Idaho LLC Formation: What the Secretary of State Actually Requires
Our Idaho LLC formation package is $199 plus the state's $100 filing fee — we prepare and file the paperwork. Every Idaho LLC also needs a registered agent on record; that's $99/year, invoiced as its own separate line.
An Idaho LLC takes one core filing with the Secretary of State, one agent on the public record, and a short list of yearly upkeep. The state's share is $100 online, and Idaho sweetens the deal with a $0 annual report afterward. Below: the fee breakdown, the actual form, and the steps in order.
File Your Idaho LLC — $199
A single $199 fee covers prep and submission to Idaho Secretary of State, start to approval.
What an LLC Does for You in Idaho
An LLC is essentially a hybrid: corporate-style liability protection, partnership-style taxes, and a much lighter compliance burden. Among Idaho small operations, the LLC dominates among contractors, online sellers, real estate holders, and small partnerships for its mix of simplicity and protection.
Idaho LLC Filing Fee: $100
The Secretary of State charges $100 to file your LLC online through SOSBiz. Insist on paper and it becomes $120, because Idaho tacks a $20 manual-processing charge onto anything filed by hand (and requires the paper form to be typed). Seen a different number somewhere? The official form lists $100 plus the $20 manual-processing add-on, full stop.
In a hurry, the state sells speed: expedited processing for an extra $40, same-day for an extra $100.
| What you're paying for | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our filing service | $199, once |
| Idaho Secretary of State fee | $100 online / $120 paper |
| Registered agent (mandatory for Idaho LLCs) | $99 per year |
| Annual report to the state | $0 (mandatory, just free) |
The Certificate of Organization (Idaho Doesn't Do "Articles")
Idaho's formation document is the Certificate of Organization Limited Liability Company. Most states call theirs "Articles of Organization"; Idaho went its own way. There's no form number either, since Idaho doesn't number its SOS forms.
The legal basis is Idaho Code § 30-25-201: one or more organizers deliver a certificate of organization to the secretary of state, and the LLC comes into existence. Filing happens online through SOSBiz for nearly everyone; the typed paper version exists for the $120 crowd.
The Formation Steps, In Order
- Lock down a name. It needs an LLC designator (Limited Liability Company, LLC, or L.L.C.) and can't collide with any entity already registered. Run the Secretary of State's entity search first, and skip words hinting at banking, insurance, or government unless you're licensed for them.
- Line up your registered agent. Non-negotiable: an in-state street address, availability during business hours, name and address on the public record. That's us for $99 a year, with your own address staying private.
- File the Certificate of Organization. Online via SOSBiz with the $100 fee (or typed paper at $120). The form wants the LLC's name, its principal address, the agent's name and address, and the organizer. Add $40 for expedited handling or $100 for same-day if the timeline is tight.
- Write an operating agreement. Idaho never sees it, but banks, partners, and courts will. Ownership splits, profit allocation, voting, exits: put them in writing, or the LLC act's default rules decide for you.
- Grab the EIN. Free at IRS.gov, about ten minutes online, issued on the spot. Never pay a middleman for this.
- File the $0 annual report every year. Due by the end of your anniversary month, online through SOSBiz, no charge. Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the LLC. Full rundown on our annual report page.
The Registered Agent Piece
Every Idaho LLC needs an agent, no exceptions, no workarounds. The agent must:
- Keep a real Idaho street address (PO box only won't fly)
- Be reachable at that address through the workday for lawsuits and legal mail
- Pass along state correspondence and court documents fast enough to protect your response deadlines
Name yourself and your address joins the public entity database for anyone to browse. Name us for $99 a year and ours goes up instead.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Idaho?
$100 to the state for the online filing, $120 if you file the typed paper form (that extra $20 is Idaho's manual-processing charge). The annual report that follows is $0 forever.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Idaho?
Standard online filings through SOSBiz are the quickest baseline, and Idaho sells two upgrades: expedited for $40 extra, same-day for $100 extra.
Does Idaho require an annual report?
Yes, one per year, and it's free. $0 through SOSBiz, due by the end of your anniversary month, mandatory despite the price.
Do I need a registered agent for my Idaho LLC?
Yes. The requirement is continuous, from the day of formation for as long as the LLC exists, and the agent needs a real Idaho address.
Can I form an LLC in Idaho if I live in another state?
Absolutely. Out-of-state owners form Idaho LLCs all the time. The single in-state requirement is the agent, and that's the piece we supply for $99 a year.
Launch Your Idaho LLC
Filing solo through SOSBiz works fine; the state's share is $100 either way, and the agent rule applies no matter who files. Our service takes the agent role: your filing carries our Idaho address, mail gets scanned the day it arrives, and we ping you ahead of every compliance date.
Need just the registered agent piece? The agent-only plan runs $99 a year.
Questions about Idaho LLC formation or about the agent service? Our FAQ handles most questions; the contact form is open for the rest.
Ready to file your Idaho LLC?
$199 covers formation and filing; the Idaho registered agent runs $99/year, billed on its own.