What is different about forming an LLC in Michigan.
Every state runs its own filing office, its own fee schedule and its own ongoing obligations. These are the ones that apply in Michigan.
| Item | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| LLC filing fee | $50 | Paid to the state, at cost. File.Business charges $0 to prepare and file it. |
| Corporation, for comparison | $60 | |
| Nonprofit | $20 | |
| Professional LLC (PLLC) | $50 | |
| Series LLC | Not offered | Michigan has no Series LLC filing. |
| Ongoing state report for an LLC | $25 | Annual Statement for LLCs and PLLCs, Annual Report for corporations, annual, due February 15 for LLCs and PLLCs, May 15 for profit and professional corporations, October 1 for nonprofit corporations |
| Registering an out-of-state LLC here | $50 | A certificate of good standing from your home state is required. Filed on the Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan. |
What the Michigan fee schedule actually says
Michigan's filing agency is the Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau inside LARA, not the Secretary of State. LLCs and PLLCs file an Annual Statement by February 15 at 25 and 75, with a 50 late fee. Profit and professional corporations file an Annual Report by May 15 at 25, with graduated late penalties. Nonprofit corporations file by October 1 at 20. Limited partnerships file no annual report. The corporation formation fee of 60 is a 10 nonrefundable fee plus a 50 minimum franchise fee covering up to 60,000 authorised shares, and that franchise fee rises with the share count.
Verified 2026-08-17 · against the LARA filing fee list, the LARA annual reports page and LARA forms 560 and 760
What forming an LLC in Michigan actually involves.
Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the founding Michigan document. We prepare and file with the SOS using your entity name, organizer info, RA, and member structure.
~5 day Michigan processing
Michigan SOS typically processes standard LLC filings in 5 business days. Expedited options available for an extra state fee (varies $25-$200).
Registered Agent included
Michigan requires every LLC to maintain a Registered Agent. RA service is included year one in every formation bundle.
EIN from the IRS
Your Michigan LLC needs a federal EIN for banking, taxes, and payroll. We file Form SS-4 with the IRS, typically 1-2 business days, faster than DIY filings.
Operating Agreement
Michigan doesn't require filing an Operating Agreement with the SOS, but every Michigan LLC needs one to define member rights, voting, profit splits, and dissolution rules. Included in Domestic Complete.
Year-one compliance
Forming the LLC is step one. Michigan requires ongoing compliance: Annual Statement (Feb 15), state tax registrations, license renewals. Domestic Complete includes year-one AR AutoFile.
A clean handoff, in 6 steps.
Pick your Michigan LLC name
We check Michigan SOS name availability live. Your chosen name must include "LLC" or variant and not conflict with existing Michigan registrations.
Designate Registered Agent
Every Michigan LLC needs a RA with a physical Michigan address. We provide one (included year one) or you can designate your own.
Prepare Articles of Organization
Member info, RA, principal office, management structure (member-managed vs manager-managed), effective date. We draft and review with you.
File with Michigan SOS
Submitted electronically with $50 state fee. 5-day standard processing. State-stamped Articles return to your BOS vault.
EIN + Operating Agreement
After SOS acceptance: IRS EIN application (1-2 days), Operating Agreement drafted, S-Corp election if requested (Form 2553).
Year-one compliance setup
Michigan Annual Statement added to your calendar (due Feb 15). RA active. Compliance Score baseline established.
Formation is free. Everything else is optional.
We do not charge a service fee to form your LLC or Corporation. State filing fees still apply and pass through at cost. Add the Compliance Bundle to handle the year-one filings everyone needs.
- LLC or Corporation formation (any state)
- EIN application with the IRS
- Articles of Organization or Incorporation drafted and filed
- Free BOS dashboard for ongoing visibility
- Filing receipts to your document vault
- Everything in Free Formation (no add-on fee)
- Registered Agent service in your state (1 entity)
- Annual Report AutoFile, filed every year on time
- Certificate of Good Standing (1 included per year)
- 1 Amendment included per year (address, member, name)
- Operating Agreement (LLC) or Bylaws (Corp)
- Deadline monitoring across all your filings
Common questions.
Do I need to live in Michigan to form an LLC there?
No. You do not need to live in Michigan or be a resident to form an LLC there. What Michigan requires is a registered agent with a physical in-state address to receive legal mail, which we provide, or you can act as your own if you have a Michigan address and are available in business hours. Where you live does not limit where you can form.
What is the difference between an LLC and a corporation in Michigan?
An LLC is simpler and pass-through: profit lands on your personal return and there is little required formality, which suits most owners in Michigan. A corporation is built to raise venture capital and issue stock, but it adds bylaws, a board, and annual meetings. If you plan to raise money, look at forming a corporation; otherwise the LLC-versus-corporation comparison lays out the tradeoffs.
Does Michigan require an Operating Agreement?
Michigan may not require you to file one, but you should have one. The Operating Agreement sets who owns what, who can sign, and what happens if an owner leaves, and it is the document that shows the LLC is a genuine separate entity, which protects your liability shield. Banks and lenders also ask for it. Generate one that fits your ownership with our Operating Agreement tool.
What about the EIN for my Michigan LLC?
The EIN is your business's federal tax ID, and you need it to open a bank account, hire, or file taxes. It is free from the IRS, and we obtain it for you the same day, including for founders without a Social Security Number. Keeping the EIN separate from your SSN also keeps your personal number off vendor and client paperwork. Start with our EIN guide.
Can a foreign person form a Michigan LLC?
Yes. You do not need to be a US citizen or resident to own or form a Michigan LLC, and you never have to set foot in the state. The one extra step is the EIN, which we obtain from the IRS for you when you have no Social Security Number, and that unlocks US banking and payment processing. Our EIN guide is the right starting point for international founders.
What ongoing compliance does a Michigan LLC require?
Forming is the start, not the finish. A Michigan LLC generally files a periodic annual report, keeps a registered agent on record, and pays any state franchise tax. Miss the report and Michigan can administratively dissolve the LLC, ending the protection you formed it for. A compliance calendar keeps every date in view, and our subscription can file them for you.
Can I change my Michigan LLC name later?
Yes. If you outgrow the name or rebrand, you change it by filing Articles of Amendment with Michigan, which updates the official record; your EIN and entity stay the same. If you would rather keep the legal name and operate under a different public name, a DBA does that without a full amendment. We handle either the amendment or the DBA for you.
Where to next?
Every filing connects into your File.Business operating system. Pick where to go from here: we keep the rest tracked. Or start by looking up any Michigan company on the state record.
Up a level, or across to the neighbors.
Form an LLC by state
The national explainer above this page: what changes between jurisdictions, and why.
Open the hub → SectionForm a business
Every formation route, each with a page per state.
Open the section → StateMichigan business filings
Every filing a business makes in Michigan, gathered on one page.
Open Michigan → In MichiganOperating Agreement in Michigan
The Operating Agreement, state by state
Read the guide → In MichiganHow to form a corporation in Michigan
How to form a corporation, state by state
Read the guide → In MichiganPLLC in Michigan
The PLLC, state by state
Read the guide → In MichiganStart a business in Michigan
Starting a business, state by state
Read the guide →