State hub · Missouri
Missouri LLC true cost (2026)
Missouri state side: $50 formation filing, $0 for No LLC annual report in the 3-year model, ~$50 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #4 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Missouri state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Missouri Secretary of State. Filings go through bsd.sos.mo.gov.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | Articles of Organization $50 online vs $105 by paper (SOS FAQ). Online is the standard DIY path used here. Credit-card convenience fees may apply online. |
| No LLC annual report | $0 typical | Missouri SOS FAQ states LLCs do not file an annual report. No SOS recurring report fee for domestic LLCs. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $50 | Online Articles of Organization $50 only; no SOS annual report or franchise tax for LLCs in the 3-year window. Paper formation would be $105. |
When Missouri actually bills you
Missouri's recurring filing is due N/A — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Missouri charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | $50 |
| Year 1 cycle | No LLC annual report (no charge in this model) | $0 | $50 |
| Year 2 cycle | No LLC annual report (no charge in this model) | $0 | $50 |
| Year 3 cycle | No LLC annual report (no charge in this model) | $0 | $50 |
Provider + Missouri state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Missouri state subtotal of $50.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $339 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $547 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $348 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $797 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Missouri ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Missouri sits at #4 — the 4th cheapest three-year state charter — at $50 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $15 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $230 below the $280 median, and $2,460 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Missouri lands in the cheaper half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Mississippi ($50), Arizona ($50).
- Just pricier: New Mexico ($50), Hawaii ($96).
- 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 (Missouri)
- Missouri registered agent required with a physical Missouri registered office (PO Box alone not sufficient; mailing-store addresses not allowed).
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Missouri state fees is $50, 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 Missouri, is about 85% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Paper formation costs $105 vs $50 online.
- Corporations have registration reports; do not confuse with LLC rules.
- Local business licenses and Missouri income tax on pass-through income are separate from SOS fees.
Who Missouri is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Budget-conscious DIY filers who want low ongoing state SOS cost and can maintain a Missouri registered agent.
Often a poor fit when…
- Those needing a state with formal annual SOS disclosure cycles for banking/compliance optics (Missouri has none for LLCs).
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Missouri LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Missouri?
$50 to Missouri Secretary of State for the formation filing. Articles of Organization $50 online vs $105 by paper (SOS FAQ). Online is the standard DIY path used here. Credit-card convenience fees may apply online. 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 Missouri LLC fees after year one?
$0 in recurring No LLC annual report charges under the modelled scenario (N/A). Missouri SOS FAQ states LLCs do not file an annual report. No SOS recurring report fee for domestic LLCs. 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 Missouri LLC really cost over three years?
$50 in Missouri state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $339 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $797 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Missouri.
Do I need a registered agent in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri registered agent required with a physical Missouri registered office (PO Box alone not sufficient; mailing-store addresses not allowed). 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 Missouri figure above.
Is Missouri a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Missouri ranks #4 of 51 at $50 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 Missouri three-year number is built
Online Articles of Organization $50 only; no SOS annual report or franchise tax for LLCs in the 3-year window. Paper formation would be $105. Figures are re-derived from the cited Missouri sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Missouri 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
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Missouri Secretary of State fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Missouri SOS Business FAQs (LLC annual report: No; online vs paper fees)
- Missouri SOS Business Services
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Missouri's $50 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Missouri math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.