$95 to form your Indiana LLC
$95 state filing fee · $32biennial report. 5-year cost of ownership: $159.
By Aissam Baidi · Reviewed against www.in.gov · Verified 2026-05-29
How much does a Indiana LLC cost in 2026? A Indiana LLC costs $95 in year one ($95 filing fee for the Articles of Organization). Ongoing cost is $16/year ($32 biennial report). Five-year total: $159. Standard processing takes about 1 business days; expedite for $0 extra. At $95, Indiana runs $60 below the US median of $155 for year-one LLC costs, making it one of the cheaper states to form in. This makes Indiana attractive for solo founders, e-commerce sellers, and home-based businesses on a tight startup budget. Sourced from www.in.gov, verified 2026-05-29.
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Indiana vs the rest of the US
Year-1 LLC cost in Indiana is $95. That's $60 more than the cheapest state (Montana). Form there if you can register your business out-of-state.
All figures are year-1 LLC formation cost (state filing fee + first-year report fee + first-year franchise tax). Sourced quarterly from each state's Secretary of State office.
5-year cumulative cost projection
How Indiana's LLC cost compares against the popular "shop another state" alternatives over 5 years of ownership. Steeper line = higher recurring cost.
All 50 states + DC, by 5-year LLC cost
Heat-map of 5-year ownership cost across the US. Click any state to see its full breakdown. Cheapest in green, most expensive in dark red.
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5-year cost = year-1 (state filing + first-year report + first-year franchise tax) + 4 years of ongoing (annual/biennial report + franchise tax). Sourced quarterly from each Secretary of State.
Where would you save the most?
Filing in Montana instead of Indiana could save you about $124 over 5 years (78% lower total).
Cross-state filing requires foreign qualification in the state you actually operate from, which adds $50-$300/year in fees plus a registered agent in each jurisdiction. Run the math before deciding.
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Indiana LLC formation, decoded
55,000 LLCs formed in Indiana in 2025 • Top industries: manufacturing, logistics and transportation, life sciences
Indiana boasts a strong manufacturing heritage, a growing life sciences sector, and a strategic position as a logistics hub, supported by a competitive tax environment and a focus on economic development.
Located in the Midwest, Indiana is a key "Crossroads of America" state, bordering Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois, and offering excellent transportation infrastructure for regional commerce.
Indiana requires LLCs to file a biennial business entity report, rather than an annual one, which can reduce the administrative burden and ongoing costs for businesses.
When forming an LLC in Indiana, utilize the INBiz online portal for filing Articles of Organization, as it offers a slightly lower fee and faster processing compared to mail-in options.
Indiana bills the annual report every 2 years (biennial), not annually. That cuts ongoing administrative friction roughly in half compared to annual-cadence states.
Full Indiana LLC cost guide
Indiana LLC Cost: $95 Filing + $32 Biennial Report (2026)
Forming an LLC in Indiana costs $95 to file Articles of Organization online with the Secretary of State (or $100 by mail), then $32 every two years for the Business Entity Report. Year-one cost: $95. Five-year cost of ownership: $159 ($95 + $32 × 2 biennial cycles). Indiana is one of the cheapest 5-year baselines in the US, third place behind New Mexico ($50) and Idaho ($100). There is no franchise tax for pass-through LLCs and no annual report (Indiana uses a biennial cadence). Processing is fast: online filings via INBiz clear in 1 business day at no extra charge.
Reviewed by LLC Formation Cost Editorial Team, fact-checked against primary government sources • Last updated 2026-05-29 • 5 primary government sources cited
TL;DR
Indiana LLCs file Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State via the INBiz portal for $95 (online) or $100 (by mail). The ongoing requirement is the Business Entity Report, due every two years in the LLC’s anniversary month, costing $32 online or $50 by mail. There is no franchise tax for standard pass-through LLCs. Indiana has a flat 3.05% personal income tax (for tax year 2026, scheduled to drop further by 2027 under HEA 1001 enacted in 2023), which taxes pass-through LLC profits at the member level. There is also a county-level “local income tax” that varies (typically 1-3%). Online filings via INBiz are processed in 1 business day. No publication requirement.
