Minnesota LLC Business Licenses, Fees and Filing Requirements

Depending on the specifics of your Minnesota business, you’ll be required to pay certain fees and fulfill different filing requirements. Some of these costs are payable to the Minnesota Secretary of State, while others are due to the federal or Minnesota government. We’ve summarized the most common requirements and fees here.

Note that Minnesota business licenses and permits might need to be paid when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. Find more details below.

Minnesota LLC Incorporation Filing and Fees

When you first incorporate your business in Minnesota, you’ll need to file an LLC with the MN Secretary of State and pay a Minnesota filing fee. Here are the current fees and filing times for Minnesota:

When you form your MN LLC through Incfile, we automatically forward this fee to the Minnesota Secretary of State when we file your incorporation paperwork.

Some states allow you to form your LLC more quickly by paying a rush fee. You can compare state filing times and fees here, including expedited fees for Minnesota.

Incorporate your Minnesota LLC through Incfile today

Getting an Employer Identification Number for Your MN LLC

Every Minnesota LLC should have a unique Employer Identification Number (EIN). These are provided by the Internal Revenue Service, and you use them when filing taxes, opening a business bank account and paying employees. You can get one yourself at no cost from the IRS or have Incfile obtain one on your behalf.

Get an EIN for your Minnesota LLC through Incfile

Certificate of Authority to Operate Outside Minnesota

If you’re expanding your Minnesota LLC beyond the borders of the state, you will need a Foreign Qualification or Certificate of Authority to operate in another state. These are typically necessary if you have a physical presence, employees or banking in a different state than Minnesota. Fees and requirements for foreign qualifications depend on each state’s rules. Incfile provides a complete Foreign Qualification service for any state.

Get a Foreign Qualification/Certificate of Authority through Incfile

Annual Reporting and Fees for Your Minnesota LLC

Most states need you to file an annual (or other periodic) report with their secretary of state. When you file your MN LLC annual report, you do not need to pay a fee. Here are the annual filing requirements for Minnesota:

Learn about your ongoing Minnesota LLC filing requirements and business filing deadlines with our helpful Minnesota ongoing filing lookup tool.

Incfile can also complete and file your Minnesota Annual Report on your behalf.

Incfile’s Minnesota Annual Report filing service

Minnesota Business Licenses and Permits

Some MN LLCs will need certain business licenses and permits from federal, state and regional organizations. These permits and licenses will have associated fees that you should pay on a one-off or regular basis.

Permits and licenses vary based on:

• The industry your Minnesota LLC operates in (e.g., restaurants will need health permits)
• The location of your Minnesota LLC (state, county or city) (e.g., a license to conduct business from the city of Minneapolis)
• The type of business that you run (e.g., healthcare providers must meet HIPAA requirements)

You can research these permits and licenses yourself or use Incfile’s Business License Research Package, which includes:

• A complete report on all the licenses, permits and tax registrations your Minnesota LLC will need
• The application forms you will need to file with the Minnesota, regional and federal licensing authorities

Remember that operating your business without the required licenses can expose you to risks and fines from federal, Minnesota and local governments.

Incfile’s Minnesota Business License Research Package

An Operating Agreement for Your Minnesota LLC

An Operating Agreement is a business document that covers how the business will be run, how managers and members are chosen, rights and duties of members and several other key areas.

An Operating Agreement is extremely useful for several reasons (learn about them here). If you’re interested in having your Operating Agreement created for you, Incfile can draft a general Operating Agreement template when you choose to form your Minnesota business. You can choose to make changes to the template based on your unique requirements.

Ad Hoc Minnesota Fees or Requirements for Your MN LLC

There are several other fees or requirements that you may need to meet during the life of your Minnesota LLC. These ad hoc fees will only be payable in specific circumstances, which we’ve listed below.

To Obtain a Fictitious/DBA Name for Your Minnesota LLC

If you want your MN business to trade under a different name, you can file a form with the Minnesota Secretary of State. You will need to pay a Minnesota filing fee. Incfile can file this form on your behalf.

Incfile’s Minnesota Fictitious Name service

To Change the Minnesota Registered Agent for Your MN LLC

Your Minnesota LLC needs a Registered Agent, which must be appointed when you first incorporate your LLC. You can also switch to a new MN Registered Agent later. Incfile provides a complete Minnesota Registered Agent service.

Incfile’s Minnesota Registered Agent service

To Reserve a Name for Your Minnesota LLC

If you don’t want to form your MN business right away, you can reserve a name with the Minnesota Secretary of State. You will need to pay a small fee to do this.

To Amend Certain Facts About Your Minnesota LLC

Your business formation documents state certain facts about your Minnesota business when it was originally formed. Over time, these facts might change — if they do, you need to file “Articles of Amendment” with the Minnesota Secretary of State. You can do this yourself or have Incfile complete the filing on your behalf.

Areas you might want to file Minnesota Articles of Amendment for include:

• Adding, removing or changing a Minnesota LLC member or manager
• Changing the business address of your LLC
• Altering the stated business activities of your Minnesota LLC

Incfile’s Minnesota Articles of Amendment

To Get a Certificate of Good Standing for Your Minnesota LLC

Some organizations will request that you prove your Minnesota LLC’s compliance with laws and tax requirements. If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you will need a “Certificate of Good Standing” from the Minnesota Secretary of State. Incfile can obtain a certificate on your behalf.

Incfile’s Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing service

The fees listed above detail all the charges that a standard MN LLC will be required to pay. In some unusual circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above.

Of course, your Minnesota LLC will also probably need to pay self-employment, payroll, federal, state and sales taxes, but we will cover that when we talk about taxes for MN LLCs.

FAQs About Minnesota LLC Fees & Requirements

What Happens to the State Fees That I Am Charged When Forming My Minnesota LLC?

We charge you for this fee at cost and then pay the fee to the secretary of state on your behalf when forming your Minnesota business.

Do I Need to Pay an Annual Report Fee Every Year?

No. Although you need to file an annual report every year, Minnesota does not charge for you to file the form. You can find out more on the compliance page for your state.

Who Will I Get Business Licenses and Permits from for My Minnesota LLC?

It depends on various factors including:

• The type of business you run
• Where you are located
• Governing organizations in your industry
• Federal, state and local regulations

That’s why our Business License Research Package is so useful. It explores all of these areas for you and provides a comprehensive overview of exactly what your Minnesota LLC needs to be compliant.