agent
• Tax closing month

You can file your Kansas LLC Articles of Organization online, mail in a form or have Incfile do it on your behalf. There is a fee to file and start an LLC in Kansas. You only need to file your Articles of Organization once.

Incorporating your business through Incfile is fast and easy.

FORM YOUR LLC NOW

Review Information From the Kansas Secretary of State

The KS Secretary of State has plenty of information on forming and running a business in Kansas.

These are all the basic steps for forming an LLC in Kansas. You’ll find other useful information below.

• Kansas Secretary of State for forming and running your KS LLC
• Kansas Department of Labor for KS employers and hiring
• Kansas Department of Revenue for KS taxes

Special Types of Kansas LLCs

A regular Kansas LLC is suitable for most business needs, but you also have a few other options to incorporate a special type of LLC.

Form a Kansas Series LLC

In Kansas, you also have the option to set up a “Series LLC” — these are specialized LLCs designed to allow you to manage multiple separate LLCs under one master, umbrella LLC. These can be very useful if you don’t want to set up a separate Kansas LLC for every individual business you run.

Decide if a Kansas Series LLC is right for your new business.

Form a Professional Kansas LLC

In Kansas certain professions can form “Professional LLCs.” These are companies providing defined, professional services. Kansas does not state the specific professions that can form professional LLCs.

Form a Foreign LLC in Kansas

If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to Kansas, you’ll need to form a foreign LLC.

Find more information on Kansas filing and licensing requirements here.

Detailed Information for Your Kansas LLC

You’ll find plenty more insight and guidance on the other pages of this guide, including:

Naming Your Kansas LLC

How to search the Kansas business registry of the KS Secretary of State and find the right name. Includes information on naming rules, fictitious names, reserving a Kansas LLC name and more.

Kansas Resident Agents for Your LLC

How to appoint a Kansas Resident Agent to your new LLC or change to a different Resident Agent. Includes information on Resident Agent rules and searching for Kansas Resident Agents.

Fees and Requirements for Your Kansas LLC

How to understand the various fees you’ll need to pay and the requirements you’ll need to meet for both federal and Kansas rules. Includes details of Employee Identification Numbers (EINs), Kansas and federal business licenses, Kansas annual reports and more.

Federal, State, Sales and Other Taxes for Your Kansas LLC

How to understand the various taxes you will need to pay to the federal and Kansas government. Includes details of federal taxes like income and self-employment and Kansas taxes like sales tax and income tax.