Indiana LLC cost breakdown (2026)
| Line item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (online) | $95 | inbiz.in.gov |
| Articles of Organization (by mail) | $100 | in.gov/sos/business |
| Business Entity Report (online, biennial) | $32 every 2 yrs | inbiz.in.gov |
| Business Entity Report (mail, biennial) | $50 every 2 yrs | in.gov/sos/business |
| Registered Agent service (Indiana-resident required) | $50-$200/yr | n/a |
| Year 1 total (DIY, no add-ons) | $95 | |
| Year 2 ongoing | $0 | |
| Year 3 (biennial report due) | $32 | |
| 5-year total (DIY) | $159 | ($95 + $32 × 2) |
All figures verified 2026-05-29 from primary Indiana state sources.
Why Indiana stays cheap
Indiana’s structure is built around minimizing administrative friction for small businesses:
- $95 online filing fee is below the national median (the median is around $125).
- Biennial Business Entity Report at $32 means the effective annual cost is $16/yr, the second-cheapest annualized ongoing cost in the country after Pennsylvania’s decennial structure ($7/yr amortized).
- No franchise tax for pass-through LLCs. The state’s corporate income tax (4.9% flat, scheduled to drop to 4.7% in 2027) applies only to LLCs that elect federal C-corp status.
- No publication requirement. Indiana does not require newspaper publication of LLC formation.
- Online turnaround in 1 business day at no extra charge. Indiana’s INBiz portal is one of the more efficient state business portals in the country.
The trade-offs are modest. Indiana has a 7% state sales tax (high relative to neighbors), and the county-level local income taxes add 1-3% on top of the 3.05% state personal income tax for LLC members who live in Indiana. For non-resident formations, the local tax doesn’t apply.
Filing steps (DIY, no service)
- Pick a name, search availability at the INBiz business search. Names must include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” and cannot conflict with existing Indiana entities.
- Designate a registered agent, must have an Indiana street address under Ind. Code § 23-0.5-4-1. You can act as your own agent if you live in Indiana.
- File the Articles of Organization, $95 online via INBiz or $100 by mail to Indiana Secretary of State Business Services Division, 302 W. Washington Street, Room E018, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
- Get a federal EIN, free at irs.gov.
- Register with the Indiana Department of Revenue, online via INBiz (which integrates with DOR registration). Required for sales tax permit (free), withholding tax if hiring.
- Draft an operating agreement, Ind. Code § 23-18.1 recognizes operating agreements but does not require them. Standard practice for any LLC.
- Open a business bank account, Indiana-licensed banks (Old National Bank, Lake City Bank, First Merchants Bank) are easiest. Banks will typically ask for the filed Articles, EIN letter, and operating agreement.
- Apply for any necessary local licenses, Indiana does not have a statewide business license, but cities (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville) and industries (food service, construction, professional services) have their own requirements.
- File the FinCEN BOI report, required under the Corporate Transparency Act within 30 days of formation. Free to self-file at fincen.gov/boi.
- Calendar the biennial Business Entity Report, due in the LLC’s anniversary month every two years. $32 online or $50 by mail.
Online filings via INBiz are processed in 1 business day. There is no separately priced expedite because standard turnaround is already same-day to next-day.
Page-unique facts
- Indiana is one of only seven states with biennial LLC reports. Alaska, California, DC, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and New York use biennial cycles. Indiana’s $32 biennial is the cheapest of the seven.
- Indiana’s personal income tax is on a glide path down. The flat rate was 3.23% in 2022, dropped to 3.15% in 2023, 3.05% in 2024, and is scheduled to continue declining to 2.9% by 2027 under HEA 1001.
- INBiz integrates SOS filings with DOR registration. Most states still split these across separate websites. Indiana consolidated the workflows in 2017.
- Business Entity Report due in the anniversary month, every 2 years. An LLC formed February 2026 files its first BER between February 1 and February 28, 2028, then every two years thereafter.
- No franchise tax for pass-through LLCs. Indiana’s corporate income tax (4.9% in 2026) applies only to LLCs with a federal C-corp election.
FAQ
When is the Indiana Business Entity Report due?
Every two years, in the LLC’s anniversary month, starting the year after formation. For an LLC formed February 2026, the first BER is due between February 1 and February 28, 2028. The fee is $32 online or $50 by mail. Miss the deadline and the SOS will mark the LLC as delinquent; failure to file for two consecutive cycles can lead to administrative dissolution. Source: Indiana Secretary of State Business Services, verified 2026-05-29.
