How to Form an LLC in Indiana
Indiana is one of the cheapest states in the country to run an LLC: $95 to form online, and a $31 report every two years to stay alive. The whole state relationship runs through one portal, INBiz. Here is the filing, step by step, from the Secretary of State's own sources.
Indiana at a glance
Filing fee: $95 for the Articles of Organization (State Form 49459), filed with the Indiana Secretary of State. Recurring: A Business Entity Report every two years, $31 filed online. Indiana charges no LLC franchise tax. Registered agent: required, with a physical address in Indiana. Every figure on this page was checked against the Indiana Secretary of State's official site on November 7, 2026.
On this page
The Indiana filing steps
Check your name on the state's own search
Use the INBiz Business Search on the Secretary of State's site to check the name before you file. Indiana names must be distinguishable from existing Indiana entities and include an LLC designator. The search is free and it is the same database your filing will be checked against.
Choose your registered agent
Indiana's formation form requires your registered agent's name and an Indiana street address, and the person filing certifies the agent has consented to serve. An individual in Indiana or a commercial agent service both work. The agent's address becomes public record through the state's business search, which is the main reason home-based founders hire a service.
File the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State
File online through INBiz, the Secretary of State's business portal. The online fee is $95, made up of a $75 state filing fee plus the $20 Enhanced Access fee the state adds to online business filings. Filing the paper form (State Form 49459) by mail costs $100. Online filing is both cheaper and faster, and INBiz is also where you will handle the LLC's later reports and state tax registration.
Get an EIN from the IRS
Free, online, and takes minutes once your Indiana filing is approved. Never pay a service for this. See EIN for an LLC for the walkthrough and the one IRS rule (a real person as responsible party) that surprises people.
Write your operating agreement
Indiana does not collect your operating agreement at filing, but the agreement is the document that sets ownership percentages and decision rules. Single-member LLCs should still write a short one. Keep it signed with your formation records.
Open the business bank account and handle licenses
Bring your approved formation document and EIN letter. Then check your city and county for a general business license and your industry for state permits. Indiana has no state general business license. Your city or county may require a local license, and regulated trades (contractors, food, health care) have their own state boards. INBiz links the tax registrations most businesses need with the Department of Revenue.
Filing details that trip people up
- Online beats paper on price, for once. INBiz charges $95 total ($75 plus the $20 Enhanced Access fee). The paper form costs $100. There is no reason to file by mail unless you cannot use the portal.
- Your report rhythm is biennial, not annual. The Business Entity Report is due every other year, in the month you formed the LLC. Set the reminder for the right year. Founders conditioned by other states waste money on annual filings Indiana never asked for.
- No publication step. Indiana's official formation form and Secretary of State guidance contain no newspaper publication requirement. Anyone selling you an Indiana publication package is selling you a step the state does not have.
- Foreign LLCs: registering an out-of-state LLC in Indiana costs $125 on the paper Foreign Registration Statement. If you formed elsewhere but operate here, that registration is not optional.
After your Indiana LLC is approved
Your first Business Entity Report is not due until your two-year anniversary month, so Indiana gives new LLCs a long runway. Use it to set the basics: EIN, business bank account, and a calendar entry for that biennial report month, filed up to 90 days early if you want it off your plate. Register for state taxes through INBiz as your business requires (retail sales tax and employer withholding are the common ones).
The full recurring picture for Indiana, with fees and due dates, is on the Indiana annual report and compliance page, and the money view is on the Indiana LLC cost page.
Indiana LLC questions
Why does one site say $95 and another say $100?
Both are real. Online filing through INBiz is $95: a $75 filing fee plus a $20 Enhanced Access fee. The paper form is $100. The Secretary of State's own form shows the $100 paper fee, and its rulemaking sets the $20 online access fee.
Does Indiana have an annual report for LLCs?
No, it is every two years. The Business Entity Report is due in your anniversary month every other year, $31 online or $50 by mail. Details on the Indiana report page.
What happens if I forget the report?
Indiana sends at least four reminders, per the Secretary of State. If the report is still not filed five months after its due date, the state administratively dissolves the LLC. There is no dollar late fee in Indiana's schedule. The penalty is the dissolution itself.
Does an Indiana LLC file a BOI report?
No. US-formed companies are exempt under the federal final rule of August 14, 2026. See the BOI tracker.
General Information Only
LLCForming publishes general information about forming and running an LLC. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice, and it does not create an attorney or advisor relationship. Rules vary by state and by your situation. For a decision that matters, talk to a licensed attorney or tax professional in your state.