If you plan to start a business in any of the states in the USA, you must know about the Secretary of State's website. Each state has its own business rules and guidelines for conducting business in that state. All the business-related information and entity details are recorded and shared on the Secretary of State's official website. If you want to form a Limited Liability Company (LLC), you can visit the SOS site to get the name availability, formation documents, and fee structures before you plan your company formation.
Whether you want to start an LLC or reserve a business name, you must go to the Secretary of State's website to file your document. In this article, the LLCBuddy editors listed all the state' Secretary of State links and links to business records in each state. You can search for business entities, business names, formation documents, formation fee details, and many other details.
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State-wise List of Secretary of State WebsiteStart a Limited Liability Company in the StatesHow to Start an LLC?State-wise List of Secretary of State Website
Start a Limited Liability Company in the States
Following is the list of states where you can start your LLC. Select the state from the list below and read our LLC guide thoroughly.
How to Start an LLC?
Establishing a limited liability company is probably the easiest and least complicated task. An LLC can be formed in two ways: by the DIY method or by hiring a professional LLC service. You can explore the best LLC services available. We recommend hiring a professional as it is hassle-free, less complicated, and does not require much money. LegalZoom offers LLC formation at $0. That means you can form your LLC with professional help absolutely free.
For the ones who want to go through the DIY method, here are some steps to follow. These are generic steps. There may or may not be some additional steps depending on the state you are starting your LLC. Before we head to the main steps, make sure to check with the state and local governing body for all the rules and guidelines for conducting business in the state.
Step 1Name the LLC
The very first step is to name your LLC. The name is the initial identity of your business. It is mandatory to name your company carefully. For any state in the USA, there are a bunch of LLC naming guidelines to follow. Some of the main guidelines are,
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The name should be available to use. Do not use any existing name that can fall under the copyright act.
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Make sure the name reflects the nature of your business. Any name that is misleading or pretending to be something else shouldn't be given to your LLC.
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Some words like Attorney, University, Banks, and any words that reflect governmental organizations are strictly restricted.
Step 2Get a Registered Agent
The second step is to hire a registered agent. The registered agent is a person responsible for receiving all types of legal and government documents on behalf of the LLC. Anyone who is above 18 years, a resident of the state, and is legally eligible to conduct business in the state.
Anyone can be a registered agent, spouse, family member, or friend - anyone who fulfills the criteria can be a registered agent. You can also act as a registered agent in your own LLC. However, it is not a wise decision to manage the position without any professional help. Especially, for the new entrepreneurs.
Step 3File Formation Document
Once you have a name and the registered agent, you can now file the formation document with the Secretary of State. It takes a minimum of 24 hours (if filed online) to 30 days, depending on the state. The cost of filing the formation document can go up to $500, and can be as low as $10. If you hire a professional service, they offer filing formation documents at $0 (excluding the state filing fee). You will get professional guidance without spending a penny. We recommend LegalZoom, which offers LLC formation $0.
Step 4Write an Operating Agreement
The next step is to write an operating agreement. The Operating Agreement is not mandatory in many states, however, for a few states it is mandatory. We suggest all have an operating agreement as it is an internal document that records everything about your LLC. This document includes information about the structure of the LLC, members' details, capital contribution, and dissolution process as well.
Step 5Get EIN
The final step is to obtain the Employer Identity Number (EIN). This is a 9-digit number that is mandatory for hiring people, opening bank accounts, and some other legal work in your LLC. The EIN can be obtained from the IRS' official website or by sending mail. If you hire a professional LLC service, they will help you get the EIN within no time. It does not take any cost to obtain EIN through the IRS website. Read How to Start an LLC to know more about establishing an LLC for free.
In Conclusion
The main agenda of this article is to share the list of links to the Secretary of State's online portals. We shared the main links to the business services and search pages from every state. The web portal of some Secretary of State might not be working if you are trying to open it from a different country or region. In that case, it is recommended to send them an email for inquiry.
We have also shared the process of establishing the LLC by the DIY method. The steps might get changed depending on the state you are in. However, the core process of forming a limited liability company in any of the above-mentioned states is the same. As mentioned before, having a professional guide like LegalZoom is always a wise decision when it comes to establishing your LLC. It offers LLC formation at $0.