How Much Does It Cost to Start and Maintain an LLC in Indiana?

Are you planning to launch an LLC in Indiana but unsure how much cash you’ll need right out of the gate?
Do you want to budget for both formation fees and ongoing compliance costs to avoid surprises?
Curious which optional services could add to your startup expenses?

Forming an Indiana LLC requires a $97 online filing fee (or $100 by mail) for the Articles of Organization, plus a $31 biennial report fee every two years. You’ll also need a registered agent—which you can self-appoint for free or hire for around $125 per year—and optional filing of a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (DBA) at $20. Remember local permits or bank fees may add another $25–$50 annually, keeping total upkeep under $200 per year.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• Breakdown of one-time formation and biennial report fees
• Registered agent options and costs
• DBA filing requirements and fees
• Tips to minimize ongoing expenses

Ready to plan your budget and get compliant? Let’s dive in!

Indiana LLC Formation Costs: What You Pay to Start

Launching an Indiana LLC isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about budgeting each mandatory dollar so your venture starts lean. Below you’ll find the exact state charges and realistic extras you’ll face on day one. For a full breakdown of every line item, see our detailed guide on how much is an LLC. Once you know them, you can avoid surprise costs and keep more cash in the business bank account. That clarity also deters future compliance headaches and lets you focus on serving customers quickly. If you’re still weighing jurisdictions, explore our ranking of the best place to form an LLC for fee, privacy, and banking comparisons.

Filing Articles of Organization – $97 Online or $100 by Mail

Indiana’s Articles of Organization officially create your limited liability company and unlock the legal shield that separates you from business debts. Ready to begin? Follow our step-by-step instructions on how to start an LLC in Indiana today. Filing online through INBiz costs $97 and typically posts within 24 hours, while mailing Form 49459 costs $100 and can take a week or more. Curious about overall timing? Learn how long it takes to get an LLC in Indiana from start to finish. Either method gives you equal protection. Both fees are one-time and non-refundable by the state.

• Includes automatic forwarding of stamped certificate to your email.
• You may upload initial operating agreement but it’s not required.
• Payment by Visa, MasterCard, or eCheck; convenience fee under 3 %.
• Expedited processing option is unavailable; online is already fastest.

Immediately after approval, set up a registered agent service or nominate yourself and download the acceptance form. Indiana does not charge to add your agent, but accurate contact details ensure lawsuits or tax notices reach you, preserving your liability shield and preventing administrative dissolution later.

Is Reserving an LLC Name Required in Indiana?

Indiana lets you skip preliminary reservation because INBiz auto-checks availability. To ensure your chosen name is clear, see our tips on how to check LLC names. Still, founders who need breathing room sometimes park a name first. The indiana secretary of State charges $11 online ($10 fee + $1 processing) or $11 by mail for a 120-day hold. If you can form immediately, reserving is unnecessary and paying twice adds friction. A reservation grants no trademark rights—it only blocks another filer while you polish your launch plan.

DBA Cost in Indiana: Do You Need One for Your LLC?

Operating under a catchy brand different from your LLC’s legal name can sharpen marketing, yet Indiana treats a DBA—officially a Certificate of Assumed Business Name—as a public alias of the same legal entity. Knowing when and how much that extra identity costs prevents later headaches with banks, vendors, and regulators. Below is the nuance you need in 2025.

When an Indiana LLC Needs a DBA (Assumed Business Name)

For most entrepreneurs, your Articles of Organization establish both the formal entity and the name customers see. You file a DBA only when your indiana business wants a separate storefront label, launches a new e-commerce line, or drops “LLC” in public-facing materials. Banks demand the certificate before opening a merchant account, and marketplaces like Amazon check the record. If every invoice and contract uses the original name, skipping the DBA saves $20 and paperwork. In regulated fields, licensing bodies likewise insist the alias match the state’s roster.

Filing a DBA in Indiana: Process and Fees

LLCs submit the Assumed Name through INBiz, which cross-checks sales and use tax databases to prevent conflicts. Online filing costs $20; mailing or in-person delivery runs $30 and adds days.

• Gather Indiana Entity Number and principal office address.
• Print or e-sign the county acceptance page.
• Pay by credit card or ACH within the secure portal.
• Receive stamped confirmation instantly for bank setup.

Keep the certificate with your bank account records; institutions freeze funds if the alias on checks differs from the state listing. Because DBAs never expire in Indiana, one filing secures the brand indefinitely—unless you later cancel or amend it.

Online vs Mail Filing: Which Option to Choose?

