State Guide · ND

North Dakota LLC Guide (2026)

Everything you need to form and maintain an LLC in North Dakota, state-specific fees, deadlines, and step-by-step instructions.

By Edmond Hui · Last updated: August 25, 2026

This hub indexes all North Dakota LLC guides in one place, formation, compliance, registered agents, and business structure comparisons. Quick reference: state filing fee $135, standard processing not published by the state, annual report due November 15. For the complete step-by-step formation walkthrough, see the Full Formation Guide below.

Key LLC facts for North Dakota: $185 minimum first-year cost, $50 each year after, an annual state report, and a personal income tax.
First-year cost is the unavoidable minimum to form and stay compliant; the second figure is what recurs annually. Source: North Dakota's published filing fee schedule, verified July 2026, with anonymity and income-tax status from MyStateLLC's 50-state datasets.
Filing fee$135#16 cheapest of 50 states
ProcessingNot publishedNorth Dakota publishes no standard turnaround
Annual reportNovember 15
Key Finding

6,325 new business applications were filed in North Dakota in the 2026 YTD (Jan to Jul) vs 2025 YTD (same months) window, up 14% year over year

North Dakota ranks #50 of 51 jurisdictions by application volume and #43 per capita. For scale, the state counted 25,402 active business establishments as of 2023 (Census County Business Patterns). This monthly BFS series is a leading indicator of formation activity, ahead of the Census's annual establishment counts.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (BFS), Jul 2026

North Dakota Small Business Landscape

Small businesses in North Dakota78,219 (98.8% of all North Dakota businesses)
Small business employment197,212 workers (57.6% of private-sector employment)

Source: SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profile

North Dakota Business Survival

5-year survival rate54.4% of new North Dakota businesses survive five years, #7 of 51 nationally

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics

See how North Dakota’s 5-year survival rate compares nationally in our full state-by-state ranking.

Enterprise LLCs Formed in North Dakota

Entity NameWhy They Chose North Dakota
Continental Resources Operating LLCNorth Dakota's oil and gas extraction regulations require in-state LLC registration for Bakken Shale operators, Continental Resources uses North Dakota LLCs to hold its production unit agreements and pipeline easements under North Dakota's oil and gas conservation statutes.

Why North Dakota attracts enterprise LLCs: North Dakota's strong oil and gas LLC framework and its low formation costs make it the dominant formation state for Bakken Shale operating entities. Its Industrial Commission provides a stable regulatory environment for energy exploration and production subsidiaries.

Entity examples are illustrative and based on publicly available corporate registrations. Reasons reflect general state-level legal and tax advantages, not verified statements of each company's formation rationale. For educational purposes only; consult a licensed attorney before making formation decisions.

Check your business name

See if your domain and social handles are available before you file.

How Do You Start an LLC in North Dakota?

Filing in North Dakota costs $135 in state fees. North Dakota publishes no standard processing time, so plan around the filing itself rather than a promised turnaround. You'll file Articles of Organization, appoint a registered agent, and complete any state-specific requirements before opening for business.

That is the filing fee alone. For the first-year and five-year totals, see North Dakota LLC cost.

Full Formation Guide for North DakotaExact forms, fees & filing instructions

What Are the Ongoing Requirements for a North Dakota LLC?

North Dakota LLCs must file an annual report due November 15 and keep a registered agent on file year-round. Missing deadlines triggers late fees and risks administrative dissolution.

Full Compliance OverviewAnnual report, fees & deadlinesAnnual Report GuideDue dates, forms & filing steps

How Do You Register a Foreign LLC in North Dakota?

If your LLC was formed in another state (Delaware, Wyoming, etc.) but conducts business in North Dakota, you must register as a foreign LLC. This requires a separate filing fee and a registered agent in North Dakota.

North Dakota Foreign LLC Registration GuideForms, fees & registered agent requirements

Does a North Dakota LLC Need a Registered Agent?

Other North Dakota LLC Compliance & Tax Guides

How Does a North Dakota LLC Compare to Other Structures?

North Dakota LLC Operating Agreement Templates

North Dakota LLC Guides by Industry

How Do You Dissolve an LLC in North Dakota?

Does North Dakota Waive LLC Fees for Veterans?

What Does Moving a Rental Into an LLC Cost in North Dakota?

Do You Need an LLC to Sell on eBay in North Dakota?

How Does North Dakota Compare to Other States for LLC Formation?

Side-by-side breakdowns of filing fees, annual costs, taxes and privacy rules, each written for a business owner already operating in North Dakota.

Compare from a different home state →

More North Dakota LLC Resources

Best Bank AccountsBest business bank accounts for a North Dakota LLC →Grants & IncentivesSmall business grants & incentives in North Dakota →Anonymous LLCHow to form an anonymous LLC in North Dakota →
Edmond Hui

Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC

Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.

Compare North Dakota with Other States

Wisconsin LLC guideFiling fee $130 · See costs and requirements →Florida LLC guideFiling fee $125 · See costs and requirements →New Jersey LLC guideFiling fee $125 · See costs and requirements →How to form an LLCGeneral step-by-step formation guide →Annual report complianceDeadlines and fees for all 50 states →
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