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LLC SchoolhousePlain LLC lessons, one state at a time.

Class 1 · Kansas

How to Start an LLC in Kansas (2026): a 7-Step Lesson and the 2 Best LLC Services

If you want help setting up an LLC in Kansas during 2026, our graded list reads KS Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). Take it in 7 steps: the state charges $85 to file and wants the information report every two years.

Before you begin

State filing fee$85sos.ks.gov confirms it, as of October 2026
Information report$90 every 2 yearsReport and fee go in 15th day of the 4th month after tax-year-end
Three-year state total$175Service fees not included
Steps in this lesson7Each one explained

You will be able to

  • How much Kansas charges to form an LLC, and who receives the filing
  • What the agent rule says
  • What comes after formation
  • Which services we would use and why

Who we would hire in Kansas

The order follows five published criteria; read how we grade for the details.
Best grade

1. KS Registered Agent.org: best for a budget formation

$199 in year one, $99 after

KS Registered Agent.org comes first, and here is why: $199 on top of the state fee, with the first year of agent service thrown in, then $99 yearly.

Cost decides this one: across three years it totals less than Mainstay Filing.

Set aside time for the information report every two years, since the price does not include it.

What the price covers

  • The formation filing
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • A free first agent year
  • A low $99 renewal
  • A formation fee of $199

Where it loses points

  • The information report is left to you
  • A $99 add-on for the EIN application
Does the most for you

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a hands-off first year

$199 yearly, renewing at $199

Taking second place is Mainstay Filing, where at $199 a year it files the LLC, serves as the resident agent and files the information report, and the price stays at $199 when you renew.

That $200 three-year gap to KS Registered Agent.org settles where it lands.

Each information report is filed on your behalf (state fee $90, at cost).

What the price covers

  • The formation filing
  • Resident agent for twelve months
  • Information report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application
  • State fee added at cost

Marks in its favor

  • The same $199 every year
  • $199 yearly, everything in one
  • The EIN application is included

Where it loses points

  • $100 a year more than KS Registered Agent.org's renewal

The grades and prices at a glance

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1KS Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit KS Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Posted prices, read November 13, 2026. The state fee ($85) is not counted.

How to form your Kansas LLC

  1. Step
    1

    Come up with a name

    Your first task is a name search in the records kept by the Kansas Secretary of State, because a taken name in Kansas can get your filing returned.

    Jot down two backup names before you search.

  2. Step
    2

    Decide who your resident agent will be

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The company itself, a Kansas resident, or a business entity formed in Kansas or authorized to do business there.

    The address has to be a Kansas address where the agent is regularly present. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

    You can hire any of the graded services for this job.

    Where this comes from: ksrevisor.gov confirms it, as of October 2026

  3. Step
    3

    Will you file it yourself or use a service?

    Either way the state keeps $85. A filing service adds $199, and our grades show which one is worth it.

  4. Step
    4

    Hand in the Articles of Organization

    The Articles of Organization (Form DL) is what you prepare for the Kansas Secretary of State, and the filing fee that goes with it is $85, as K.S.A. 17-7673 provides.

    Where this comes from: sos.ks.gov confirms it, as of October 2026

  5. Step
    5

    Apply for an EIN

    With the Kansas approval in hand, ask the IRS for an EIN so the LLC can open accounts in its own name. The EIN application is one of the things Mainstay Filing does for you.

  6. Step
    6

    Draft the operating agreement

    The owners sign an operating agreement covering shares, votes and what happens if someone leaves. It stays in your files and is not filed with the state.

  7. Step
    7

    Keep up with Kansas's recurring filing

    Every other year the LLC files the information report and pays $90; the due date is 15th day of the 4th month after tax-year-end.

    Where this comes from: sos.ks.gov confirms it, as of October 2026

What you will pay

Cost itemPaid toTotal
Filing feeTo the state$85
Information reportTo the state$90 every two years
Filing service (optional)Your service$199 in the first year
Three years of state feesTo the state$175
Three-year state total: the filing, plus reports in years two and three, plus any minimum tax. Sources are below.

Why KS Registered Agent.org comes first

won on tuition over three years (32% of the grade), with right behind.

Over years one to three, KS Registered Agent.org costs $397 and Mainstay Filing costs $200 more.

Short answers

What does it cost to form an LLC in Kansas?

The official fee is $85. Our picks charge $199 on top.

Which form creates the LLC?

Step 4 of this lesson shows how to complete the Articles of Organization (Form DL) and where to send it: the Kansas Secretary of State.

Is a resident agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does Kansas require each year?

Expect to file the information report every two years, paying $90 by the deadline: 15th day of the 4th month after tax-year-end.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

The state takes filings directly from owners, so you can skip the service; expect $85 plus a resident agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

KS Registered Agent.org first, then Mainstay Filing; KS Registered Agent.org leads on tuition over three years.

Class references

  1. Homework check for Kansas Form ILC, Information Report: the facts come from sos.ks.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
  2. Homework check for Kansas report due date: the facts come from ksrevisor.gov, a page we last confirmed in August 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
  3. Homework check for Kansas Secretary of State, Form DL fee schedule: the facts come from sos.ks.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
  4. Homework check for Kansas formation fee: Filing fee, official source: the facts come from sos.ks.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
  5. Homework check for Kansas registered agent statute: the facts come from ksrevisor.gov, a page we last confirmed in October 2026, so you can compare our notes to the original.
  6. KS Registered Agent.org pricing page: opened and read on November 13, 2026
  7. Mainstay Filing Kansas service page: opened and read on November 13, 2026