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Forming an LLC in Indiana costs $95 in state fees when you file online through the Secretary of State’s INBiz portal — the Articles of Organization filing fee for a domestic LLC (State Form 49459) is $95 online ($100 by mail), and online filings are typically approved in 1–2 business days. The six core steps are: pick a compliant business name, appoint an Indiana registered agent, file your Articles of Organization on INBiz, draft an operating agreement, get a federal EIN from the IRS, and register for Indiana tax accounts if you will sell goods. No US citizenship, residency, or Social Security number is required to own an Indiana LLC.
Short on time? Registered Agents Inc forms Indiana LLCs for $100 + state fee — that covers the state filing, a domain name, a website, and one full year of registered agent service. Check current pricing for add-on tools, which run $5/month each.
Table of Contents
- How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC in Indiana?
- Step 1: Choose Your LLC Name
- Step 2: Appoint an Indiana Registered Agent
- Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
- Step 4: Create an Operating Agreement
- Step 5: Get Your Federal EIN
- Step 6: Handle Indiana Tax Registrations
- Indiana LLC Business Entity Report (Biennial)
- Indiana LLC Tax Basics
- Indiana LLC for Non-US Founders
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC in Indiana?
Indiana is one of the cheaper states to form and maintain an LLC — there is no franchise tax, and the state replaces the usual annual report with a biennial one. Here is the full breakdown (fees current as of October 2026; the Secretary of State can change fees, so double-check on INBiz before filing):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization, State Form 49459 (online via INBiz) | $95 (statutory fee + electronic enhanced-access fee) |
| Articles of Organization (paper filing by mail) | $100 |
| Name reservation (optional, holds name 120 days) | $10 |
| Registered agent (if using a service) | Varies — standalone registered agent service is $200/year at Registered Agents Inc; included free for year one with their $100 + state fee formation bundle |
| Business Entity Report (every 2 years) | $32 online / $50 by mail |
| Certificate of Existence / Good Standing | Fee applies — check the current INBiz fee schedule |
| Sales tax registration (Registered Retail Merchant Certificate) | No state application fee listed — register through INTIME, the Indiana DOR tax portal |
For a deeper comparison of formation costs across states, see how much it costs to form an LLC.
Why Registered Agents Inc for an Indiana LLC? They charge a flat $100 + state fee to form your LLC, which includes the state filing itself, a domain name, a website, and one year of free registered agent service (check current pricing — add-on website, phone, and email tools are $5/month each). That first year of included registered agent service is what makes the bundle cheaper than hiring a standalone agent. Start your Indiana LLC here →
Step 1: Choose Your LLC Name
Indiana naming rules require:
- The name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” or a similar recognized abbreviation.
- It must be distinguishable from every existing business entity on file with the Indiana Secretary of State. Run a free name search on the INBiz portal’s business entity search before you commit.
- Avoid restricted words (like “Bank,” “Insurance,” or “University”) unless you hold the required licenses — these trigger extra state review.
- You do not need to repeat the name you searched exactly; double-check spelling before filing, because amending the name later costs an additional filing fee.
If you are not ready to file yet, you can reserve your name for $10 through INBiz (Indiana Code § 23-0.5-3-3), which holds it for 120 days and is renewable. Note that a clear name search does not reserve the wording — the Secretary of State makes the final determination when it reviews your filing.
Step 2: Appoint an Indiana Registered Agent
Every Indiana LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Indiana (P.O. boxes do not qualify). The registered agent receives lawsuits, tax notices, and official state correspondence on your LLC’s behalf during business hours.
Your options:
- Yourself — only if you live in Indiana and are available at that address during normal business hours. For non-resident and non-US founders, this is not an option.
- A trusted person in Indiana — a friend or partner, but their address becomes public record.
- A professional registered agent service — the standard choice for non-resident and non-US founders. Read more about whether you need a registered agent.
One Indiana-specific wrinkle: commercial mail-receiving agency (CMRA) addresses face new disclosure and eligibility rules on state filings under 2025’s HB 1593, effective January 1, 2026. If you plan to use a virtual mailbox on your filing, confirm it meets the new rules first.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
This is the step that legally creates your LLC. Indiana’s filing is State Form 49459, Articles of Organization of a Domestic Limited Liability Company, filed with the Secretary of State through the INBiz portal (inbiz.in.gov).
How to file online:
- Create a free INBiz account and sign in.
