CobaltProsper

How to start an LLC in Kansas

By Brent Chudoba, editor Updated

Forming an LLC in Kansas costs $85 to file the Articles of Organization with the Kansas Secretary of State. After that you file a biennial report of $5. Kansas charges no franchise tax on a standard LLC. Effective February 27, 2026, the Kansas Secretary of State standardized entity fees: Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC now cost $85 filed online ($75 statutory application/recording fee + $10 electronic filing fee) or $90 by paper, aligned with the corporation formation fee. LLCs must also file a biennial (every-other-year, not annual) information report, $5 online or $25 by paper, rather than an annual report; the collector's 'no annual report required' was wrong on the reporting requirement, though correct that there's no true annual filing (it's biennial).

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Kansas?

Kansas LLC costs (reviewed August 29, 2026)
ItemCost
Filing fee (Articles of Organization)$85
Biennial report$5 every 2 years
Franchise or business taxNone
Registered agentRequired

Source: Kansas Secretary of State, fee schedule reviewed August 29, 2026.

What are the steps to form an LLC in Kansas?

  1. Name your LLC. Pick a name that is available and meets Kansas naming rules, then check it against the Secretary of State's business database.
  2. Appoint a registered agent. Kansas requires a registered agent with a physical in-state address to receive legal mail. You can be your own agent, or hire a service.
  3. File the Articles of Organization. Submit it to the Kansas Secretary of State and pay the $85 fee. This is the step that legally creates the LLC.
  4. Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and takes minutes. Do not pay a service for it. See how to get an EIN free from the IRS.
  5. Calendar your biennial report. Kansas charges $5 to keep the LLC in good standing. Missing it risks penalties or administrative dissolution.
  6. Open a business bank account. Keep business money separate from personal money so your liability protection holds up.

Does Kansas have a franchise tax on an LLC?

No. Kansas does not impose a franchise tax on LLCs (the state's franchise/privilege fee on LLCs and corporations was repealed effective 2011).

How is an LLC taxed in Kansas?

By default, an LLC is a pass-through entity: it pays no income tax itself, and the profits flow to the owners' personal returns. Kansas has a state individual income tax with a top rate of 5.58% (graduated brackets), so those profits are taxed on your Kansas return on top of federal tax. Graduated income tax with 2 brackets, effective tax year 2024 and all years thereafter (2024 Special Session SB 1, signed by Gov. Kelly June 21, 2024): 5.2% on Kansas taxable income up to $23,000 (single/HoH/MFS) or $46,000 (MFJ); 5.58% on the excess above those thresholds. Reduced from the prior 3-bracket structure (3.1% / 5.25% / 5.7%).

An LLC can also elect to be taxed as an S-corp, which changes how owners pay self-employment tax. See LLC vs S-corp vs sole proprietorship and how self-employment tax works.

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