Required Licenses, Fees and Filing for Missouri LLCs

Some types of businesses have different requirements in Missouri, including related fees and costs. Your MO LLC needs to pay various fees to the federal government, Missouri government and other agencies. Some of these fees are levied by the Missouri Secretary of State or statewide organizations, while others come from the federal government. On this page, we’ve summarized the most common fees and requirements. 

Note that Missouri 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.

Initial Filing and Costs for Forming an LLC in Missouri

To create your business in Missouri, you’ll file an LLC with the MO Secretary of State and pay an associated LLC formation fee. Every state has different LLC filing fees and filing times. Here is the current information for Missouri:

When you incorporate through Incfile, we forward this fee to the Missouri Secretary of State on your behalf when we file your 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 Missouri.

Incorporate your Missouri LLC through Incfile today

Getting an EIN/Tax ID for Your Missouri LLC

Every Missouri 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 Missouri LLC through Incfile

Certificate of Authority to Operate Outside Missouri

If you’re expanding your Missouri 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 Missouri. 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

Missouri Does Not Require LLC Annual Reporting

Most states need you to file an annual (or other periodic) report with their secretary of state, but Missouri does not require an annual report for LLCs. 

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

Missouri Business Licenses and Permits

Your Missouri LLC may need certain licenses and permits to comply with specific requirements. These business permits and licenses might be issued by Missouri, regional or federal organizations. Some of the associated fees only need to be paid once, while others have ongoing charges.

Permits and licenses vary based on:

• The industry your Missouri LLC operates in (e.g., restaurants will need health permits)

• The location of your Missouri LLC (state, county or city) (e.g., a license to conduct business from the city of St. Louis)

• 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 Missouri LLC will need

• The application forms you will need to file with the Missouri, regional and federal licensing authorities

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

Incfile’s Missouri Business License Research Package

Missouri LLC Operating Agreements

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 Missouri business. You can choose to make changes to the template based on your unique requirements. 

Ad Hoc Missouri Fees or Requirements for Your MO LLC

There are several other fees or requirements that you may need to meet during the life of your Missouri 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 Missouri LLC

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

Incfile’s Missouri Fictitious Name service

To Change the Missouri Registered Agent for Your MO LLC

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

Incfile’s Missouri Registered Agent service

To Reserve a Name for Your Missouri LLC

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

To Amend Certain Facts About Your Missouri LLC

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

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

• Adding, removing or changing a Missouri LLC member or manager

• Changing the business address of your LLC

• Altering the stated business activities of your Missouri LLC

Incfile’s Missouri Articles of Amendment service

Missouri Certificate of Good Standing for an LLC

Some organizations will request that you prove your Missouri 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 Missouri Secretary of State. Incfile can obtain a certificate on your behalf.

Incfile’s Missouri Certificate of Good Standing service

The fees listed above detail all the charges that a standard MO 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 Missouri 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 MO LLCs.

FAQs About Missouri LLC Fees

What Happens to the State Fees That I Am Charged When Forming My Missouri 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 Missouri business. 

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

No, Missouri does not require an annual report from LLCs. You can find out more on the compliance page for your state.

Who Will I Get Business Licenses and Permits from for My Missouri 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 Missouri LLC needs to be compliant.