Short answer
File one document, the Articles of Organization Domestic Limited Liability Company (Form State Form 49459), with the Indiana Secretary of State. The fee is $95[2]. It must name a registered agent with an Indiana address.
Mainstay Filing will file it for you for $199 a year plus Indiana's $95 fee, with the Indiana registered agent and the Business Entity Report included[1].
- State filing fee
- $95
- Form
- Articles of Organization
- Filed with
- Indiana Secretary of State
- Registered Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Every two years, $32
- Other states’ fees
- 14 lower, 35 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
6 steps, in order
Indiana asks for one formation filing. Everything else on this list is either done before that filing or follows from it.
- Pick a name the state will accept. It has to be distinguishable from names already on the Indiana register and include an LLC designator. The Indiana Secretary of State has a name search on its website[3].
- Line up the registered agent. The filing lists who receives legal papers for the company. Indiana allows an individual, a general partnership, an Indiana filing entity, or a foreign entity registered in Indiana. A business cannot serve as its own agent.[4]
- File the Articles of Organization Domestic Limited Liability Company (Form State Form 49459). Submit it to the Indiana Secretary of State with the $95 fee[2].
- Put the owners' terms in writing. An operating agreement records who owns what share and who manages the company. The Indiana filing itself does not include it.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Banks and payroll providers ask for it. The application is made to the IRS, separately from the Indiana filing, and the IRS charges nothing.
- Calendar the first Business Entity Report. It is filed every two years with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division for $32[5]. It is due last day of the entity's anniversary month, every 2 years[6].
What it costs to form an LLC in Indiana
Indiana's $95 filing fee is below the 50-state median of $100: 14 states charge less and 35 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $95 | [2] forms.in.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Business Entity Report | $32 every two years | [5] inbiz.in.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $249 first year elsewhere | 7 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $150 | $75 yearly |
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 yearly |
| Michigan | $50 | $25 yearly |
| Ohio | $99 | None |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
Who can submit the filing
Mainstay Filing files Indiana LLCs for $199 a year, with the $95 state fee added at cost[1]. Included: the registered agent for the year, the EIN application, and the Business Entity Report whenever it falls due.
Anyone can also file the Articles of Organization directly with the Indiana Secretary of State; the state charges the same $95 either way.
What gets filed: Articles of Organization
Indiana calls its formation filing the Articles of Organization Domestic Limited Liability Company, numbered State Form 49459. The Indiana Secretary of State accepts it[2].
Acceptance puts the company on the Indiana register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the registered agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
Indiana business applications, by the numbers
Business applications in Indiana reached 89,768 in 2025, the 20th highest count among the states and D.C. Through Jan-Sep 2026 the count stood at 80,688, a 17.8% change on the year before.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than Indiana LLC formations.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Indiana?
The state fee is $95 for the Articles of Organization Domestic Limited Liability Company (Form State Form 49459)[2]. After that, the Business Entity Report costs $32 every two years.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in Indiana?
Yes. The formation filing names one. Owners who live in Indiana qualify as individuals and can take the registered agent role themselves. The company cannot name itself as its own registered agent.
Is there a service that files it for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Indiana LLCs for $199 a year plus the $95 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Business Entity Report, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Indiana?
The Indiana Secretary of State. Its website: www.in.gov/sos/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Ind. Code § 23-18-2-4 (formation; articles of organization); fee set by Ind. Code § 23-0.5-9-19. forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=16989. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Indiana Secretary of State. www.in.gov/sos/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Ind. Code ch. 23-0.5-4 (Uniform Business Organizations Code — Registered Agent of Entity); § 23-0.5-4-6 (statement of change). faqs.in.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360034159931-What-is-a-registered-agent-and-why-do-I-need-on. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division: Business Entity Report rules and fee. inbiz.in.gov/business-filings/business-entityreport. Updated October 29, 2026.
- IC 23-0.5-2-13; IC 23-18-12-10 (LLC act). law.justia.com/codes/indiana/title-23/article-0-5/chapter-2/section-23-0-5-2-13/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.