How to Start a Mississippi LLC
Mississippi is located in the southern U.S. and shares a border with Mexico, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas. It is a predominantly rural state and a major center for agriculture.
If you want to start your own business in Mississippi, one of the best ways to do so is by forming a Mississippi LLC. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) are a business entity designed for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses. Mississippi 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 cover several areas for Mississippi companies including business searches, the Mississippi Secretary of State, business licenses and sales tax.
Briefly, the benefits of starting a Mississippi 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 Mississippi LLC
- Easy tax filing and potential advantages for tax treatment
Learn more about the benefits of the LLC business structure here.
Six Quick Steps for Setting up Your Mississippi Company
We've got lots of useful information on starting a business in MS. On this page you'll find the basic steps of how to form a Mississippi LLC, with more in-depth content throughout the rest of our guide.
First, you need to gather basic information about your 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.
You will need a distinctive and original name for your Mississippi LLC that's not used by any other business in MS. To find out if another company is using your chosen business name, carry out a Mississippi business entity name search on the MS 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 Mississippi LLC.
Learn about Mississippi LLC business naming rules.
Every Mississippi 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 must be inside the state of Mississippi, but it cannot be a P.O. Box.
You can also use a Virtual Mailbox service if you do not have a physical address.
Every Mississippi LLC must have a “Registered Agent.” 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 Mississippi Secretary of State.
This position can be filled by you, another manager in the business or a dedicated Registered Agent service. Your Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Mississippi and must be present to receive important documents for your company during business hours.
At Incfile, all of our packages include a Mississippi Registered 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 Mississippi Registered Agents.
You will need an EIN to identify your business with 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 Mississippi LLC business formation process.
Once you've gathered all the information for your LLC, you’ll need to file a formal document with the Mississippi Secretary of State. This document is known as your “Articles of Organization,” and filing the document creates your Mississippi LLC. Here’s what is typically included:
- Your business name and address
- Details of your Registered Agent
- Tax closing month
You can file your Mississippi 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 Mississippi, but you only need to file your Articles of Organization once.
Form your LLC now.
Review Information from the Mississippi Secretary of State
The Mississippi Secretary of State has plenty of information on forming and running a business in Mississippi. Check out additional resources below.
These are all the basic steps for forming an LLC in Mississippi. You’ll find other useful information below.
Special Types of Mississippi LLCs
A regular Mississippi LLC is suitable for most business needs, but you also have a few other options to incorporate a special type of LLC.
Some states, including Mississippi, allow certain occupations to form “Professional LLCs.” These types of business typically have specialized requirements and licensing. Here are the occupations that the MS Secretary of State allows to form Mississippi professional LLCs:
- Public accountants
- Dentists
- Architects
- Veterinarians
- Osteopaths
- Physicians
- Surgeons
- Attorneys-at-law
If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to Mississippi, you'll need to form a foreign LLC.
More information on Mississippi filing and licensing requirements here.
Detailed Information for Your Mississippi LLC
You’ll find plenty more insight and guidance on the other pages of this guide, including:
Naming Your Mississippi LLC
How to search the Mississippi business registry of the Secretary of State and find the right name. Includes information on naming rules, fictitious names, reserving a Mississippi LLC name and more.
Mississippi Registered Agents for LLCs
How to appoint a Registered Agent to your new LLC or change to a different Registered Agent. Includes information on Registered Agent rules and searching for Mississippi Registered Agents.
Fees and Requirements for Mississippi LLCs
How to understand the various fees you’ll need to pay and the requirements you’ll need to meet for both federal and Mississippi rules. Includes details of Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), Mississippi and federal business licenses, annual reports and more.
Federal, State, Sales and Other Taxes for Your Mississippi LLC
How to understand the various taxes you will need to pay to the federal and Mississippi government. Includes details of federal taxes like income and self-employment, and Mississippi taxes like sales tax and income tax.
