State hub · Kansas
Kansas LLC true cost (2026)
Kansas state side: $85 formation filing, $90 for Biennial Business Entity Information Report in the 3-year model, ~$265 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #25 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Kansas state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Kansas Secretary of State. Filings go through www.sos.ks.gov/businesses/register-a-business.html.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $85 | Articles of Organization $85 online / $90 paper per SOS form instructions effective 2/27/2026 (KAR 7-50-1 $75 + information/services fees). |
| Biennial Business Entity Information Report | $90 | Official ILC instructions list Online $90 / Paper $110 (K.S.A. 17-76,139 $80 statutory base plus SOS regulations). For-profit LLCs; 90-day delinquency then forfeiture risk. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $265 | Formation $85 (online) + two online information reports ($90×2) in a typical 3-year window = $265. |
When Kansas actually bills you
Kansas's recurring filing is due Every two years by April 15, matching even/odd of formation year — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Kansas charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $85 | $85 |
| Year 1 cycle | Biennial Business Entity Information Report | $90 | $175 |
| Year 2 cycle | Biennial Business Entity Information Report | $90 | $265 |
| Year 3 cycle | Biennial Business Entity Information Report | $90 | $355 |
Provider + Kansas state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Kansas state subtotal of $265.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $554 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $762 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $563 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,012 |
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How Kansas ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Kansas sits at #25 — the 25th cheapest three-year state charter — at $265 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $230 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $15 below the $280 median, and $2,245 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Kansas lands in the cheaper half of the table.
Ranking caveat for Kansas: Whether ILC.pdf ($90 online) will be republished after Feb 2026 regs; used $90 consistent with statute $80 + current regulation add-ons and current form instructions.
- Just cheaper: Virginia ($250), Alabama ($228).
- Just pricier: Georgia ($280), Wyoming ($280).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Kansas)
- Resident agent with Kansas street address required; entity may name itself as agent in some cases under Kansas law.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Kansas state fees is $265, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Kansas, is about 52% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Fees were overhauled effective Feb 27, 2026 — ignore older $160/$165 formation quotes.
- Report is biennial (parity year), not annual; failure to file can forfeit articles.
- Members owning ≥5% capital must be listed on domestic LLC information reports.
Who Kansas is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Domestic LLCs after the 2026 fee cut who can handle biennial parity-year reporting.
Often a poor fit when…
- Foreign LLCs that cannot file online (paper path still higher).
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Kansas LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Kansas?
$85 to Kansas Secretary of State for the formation filing. Articles of Organization $85 online / $90 paper per SOS form instructions effective 2/27/2026 (KAR 7-50-1 $75 + information/services fees). That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Kansas LLC fees after year one?
$90 for the Biennial Business Entity Information Report, due Every two years by April 15, matching even/odd of formation year. Official ILC instructions list Online $90 / Paper $110 (K.S.A. 17-76,139 $80 statutory base plus SOS regulations). For-profit LLCs; 90-day delinquency then forfeiture risk. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Kansas LLC really cost over three years?
$265 in Kansas state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $554 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,012 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Kansas.
Do I need a registered agent in Kansas?
Yes. Resident agent with Kansas street address required; entity may name itself as agent in some cases under Kansas law. Confirm Kansas's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with Kansas Secretary of State before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Kansas figure above.
Is Kansas a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Kansas ranks #25 of 51 at $265 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Kansas three-year number is built
Formation $85 (online) + two online information reports ($90×2) in a typical 3-year window = $265. Figures are re-derived from the cited Kansas sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Kansas state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- item: unverified — check source —
- Re-check live Kansas Secretary of State fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Kansas SOS Articles of Organization instructions (fee $85/$90)
- Kansas SOS Information Report instructions (fee $90/$110)
- Kansas Register Vol. 45 Issue 7 – permanent fee regulations
- Kansas SOS Information Reports page
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Kansas's $265 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Kansas math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.