Missouri company records are kept by the Secretary of State, through its Corporations Division in Jefferson City. The division forms LLCs and corporations, registers fictitious names and issues certificates. Records are searched in the Business Entity Search, and filings are made on the same business services site.
Missouri has two quirks worth knowing before you start. An LLC files no annual report here, so the yearly paperwork falls on corporations only. And the online price is much lower than paper: $50 against $105 for an LLC.
Missouri Business Entity Search
Search by business name or by registered agent. If you hold the company's annual reminder, use the charter number printed on it. It is the most exact key.
| Official business search | bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, registered agent, entity or file number (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | No online check (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
- Use the Charter Number printed on the annual reminder for the most exact lookup.
From sos.mo.gov, checked .
There is no separate name availability tool. To check a name, run a Business Entity Search and look at what is already on file.
Status words in Missouri
Missouri records use "Administratively Dissolved" when the Secretary of State has dissolved a company for a missed report, unpaid franchise tax, a lapsed registered agent or fraud. That status does not mean the company has ceased to exist.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Administratively Dissolved | Dissolved by the Secretary of State for failure to file an annual report, pay franchise tax, maintain a registered agent or office, or for fraud. It does not mean the corporation ceased to exist. Written notice goes first and the corporation has 60 days to correct. Can be reinstated by rescission. |
| Revoked (foreign entities) | A foreign entity's certificate of authority is revoked if it fails to maintain a registered agent. |
Status wording from sos.mo.gov, checked .
A dissolved corporation can come back by rescission. Out-of-state companies that lose their agent see "Revoked" instead.
Missouri filing fees
An LLC filed online costs $50, including a $5 technology fee, and $105 on paper. Corporations start at $58 for up to $30,000 of authorized shares, and more shares cost more. A nonprofit corporation pays $25.
| Form an LLC | $50 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $58 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $25 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $105 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $25 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: No annual report required; corp online: $20; corp paper: $45; nonprofit online: $10; nonprofit paper: $15 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $10 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Missouri. State fees are separate.
Paper filing for an out-of-state LLC costs $105. Our page on LLC filing fees by state puts these numbers in context.
Annual registration report for corporations
LLCs skip this section entirely. A Missouri corporation files an annual registration report, due four months after its renewal month, and it can change the renewal month if another one suits it better.
| Fee | LLC: No annual report required; corp online: $20; corp paper: $45; nonprofit online: $10; nonprofit paper: $15 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| When it is due | Annual registration report due four months after the corporation's renewal month; corporation can change renewal month (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| If you file late | $15 for each 30-day period a report is late (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | bsd.sos.mo.gov (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
The fee differs between two state pages, so confirm it before you pay. A late report costs $15 for each 30 day period. After a written notice, the corporation gets 60 days to respond before it is dissolved.
Name rules in Missouri
A Missouri corporation name must contain corporation, company or limited, or end with a short form of one of these words. Every name must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records from any company already licensed, organized, reserved or registered in Missouri. Written consent from the holder, or a court decree, can make an exception.
| Corporation name must include | corporation, company, incorporated, limited (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| How different a name must be | "must be distinguishable upon the records of the secretary" from any corporation, LLC, LP, LLP or LLLP licensed, organized, reserved or registered in Missouri, domestic or foreign. Exceptions: written consent of the holder with a name change filing, or a court decree of prior right. RSMo 347.020 (LLC). SOS page: new name "must be distinguishable from the name of any other foreign or domestic business entity registered under any law of this state". Corporations: RSMo 351.110. (revisor.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $25 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 60 days, renewable twice for 60 days each (180 days max). After expiry the applicant cannot re-reserve the same name. (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
A reservation costs $25 and lasts 60 days. You can renew it twice for 60 days each, then the name cannot be reserved again by the same applicant.
Registered agent rules
Required. Missouri resident, or a corporation authorized in Missouri, with an office matching the registered office. Street address needed, no PO Box alone, no retail mailbox store addresses. (sos.mo.gov, checked )
The agent's office must be a street address. A PO Box alone or a retail mailbox store address is not accepted. To make a change, see our guide on changing your registered agent.
Missouri Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing costs $10 and is available online from the Secretary of State. A certified copy of a business record is the same price.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Missouri good standing guide.
Fictitious names in Missouri
Missouri Secretary of State registers fictitious names (online at bsd.sos.mo.gov). Fee $7 for creation, renewal, correction or amendment; cancellation no fee. Registration gives no exclusive rights and many entities can register the same name. (sos.mo.gov, checked )
Contact the Missouri Corporations Division
| Office | Missouri Secretary of State (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Corporations Division (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Denny Hoskins (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 573-751-4153; toll free 866-223-6535 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | PO Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 600 W. Main St., Rm. 322, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (sos.mo.gov, checked ) |
Call 573-751-4153, or toll free 866-223-6535. The office is at 600 W. Main St., Room 322, in Jefferson City, and mail goes to PO Box 778. Quote your charter number on every call or letter.
Sources
- www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/fees.pdf: office name, division, officeholder, mailing address, street address, name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, report fee, certificate fee, assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/generalinfo: phone, business search, search fields, online filing, search tips. Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/faqs.asp: name check, name reservation term. Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/startbusiness: corporation name endings. Checked .
- revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=347.020: name rule. Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/faqs: report due date, registered agent rule. Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/filings: late penalty. Checked .
- www.sos.mo.gov/bsd/reinstate: status terms. Checked .