Step 1: Choose a name Mississippi will accept
The name has to end with “Limited Liability Company”, “L.L.C.” or “LLC”. It also has to differ from the names already on the Mississippi Secretary of State's records, and some words need another agency's approval. Check an LLC name in Mississippi against those rules and the registered names we hold, then confirm it on the official search.
Not ready to file? A reservation holds the name: $25, for 180 days. See how to reserve an LLC name.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
The Certificate of Formation names a registered agent: a person or company with a street address in Mississippi who receives lawsuits and official notices for the LLC during business hours. You can usually serve yourself if you live in the state, or pay a commercial agent a yearly fee.
Our sister site lists the registered agents Mississippi companies use most, with how many companies each one serves.
Step 3: File the Certificate of Formation
File it with the Mississippi Secretary of State. The fee is $50. File online, or on paper. The LLC exists once the state accepts the filing.
How long it takes. Online filings are filed immediately or, when staff review them, within 24 hours. (The office's page.)
Step 4: Write an operating agreement
Mississippi doesn't require one (Miss. Code Ann. § 79-29-123(1)), but without it the state's default rules decide how the LLC is run and how profits and votes are shared. It stays in the company's records; it isn't filed.
Make a free Mississippi LLC operating agreement and download it as a Word file.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An EIN (employer identification number) is the LLC's federal tax ID: banks ask for it to open a business account, and the LLC needs one to hire. The IRS issues it free; apply online at irs.gov once Mississippi has accepted the Certificate of Formation.
Step 6: File the Mississippi LLC annual report
Fee: No fee for a Mississippi LLC (foreign LLCs $250). Due: Between January 1 and April 15 each year. (Source: Services & fees document (PDF), sos.ms.gov.)
| After formation | Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Recurring report | Free annual report each year (by April 15) |
| State tax or fee on LLCs | None |
| Proof of good standing | Certificate of Good Standing, $25 |
Missing the recurring filing is the most common way an LLC loses its good standing, and in time its existence. On our sister site, look up an LLC's status or see how to get a Mississippi certificate of good standing.
What it costs to start an LLC in Mississippi
| State fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Formation filing | $50 |
| First year, state fees | $50 |
| Each year after | $0 |
Over five years, Mississippi's state fees come to $50. These are state fees only: a commercial registered agent, a publication notice and income taxes are extra. Compare every state's fees, with the options to reserve the name or file faster.
Sources
Fee schedule (PDF), sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Services & fees document (PDF), sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Revised LLC Act (PDF), sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Business FAQs, sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-09
Order documents, sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Warning on certificate of existence scams, sos.ms.gov, checked 2026-10-09
Apply for an EIN online, irs.gov
How to start an LLC in Mississippi
- Choose a name Mississippi will accept and check it against the Mississippi Secretary of State's records.
- Appoint a registered agent with a street address in Mississippi.
- File the Certificate of Formation with the Mississippi Secretary of State ($50).
- Write an operating agreement.
- Get a free EIN from the IRS.
- Keep up with the recurring filings and fees.
Common questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Mississippi?
$50 to file the Certificate of Formation. The state's fees come to $50 in the first year and nothing in later years; a registered agent service or a newspaper notice costs extra.
How long does it take to start an LLC in Mississippi?
The Mississippi Secretary of State gives online filings are filed immediately or, when staff review them, within 24 hours.
Do I need an operating agreement in Mississippi?
Mississippi doesn't require one (Miss. Code Ann. § 79-29-123(1)), but it's the document that says who owns the LLC and how it's run; banks and partners often ask for it.
Can I start an LLC in Mississippi online?
Yes. The Mississippi Secretary of State takes the Certificate of Formation online, for $50.
When is the Mississippi LLC annual report due?
Between January 1 and April 15 each year.
Does Mississippi require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. Mississippi's recurring filing: Free annual report each year (by April 15).