Choosing the online path is a no-brainer: INBiz approves most names within minutes, letting you invoice the same day. Mailing the form with a $30 check makes sense only if you lack reliable internet or need notarized riders. The state scans every paper form, so timelines stretch a week or more. The department of revenue also reviews DBAs to align future sales-tax accounts; illegible handwriting can stall that match. Faster approval means you order branded checks and signage sooner.

Annual and Recurring Indiana LLC Fees Explained

Your LLC’s true cost surfaces after formation, and the biggest recurring bill is the biennial business entity report. Indiana keeps compliance light versus neighbors, but you still need to budget for registered-agent renewals and hidden upkeep charges that creep in as you grow or hire employees over time.

Biennial Report: Due Dates, Fees, and Late Penalties

Every second anniversary month, file the report to confirm ownership and addresses. Online submission costs $31, while mailing costs $50. Miss the deadline and lenders may question past tax returns. Online filing delivers a conformity certificate in minutes.

• File between the first and last day of your anniversary month.
• Use INBiz reminders or calendar alerts to stay on track.
• Update member or manager details without extra charge.
• Keep a PDF copy for loan and vendor verification.

Failing to file within 120 days triggers administrative dissolution; the state notifies your indiana registered agent, and reinstatement costs $30 plus past reports. Timely filing costs less than dinner—never miss it.

Registered Agent Costs in Indiana: Free vs Paid Options

You may act as your own agent at no cash cost, but your street address becomes public and you must stay tethered to the mailbox. To compare professional options, explore the best LLC service in Indiana for registered-agent coverage and compliance support. Professional services average $125 yearly and forward documents instantly—a fair premium when privacy and travel matter. Same-day scanning shields you if changing tax rates create tight response windows. Many providers also bundle biennial-report reminders.

Compliance Maintenance Costs Most Owners Forget

Beyond obvious filings, watch micro-fees: banks may charge $25 to update signature cards; counties assess $10 on personal-property returns; unemployment-insurance renewals and sales-tax certificates carry card surcharges. Indiana imposes no franchise or corporate tax on LLCs, but workforce and licensing agencies still invoice annually. Those line items, left unchecked, erode the savings you planned.

What Happens If You Miss a Filing Deadline?

Indiana grants a 120-day grace period. During dissolution you can’t sign new contracts, and banks may freeze access. Reinstatement demands every past report, a $30 revival fee, and a clearance letter—delaying income tax filings. Vendors may refuse orders without good standing.

Optional LLC Costs in Indiana (Only If Applicable)

Not every startup needs add-ons, yet certain elective filings and services can lift credibility or simplify future expansions. Understanding which extras actually fit your business plan—and which just drain cash—keeps your llc formation budget honest from day one.

• Certificate of Good Standing: $26 online (plus $1 processing).
• Certified copies of formation documents: $15 plus $0.50 per page.
• Local business license (only some cities and counties): $25–$50 initial, then annual renewal.
• Courier return of paper filings: ≈$40 overnight if you need stamped originals quickly.

If you expect to raise capital or hold real estate across state lines, the Good Standing certificate is cheap insurance against closing-date delays. Purely local retailers might skip everything but a municipal license. Weigh each optional line item against projected revenue before adding it to the INBiz cart.

Cheapest Way to Start an Indiana LLC: DIY vs Paid Services

Cutting launch costs is simpler than coupon-hunting—Indiana’s baseline fees are already modest. For a complete formation roadmap and best practices, check out our guide on how to launch an LLC. The trick is resisting every upsell until revenue starts flowing and using free state resources wherever possible. The guide below compares true DIY pricing with what formation services charge, so you can see whether the time you save outweighs the sales taxes you’ll collect later.

Total DIY Formation Cost Breakdown (Step by Step)

Doing everything yourself takes an afternoon, one state payment, and a clear checklist—no lawyer required. In a hurry? Learn how to form an LLC without a business plan and launch today. The heaviest lift is submitting the articles of organization online.

1. Name-availability search – free
2. File Articles of Organization – $97
3. Draft operating agreement from free template – $0
4. Obtain EIN from IRS – $0
5. Open business bank account – $0 with a fee-free bank

Add those items and your cash outlay is $97—barely more than registering a sole proprietorship and far below most “bargain” packages.

What Formation Services Charge in Indiana and What You Get

Full-service providers tout “$0 plus state fee,” yet checkout totals often hit $200 once you add registered-agent renewal, operating-agreement drafts, compliance alerts, and shipping. Starter bundles file paperwork and cover year-one agent service; mid-tiers tack on EIN acquisition and domain vouchers. Agent renewals default to $125, alerts to $50, and corporate kits to $99—pushing three-year ownership to roughly $500. Some platforms even add card surcharges that quietly raise the effective sales tax rate on every state payment they submit.