Does Indiana have a franchise tax on LLCs?
Not for pass-through LLCs. Indiana’s corporate income tax (4.9% in 2026) applies only to LLCs that elect federal C-corp status. Standard single-member or partnership-taxed LLCs owe $0 entity-level income tax. The state’s flat 3.05% personal income tax applies to LLC profits at the member level. Source: Indiana Department of Revenue, verified 2026-05-29.
How long does Indiana LLC formation take?
Online filings via INBiz: 1 business day. Mail filings: 5-7 business days. There is no separately priced expedite because standard online turnaround is already same-day to next-day. Source: INBiz Business Filings, verified 2026-05-29.
Is the Indiana Business Entity Report the same as an annual report?
Functionally yes, but cadence and name differ. The BER is filed every two years (not annually) and is called a “Business Entity Report” rather than an “annual report.” It still serves the same purpose: confirming the LLC’s registered agent, principal office, and basic structural information. The $32 online fee is among the cheapest biennial business filings in the US. Source: Indiana Secretary of State Business Services.
Does Indiana require an operating agreement?
No. Ind. Code § 23-18.1 (Indiana Business Flexibility Act, the state’s LLC statute) recognizes operating agreements as binding between members but does not require them. Standard practice for any LLC. Banks will typically still ask to see one before opening a business checking account. Source: Indiana Code Title 23 Article 18.1, verified 2026-05-29.
Is Indiana a good state for non-resident formations?
Modestly. The $159 5-year baseline is among the cheapest in the country, and the 1-business-day processing is faster than most states. Add a registered agent service ($99-$150/yr) and the all-in 5-year cost runs $654-$909. That beats Connecticut, Massachusetts, and California, and matches Wyoming’s all-in cost. For a non-resident with no other preference, Indiana works fine. For a non-resident specifically optimizing for privacy, Wyoming or New Mexico is better (Indiana lists members on the public Business Entity Report). Source: Indiana Secretary of State Business Services.
State quirk: the biennial Business Entity Report
Indiana is one of seven US states using a biennial (every-two-years) reporting cadence for LLCs instead of the more common annual cadence. The $32 online filing is the cheapest biennial fee in the country (compare California’s $20 biennial Statement of Information on a $800/yr franchise base, or DC’s $300 biennial on a $250/yr franchise base, neither is even close to Indiana’s combined economics). The biennial structure traces back to Indiana’s 2014 modernization of its business filings, when the state consolidated annual reports with EIN-style biennial check-ins to reduce administrative burden on small LLCs. The state retained the right to require interim filings for material changes (registered agent, principal address, manager structure), but the routine confirmation moves to a two-year cycle. The trade-off founders should know: if your registered agent changes mid-cycle, you still need to file a Change of Registered Agent (free) between BERs. Don’t wait until the biennial report to update RA information, doing so risks the state losing track of where to serve process during the gap.
Common mistake in Indiana
The most common Indiana LLC mistake is treating the biennial cadence like an annual cadence and either filing twice (no penalty, just wasted $32) or forgetting that the BER is due every two years (which does carry administrative dissolution risk after two consecutive missed cycles). Calendar the BER explicitly with the formation date plus 2 years. The second most common mistake is forgetting that the personal income tax rate dropped to 3.05% in 2024 (from 3.23% in 2022), founders who budgeted off older guides over-estimate the LLC member tax burden by a small but real amount.
Sources
- Indiana Secretary of State Business Services, last verified 2026-05-29
- INBiz Indiana Business Filings Portal, last verified 2026-05-29
- Indiana Code Title 23 Article 18.1 (Indiana Business Flexibility Act), last verified 2026-05-29
- Indiana Department of Revenue Business Tax, last verified 2026-05-29
- IRS Publication 3402, Taxation of Limited Liability Companies, last verified 2026-05-29
- IRS Apply for an Employer Identification Number Online, last verified 2026-05-29
About the author
Aissam Baidi is the founder and researcher behind llcformationcost.com. He verifies Indiana LLC fees directly from in.gov/sos and inbiz.in.gov on a quarterly cycle. Connect on LinkedIn.
Not legal advice. Estimates based on publicly available data from each state’s Secretary of State office. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.
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What's the actual filing fee in Indiana?
