Company filings in Oklahoma go to the Secretary of State, through its Business Filing Department at the Colcord Center in Oklahoma City. The department forms LLCs and corporations, registers out-of-state companies and trade names, and issues certificates. Records and filings both sit on the Secretary of State website.
The yearly duty has its own name here. Oklahoma LLCs file an annual certificate, due on the anniversary of their registration. The state's franchise tax has ended, so the $25 certificate is the yearly filing an LLC owes the Secretary of State.
Oklahoma business entity search
The search works by entity name, and you can type a filing number straight in when you have one. Results can show status, registration date, registered agent name and office, home state, amendments, name changes, mergers and trade names.
| Official business search | sos.ok.gov/corp/corpInquiryFind.aspx (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, entity or file number (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | sos.ok.gov/corp/corpnameavailability.aspx (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| What a result means | Preliminary. Search page: 'a preliminary search for a business with a particular name.' Name availability page: 'The name is not reserved until a name reservation is actually accepted and filed' and 'The final determination of a names' availability will be made by the Business Filing Department.' (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
The office describes this as a preliminary search. A name is not reserved until a reservation is filed and accepted, and the Business Filing Department makes the final call on availability.
Status in Oklahoma
An LLC stays in good standing while its annual certificates arrive within the 60 day grace period. Miss that window and it is no longer in good standing, shown as inactive.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Good standing / active | The entity has filed its annual certificate on time (60-day grace period after the anniversary date). |
| Inactive (Terminated or Expired) | The LLC or LP is not in good standing because of a late annual certificate. A no-fee reinstatement form plus back-due certificates restores it. |
Status wording from sos.ok.gov, checked .
The fix costs no fee: file the reinstatement form and every past due annual certificate.
Oklahoma filing fees
Articles of Organization for an LLC cost $100. A corporation pays one tenth of one percent of its authorized capital, with a $50 minimum that covers capital of $50,000 or less. A nonprofit pays $25, and an out-of-state LLC pays $300 for a certificate of registration.
| Form an LLC | $100 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | Minimum 50. Fee is 1/10 of 1% of total authorized capital: $50 if capital is $50,000 or less, otherwise $1 per $1,000. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $25 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $300 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $10 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $20 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Oklahoma. State fees are separate.
A credit card adds a 4% service charge. In person, documents are handled in the order received, at about 10 to 15 minutes each.
The Oklahoma annual certificate
Every Oklahoma LLC files an annual certificate each year on the anniversary date of its registration. The fee is $25, and you can file online or by mail. There is a 60 day grace period after the due date.
| When it is due | LLC annual certificate is due each year on the anniversary date of registration, with a 60-day grace period. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| If you file late | No late fee found. An LLC that fails to file within 60 days after the due date 'shall cease to be in good standing'. Reinstatement form has no fee, but back-due annual certificates for each past year must be filed. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Franchise or privilege tax | None. Oklahoma franchise tax was eliminated; tax year 2023 was the last year returns were required. LLCs were already exempt. A separate Registered Agents Fee is now paid to the Tax Commission. (oklahoma.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | sos.ok.gov/corp/filing.aspx (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | Documents are processed in the order received. In-person: about 10 to 15 minutes per document. Mail apostille or authentication: 1 to 2 business days. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
The notice goes only to the email address on file, so keep that address current. Our annual report guide covers the general process.
Business name rules in Oklahoma
An Oklahoma LLC name needs limited liability company, limited company, LLC, L.L.C., LC or L.C. Oklahoma also spells out what does not count as different. A name that changes only a place word such as Oklahoma or USA, a number from 1 to 10, an article like "the", punctuation or spacing needs the other company's consent.
| LLC name must include | limited liability company, limited company, LLC, L.L.C., LC, L.C. (Limited may be Ltd., Company may be Co.) (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Corporation name must include | association, company, corporation, club, foundation, fund, incorporated, institute, society, union, syndicate, limited, or an abbreviation such as co., corp., inc., ltd. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| How different a name must be | Name must 'distinguish it upon the records in the office of the Secretary of State' from corporations (existing or existing in the preceding 3 years), LPs, LLCs, trade or fictitious names and reserved names. Statutory words (Inc, LLC, Company, Limited and similar) do not make names distinguishable. Consent is needed where a name differs only by geographic word (Ok, Oklahoma, USA), a number 1 to 10, articles (a, an, the), generic words (Service, Or, Of), punctuation or spacing, or a similar sound. 18 O.S. 1141 and 2008; OAC 655:20-1-6. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $10 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 60 days (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | sos.ok.gov/corp/filing/Wizard.aspx (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
Words like Inc or LLC do not make names distinct either. A reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 60 days.
Oklahoma registered agent
Every LLC and corporation must keep a registered agent and a registered office in Oklahoma. The agent may be an Oklahoma resident individual, the entity itself, or a domestic or qualified foreign corporation, LLC or LP. The office must be a street address (no PO box) open during regular business hours. (sos.ok.gov, checked )
The registered office has to be a street address that is open during normal business hours. For the steps to switch, read our guide on changing a registered agent.
Oklahoma Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing costs $20 and is ordered from the Secretary of State online. If you cannot tick the good standing option when ordering, the office says the business is probably not in good standing.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Oklahoma good standing guide.
Trade names in Oklahoma
State SOS registers 'Domestic (Oklahoma) Trade Names' for $25. A trade name is a stand-alone filing. (sos.ok.gov, checked )
Contact the Business Filing Department
| Office | Oklahoma Secretary of State (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Business Filing Department (Business Services) (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Benjamin M. Lepak (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | (405) 522-2520 (Business Filings); (405) 521-4211 (Business Copies/Orders); (405) 521-3912 (Accounting) (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST, Monday to Friday, closed on weekends and state holidays. In-person filings must arrive before 4:30 p.m. for same-day processing. (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | Oklahoma Secretary of State, Business Filing Department, 421 N.W. 13th, Suite 210, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | Colcord Center, 421 NW 13th St, Suite 210/220, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 (sos.ok.gov, checked ) |
Each task has its own line. Call 405-522-2520 for business filings, 405-521-4211 for copies and orders, and 405-521-3912 for accounting. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central on weekdays, and in-person filings must arrive before 4:30 p.m. to be handled the same day.
Sources
- www.sos.ok.gov/: office name, officeholder. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/business/default.aspx: division, business search, online filing. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/forms/Fm0074.PDF: mailing address, LLC name endings, name reservation term, registered agent rule. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/feedback/contact.aspx: street address, phone, contact page, hours. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/corp/corpInquiryFind.aspx: search fields. Checked .
- sos.ok.gov/corp/corpnameavailability.aspx: name check, search disclaimer. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/forms/FM0001.PDF: corporation name endings. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/forms/FM0035.PDF: name rule. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/business/fees.aspx: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/business/forms.aspx: name reservation form, assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/forms/Llcannualcertificate.PDF: report due date. Checked .
- www.sos.ok.gov/business/faq.aspx: late penalty, processing time, status terms. Checked .
- oklahoma.gov/tax/newsroom/2023/07-26-23.html: franchise tax. Checked .