Free Tools vs Paid Packages: Are the Extras Worth It?

INBiz supplies every essential form for free and even prompts you to download a blank agreement after approval. Paid platforms justify their prices with dashboards, deadline alarms, and bookkeeping trials. Decide whether those extras fix an immediate need or duplicate software you already use. If Google Calendar tracks filings and Wave handles invoicing, alerts add little value. Likewise, the internal revenue service emails your EIN instantly, so paying someone to “rush” a free number is redundant.

Watch Out for Hidden Fees in Service-Provider Offers

Marketing pages headline the state fee but bury premium shipping, EIN acquisition, or “registered-agent change” surcharges in small print. The costliest trap is renewal lock-in—miss their invoice and the provider may resign, triggering administrative dissolution. Verify that the quote covers Indiana’s biennial report and that agent service renews at the same rate. If you plan multiple subsidiaries or an indiana series llc, confirm each series gets agent coverage without extra annual charges.

When It’s Better to Use a Professional LLC Service

Complex ownership structures, accelerated timelines, or foreign founders can justify hiring help. During a property closing, a professional coordinates title-insurance requests and secures approval within a guaranteed window. Entrepreneurs juggling regulated permits—liquor, medical devices—also benefit when a seasoned filer handles overlapping agency forms. And if your local chamber of commerce demands bonding certificates, an all-in-one bundle may save endless clerk visits.

Steps to Start an Indiana LLC With All Fees Included

A tidy formation checklist keeps you on schedule and on budget. Follow the five steps below in order, plugging each cost into your spreadsheet so nothing slips through the cracks. By Step 5, your Indiana LLC will be compliant and ready to invoice clients.

Step 1: File Articles of Organization – $97

Head to INBiz, create a login, and complete the six-screen wizard. It asks for company name, principal address, and management structure. Pay the state filing fee of $97 via card or eCheck; INBiz emails a receipt instantly. Most approvals arrive within one business day, and your stamped certificate appears in your dashboard for download—essential for banks and contracts.

Step 2: Appoint a Registered Agent – $0 to $125/year

Indiana requires a service-of-process address inside state lines. List yourself for free if you keep regular hours; otherwise hire a commercial statutory agent for ~$125 annually. The provider forwards lawsuits and tax letters the day they arrive, preserving privacy and avoiding missed deadlines. Add or change an agent in INBiz without extra state fees.

Step 3: Draft an Operating Agreement – Optional but Valuable

Indiana doesn’t demand an internal contract, yet investors and lenders will. Start with a free template, then tailor membership percentages, voting rights, and profit-distribution rules. Include buy-sell triggers—death, divorce, bankruptcy—to protect continuity. Have each member e-sign and store the governing document with formation papers; banks often request it during compliance review.

Step 4: Apply for an EIN – Free from IRS

Visit IRS.gov between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST, answer a brief questionnaire, and download the IRS EIN confirmation PDF instantly. Use the number on W-9s, sales-tax applications, and payroll accounts. Third-party “EIN services” can’t speed the process and sometimes delay delivery.

Step 5: File Biennial Report in Even Years – $31 Online

Mark your calendar for the anniversary month two years after formation. Log in, review data, and pay the $31 card charge (mail costs $50). Completing the biennial report on time keeps your LLC active so you can renew licenses, sign leases, and maintain banking privileges without interruption.

Indiana LLC Taxes vs Fees: What You Really Owe the State

Formation fees are predictable; taxes hinge on revenue. For an llc in indiana, you’ll navigate a 7 percent sales tax, a 3 percent state income tax on pass-through profits, and county add-ons. Marking the border between fixed filings and percentage levies lets you set prices confidently and dodge cash-flow jolts.

• Sales tax – 7 percent on taxable goods and services
• State AGI tax – 3.0 percent in 2025
• County income tax – 1.5 – 3 percent, based on residence
• Withholding & unemployment – apply once you run payroll
• Biennial Business Entity Report – $31 online
• No franchise or privilege tax on LLCs

The Indiana department of revenue collects every tax through INTIME. If your account turns delinquent, the portal locks your biennial-report filing and risks dissolution. Park one month of estimated liability in a savings sub-account so vouchers and returns never pinch growth capital.

Indiana LLC Cost – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Even after absorbing the full guide, quick questions linger. Park them here: each answer is laser-focused so you can reference it whenever a lender asks for paperwork or a vendor wants proof your bank account is real. Bookmark it before your next filing deadline or during late-night research sessions.