Indiana charges $95 to file the Articles of Organization with www.in.gov. Expedited service is available for an additional $0, reducing turnaround to about 1 business days vs. the standard ~1.
Does Indiana have a franchise tax?
No. Indiana does not impose a flat franchise tax on LLCs. Some pass-through entity income may still be taxed at the member level under state income tax rules.
What's the annual report situation in Indiana?
Indiana requires a biennial report at $32. That cadence is every two years, so the amortized cost is roughly $16/year. Note: the first-year report is billed separately at $0.
Do I need a registered agent in Indiana?
Yes. Every Indiana LLC must designate a registered agent with a physical Indiana street address (no P.O. boxes), available during business hours to accept legal mail. You can serve as your own agent for free if you live in Indiana, but most founders use a commercial service ($100-150/year) to keep their home address off the public record.
What's unusual about forming an LLC in Indiana?
Indiana requires LLCs to file a biennial business entity report, rather than an annual one, which can reduce the administrative burden and ongoing costs for businesses.
Indiana-specific Operating Agreement preview
Five substantive sections with Indiana-specific clauses (filing form, franchise tax, publication requirements, governing law). Use as a starting point with your attorney, or upgrade for the full 12-section document.
OPERATING AGREEMENT OF [COMPANY NAME], LLC
Article I. Formation
This Operating Agreement is entered into as of [date], by and among the undersigned members of [Company Name], a Limited Liability Company organized under the Indiana Limited Liability Company Act. The Company was formed by filing the Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State on [filing date]. The Company's principal office is located at [address], Indiana.
Article II. Members & Membership Interests
The members of the Company are listed on Exhibit A. Each member's capital contribution and percentage interest are set forth therein. Members may be admitted only by [unanimous / majority] consent of existing members. Indiana law does not mandate a written operating agreement, but the parties agree that this writing governs.
Article III. Management
The Company shall be [member-managed / manager-managed]. Indiana default rules apply to any matter not addressed here. The Company shall timely file the biennial report ($32) with the Indiana Secretary of State to maintain good standing.
Article IV. Distributions & Allocations
Profits, losses, and distributions shall be allocated among members in proportion to their percentage interests, except as otherwise agreed in writing. Distributions shall be made [quarterly / annually / at the discretion of the [members / managers]]. The Company shall maintain capital accounts in accordance with Treas. Reg. § 1.704-1(b).
Article V. Dissolution & Indiana-Specific Provisions
The Company shall dissolve upon [vote of majority members / occurrence of specific events]. Upon dissolution, the Company shall wind up its affairs and distribute remaining assets in accordance with Indiana law. This agreement is governed by Indiana law and any disputes shall be resolved in [forum].
7 more sections in the full document
Tax matters, indemnification, transfer restrictions, dissolution mechanics, signature pages, exhibits A & B (member roster + capital contributions), and amendment procedures. Plus state-specific signature-line text per $Indiana convention.
Not legal advice. This template is a starting point for discussion with a licensed Indiana attorney. Operating Agreements should be reviewed by counsel for your specific situation.
Indiana LLC cost vs popular alternatives
A common decision is whether to form in your home state or an out-of-state filing state (Delaware, Wyoming, New Mexico). Out-of-state formation usually requires foreign-LLC registration in your home state too, adding both filing costs.
| State | First-year cost | Annual renewal | Franchise tax | Processing days | Publication required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $95 | $16 | - | 1 days | - |
| Delaware | $390 | $300 | - | 14 days | - |
| Wyoming | $160 | $60 | - | 14 days | - |
| New Mexico | $50 | $0 | - | 14 days | - |
| Florida | $263.75 | $138.75 | - | 5 days | - |
Fees verified 2026-05-29 from each state's Secretary of State.
Frequently asked questions about Indiana LLCs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Indiana in 2026?
Indiana charges $95 to file the Articles of Organization. An ongoing biennial report fee of $32 keeps the LLC in good standing. Verified 2026-05-29 from www.in.gov.
Does Indiana require an annual report?
Yes. Indiana requires a biennial report at $32.
What is the processing time in Indiana?
Standard processing in Indiana takes about 1 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional $0, reducing turnaround to about 1 business days.
Does Indiana have a publication requirement?
No. Indiana does not require LLC formation to be published in newspapers.
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Open the AI advisorNot legal advice. Estimates based on publicly available data from each state's Secretary of State office. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.