- Select “File a New Business Entity” → “Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC).”
- Enter your LLC name, principal office address, and registered agent details (Article II of the form). The agent must consent to the appointment.
- List the duration (perpetual is standard) and whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed.
- Pay the $95 filing fee by credit card or ACH. Note that INBiz adds a small checkout processing fee (roughly $1–2) on top of the $95.
- Submit. Online filings are typically approved in 1–2 business days; paper filings by mail ($100) take considerably longer.
Your stamped Articles of Organization are your proof of formation. Download and keep them — you will need them for the EIN application, the bank account, and tax registrations.
Want to skip the paperwork? Registered Agents Inc files your Indiana Articles of Organization for you for $100 + the $95 state fee — including a domain name, a website, and one year of free registered agent service. Check current pricing for add-on tools ($5/month each).
Step 4: Create an Operating Agreement
Indiana does not require LLCs to file an operating agreement with the state, but you should write one anyway — it is the document that proves who owns the company and how it is run. Banks ask for it when you open a business account, and it protects your limited-liability status by showing the LLC is a real, separate business.
A solid operating agreement covers: each member’s ownership percentage and capital contributions, how profits and losses are divided, voting rights and decision-making, how new members join, how members exit or the LLC dissolves, and (for multi-member LLCs) deadlock and buyout rules.
Single-member foreign founders benefit just as much — an operating agreement in English helps payment processors and banks verify your ownership. No US citizenship or Social Security number is needed to sign one.
Step 5: Get Your Federal EIN
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the LLC’s federal tax ID. You need it for taxes, a US bank account, and payment processors like Stripe. The IRS issues EINs for free.
- US founders with an SSN: apply online at irs.gov and get the EIN immediately.
- Non-US founders without an SSN: complete IRS Form SS-4 and fax it to the IRS. Expect roughly 4–7 weeks for processing — plan your launch timeline around this. Full walkthrough: how to get an EIN as a foreigner.
Never pay a third party for an EIN — the IRS issues them free, and any site charging for it is selling you something you can do yourself.
Step 6: Handle Indiana Tax Registrations
After formation, handle these state registrations before you start trading:
- Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (sales tax): if you sell taxable goods (retail or online) to Indiana customers, register for a sales tax permit through INTIME, the Indiana Department of Revenue’s tax portal, using Form BT-1 (Business Tax Application). Indiana’s state sales tax rate is 7% with no additional local sales taxes, and there is no state application fee listed for the certificate. You will collect and remit the 7% on Indiana sales.
- Employer withholding: if you hire employees in Indiana, register for withholding tax — also done through INTIME on the BT-1.
- Local permits and licenses: cities and counties may require business licenses depending on your industry. Check with the city clerk where your principal office is located.
Two common mistakes: confusing the Secretary of State’s formation filing with the Department of Revenue’s tax registration (they are separate systems), and assuming the sales tax permit is optional for online sellers — it is not, once you have economic activity in Indiana.
Indiana LLC Business Entity Report (Biennial)
Indiana does not have an annual report. Instead, LLCs file a Business Entity Report every two years, due by the end of your formation anniversary month. This is Indiana’s most common compliance trap: founders set a yearly reminder, skip a cycle, and risk administrative dissolution.
- Fee (current as of October 2026): $32 filed online through INBiz; $50 on paper.
- Deadline: the last day of your anniversary month, every other year.
- What is on it: your registered agent, principal office address, and business address. Since January 1, 2026, “health care entities” (a new statutory category under HB 1666) must also report certain ownership information — standard LLCs just confirm the basics.
Mark the two-year cycle in your calendar the day you form the LLC. The fee is small, but missing it is not.
Indiana LLC Tax Basics
Here is how Indiana taxes LLCs (rates current as of October 2026; confirm with the Indiana Department of Revenue before planning around them):
- LLCs are pass-through by default. The LLC itself pays no Indiana income tax; profits flow to the owners’ returns. A single-member LLC is a disregarded entity; a multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership.
- Individual income tax: Indiana taxes individual income at a flat 2.95% for tax year 2026 (dropping to 2.90% in 2027 under scheduled reductions). On top of that, all 92 Indiana counties levy their own local income taxes (roughly 0.5%–3%), so your real individual rate depends on the county.
- Corporate election: if you elect S-corp or C-corp taxation, Indiana’s corporate income tax rate is 4.9% (phased reductions completed in 2021) — confirm the current rate on the DOR’s rates page before relying on it.
