How To Get Llc In Ms

How to Get an LLC in Mississippi

L L C members happy after starting an L L C in Mississippi

LLCs are the most popular structure for small businesses in Mississippi. That's because starting and running a limited liability company (LLC) is very simple and offers important benefits.

LLCs can protect your personal assets (car, house, savings) if something happens to your business. LLCs also offer credibility and options to save on taxes.

It's easy to form an LLC in Mississippi online yourself. Just follow these steps:

Name Your LLC
Choose a Registered Agent
File the MI Articles of Organization
Create an LLC Operating Agreement
Get an EIN

Or, you can use an online LLC service to form an LLC:

ZenBusiness ($39 + State Fees)

LegalZoom ($149 + State Fees)

Home
How To Guides
How to Form an LLC
How to Get an LLC in Mississippi

Starting an LLC in Mississippi is Easy

You can start a Mississippi LLC online by registering the MS Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State. The cost to set up an LLC in Mississippi is $50.

Follow our How to Get an LLC in Mississippi guide below to get started.

Steps to form an L L C in Mississippi

Step 1: Create A Name For Your Mississippi LLC

Before you register your LLC, you'll need to come up with a name. Your business name needs to be catchy for branding purposes and legitimate for legal purposes.

We go into depth on this topic in our LLC naming guide. We'll go over the basics below.

Naming Your LLC

First, brainstorm some possibilities. Use our LLC name generator to get the ideas flowing.

Next, make sure your name meets Mississippi guidelines:

it contains the words limited liability company, limited company, LLC, or L.L.C.
it doesn't contain restricted words or phrases (these often include words likebank, attorney, anduniversity) without proper approval
it's distinguishable from any other entity or trade name registered in Mississippi
full list of Mississippi naming guidelines

Next, do a Mississippi LLC name search with the Secretary of State to find out if your name is available in Mississippi.

If your business name is available and meets guidelines, you'll be able to register it when you file your Mississippi Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State.

Is the URL available? Before you commit 100% to a name, check to see if there's a good web domain available.

We recommend buying your domain right away because even if launching a business website isn't on your radar right now, it will be soon.

Step 2: Appoint A Mississippi LLC Registered Agent

When you file your Articles of Organization, you'll need to list a registered agent.

A registered agent's job is to accept legal documents like service of process and tax notices for your LLC.

Your registered agent can be a person or a registered agent service. You can act as your own registered agent, but many business owners choose to use a registered agent service.

Here are a few things to think about before you decide to act as your own registered agent:

You'll need to be available during normal (9 am - 5 pm) business hours at the address you provide
If you run your business from home, you'll have to make your personal address public
You could be served with a lawsuit in front of your family or coworkers

Step 3: File A Mississippi LLC Certificate of Formation

It's time to officially form your LLC by filing your Certificate of Formation with the MS Secretary of State.

You can file online with the Secretary of State. The filing fee is $50.

Recommended:Now is a good time to decide if your LLC will be member-managed vs manager-managed.

You'll need to know the following information to complete each Article:

Entity Name
Nature of Business and Effective Date
Registered Agent Name and Registered Office Address

For more detailed help with completing the form, visit our Mississippi Articles of Organization guide.

How long does it take to get an LLC approved? LLC processing time is 2 business days.

Step 4: Create A Mississippi LLC Operating Agreement

Creating aMississippi LLC operating agreement is the only way to legally lock down your LLC's management and ownership structure. Having this document in place will give you something to return to if a dispute or lawsuit arises.

Even single-member LLCs benefit from having an operating agreement.

Your operating agreement should outline the following:

Each member's responsibilities
How new members will be admitted
How existing members may transfer or terminate their membership
How profits and dividends will be distributed

You can add as many provisions as you want, as long as they don't conflict with Mississippi business law. Take a look at our What is an Operating Agreement guide to learn more.

Download a template or create a custom Free Operating Agreement using our tool.

Step 5: Obtain An EIN

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number (SSN) for your company. The IRS and the state of Mississippi will use this number to track your business activity.

Your EIN will come in handy when it's time to:

Open a business bank account
File Federal and State taxes
Hire employees

Thebest way to get an EIN for your LLC in Mississippi is by using the free online application on the IRS website.

Read our Get an EIN guide for instructions.

Steps After Forming an LLC

Need Help Forming an LLC?

Read our Best LLC Services review to learn more about pricing and packages.

Articles Sources