- Sales tax: 7% statewide, no local add-ons.
- No franchise tax, no estate/inheritance tax in Indiana.
- Federal taxes still apply. As a foreign-owned US LLC, you generally file IRS Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, and the single-member LLC is treated as a disregarded entity for US income tax purposes. Full detail: US LLC taxes for foreigners.
- BOI / Corporate Transparency Act: you do not file a beneficial-ownership report for your Indiana LLC. FinCEN’s final rule of August 11, 2026 (effective August 14, 2026) permanently exempts companies formed under US law — even when owned by foreign nationals — from BOI reporting. Older guides still mention BOI filing; that requirement no longer applies to domestic US LLCs.
Indiana LLC for Non-US Founders
Indiana is a solid, low-drama state for foreign founders — no citizenship requirement, no franchise tax, cheap biennial reporting, and a 7% sales tax with no local layer. A few points that matter specifically to you:
- No SSN needed to form. You can complete all six formation steps above without a Social Security number. The only SSN-dependent step is the instant online EIN — do that one by faxing Form SS-4 instead.
- You cannot be your own registered agent unless you live in Indiana. Budget for a commercial agent, or get year one bundled into a formation package.
- Banking is the hard part, not formation. Remote account opening for non-residents is possible but competitive: Mercury maintains a published prohibited-country list of roughly 48 countries (including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and the Philippines) — if you live in one of those, Mercury is not an option for you, and Wise Business is the default first pick for founders in blocked countries. Always check Mercury’s current published list before applying.
- Form 5472 is your federal obligation. A foreign-owned single-member Indiana LLC files Form 5472 attached to a pro-forma Form 1120 annually, even with zero US activity. The $25,000 non-filing penalty is real.
- Sales-tax nexus: Indiana’s economic nexus threshold follows the standard Streamlined rules — selling into Indiana from abroad can create collection duties, so register through INTIME before you make your first Indiana sale.
Ready to form your Indiana LLC? Registered Agents Inc handles the full filing for $100 + state fee — Articles of Organization, domain name, website, and one year of free registered agent service included. Check current pricing for add-on tools ($5/month each).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Indiana in 2026?
The state filing fee is $95 online through the INBiz portal or $100 by mail (State Form 49459), one time. The only recurring state cost is the $32 biennial Business Entity Report every two years. A name reservation is $10 and optional. Fees current as of October 2026.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Indiana?
Online filings through INBiz are typically approved in 1–2 business days. Paper filings by mail take considerably longer because of delivery time and manual processing. For non-US founders, the real bottleneck is usually the EIN: faxing Form SS-4 to the IRS takes roughly 4–7 weeks.
Do I need a registered agent for my Indiana LLC?
Yes. Indiana law requires every LLC to continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state, available during business hours. You can serve as your own agent only if you live in Indiana; non-US founders normally use a professional service, which costs $200/year standalone at Registered Agents Inc or comes free for year one in their $100 + state fee formation bundle.
Does Indiana require an annual report for LLCs?
No. Indiana uses a biennial Business Entity Report, filed every two years in your formation anniversary month. The fee is $32 online ($50 by mail) as of October 2026. Missing the two-year deadline can lead to administrative dissolution, so calendar it from day one.
Can a non-US citizen start an LLC in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana requires no US citizenship, residency, or Social Security number to own an LLC. You file the Articles of Organization on INBiz exactly like a US founder, then apply for your EIN by faxing IRS Form SS-4, since the instant online EIN application requires an SSN.
Do I need to file a BOI report for my Indiana LLC?
No. FinCEN’s final rule of August 11, 2026 (effective August 14, 2026) permanently exempts companies formed under US law from BOI reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act, even when owned by foreign nationals. Ignore older guides that list BOI filing as a current requirement.
Conclusion
Indiana gives foreign and domestic founders the same rare combination: a $95 formation fee, no franchise tax, a $32 biennial report instead of an annual one, and a flat 2.95% individual income tax rate for 2026. File your Articles of Organization on INBiz, keep your biennial Business Entity Report on the calendar, and handle your EIN and Indiana tax registrations early — especially the fax-based EIN if you are outside the US.
Form your Indiana LLC today: Registered Agents Inc charges $100 + state fee — covering the state filing, a domain name, a website, and one full year of registered agent service. Check current pricing for add-on tools, which run $5/month each.