Costs Guide · What a North Dakota LLP actually costs to form and run, and exactly what our price covers.
The Real Cost of a North Dakota LLP
Registering a North Dakota limited liability partnership involves a state filing fee, an annual report fee to keep it active, and a handful of optional or situational costs. This page breaks down what you actually pay, what's required versus optional, and where partnerships overspend — so you can budget with clear eyes. The receipt card shows current amounts pulled directly from the state's schedule.
One price: $199.00/yr covers your formation, your registered agent, and your annual report, plus the $35.00 state filing fee, at cost.
State agency: North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services
Annual report due: March 31 · Processing: 5 business days
✓ No hidden fees ✓ No second-year price hikes ✓ No missed filings
Receipt / Estimate
North Dakota LLP Formation
- ✓Formation prepared & filed
- ✓Your registered agent, all year
- ✓Annual report prepared & filed
Renews at $199.00/yr + the state's $25.00 annual-report fee, at cost.
What You Pay to Register
The one unavoidable cost of creating a North Dakota LLP is the state's filing fee for the registration statement that elects limited liability partnership status. This is what the North Dakota Secretary of State charges to process the filing and put your partnership on the record. You pay it once, at registration, through the FirstStop portal. The receipt card on this page reflects the current amount from the state's schedule — the state sets the fee, and it is the same whether you file yourself or use a service to prepare it for you.
There is no separate charge to designate your registered agent within the registration itself — naming the agent is part of the same filing. What varies is whether you're paying a commercial registered agent for the ongoing service, which is a distinct cost discussed below.
What's included in the filing fee
- Processing of the LLP registration statement
- Recording the partnership in North Dakota's official business records
- Designation of the registered agent as part of the same filing
- Your filing confirmation, available once the state processes the submission
The Ongoing Annual Cost
Registration is a one-time expense; keeping the partnership in good standing is an annual one. North Dakota requires the LLP to file an annual report with the Secretary of State each year, and the state charges a fee to process it. This is the recurring cost every active LLP should budget for, and it is the single most important payment to keep current — letting it lapse can put the partnership's registration and good standing at risk.
The annual report is not a financial disclosure. You are not reporting revenue, profit, or partner compensation. The report keeps the state's record of your partnership current — its registered agent, addresses, and status. The receipt card shows the current annual fee from the state's schedule.
Budgeting for the annual report
Treat the annual report fee as a fixed line item in your partnership's yearly budget, the way you would a business license renewal. It is predictable and modest relative to the cost of a lapse. Calendar the deadline well in advance, because a late or missed filing is where partnerships turn a small recurring fee into a much larger reinstatement expense.
Registered Agent Costs
If a partner serves as your registered agent, there is no separate charge for the role beyond the partner's time and the exposure of their address on the public record. If you use a commercial registered agent service, you pay an annual fee for that service.
What you're buying with a commercial agent is a professional North Dakota street address on the public record instead of a partner's, guaranteed availability during business hours, and prompt forwarding of any legal documents or state notices. For many partnerships — especially those whose partners travel, work irregular hours, or simply value privacy — the annual fee is a reasonable trade for not having a home address in a public database and not risking a missed lawsuit.
This is a genuine choice, not a hidden requirement. You can serve as your own agent to avoid the cost, or pay for the service to gain the privacy and reliability. Either way, the underlying legal requirement — maintaining a valid registered agent — is satisfied.
Situational and Optional Costs
Beyond the core filing and annual fees, several costs come up depending on your situation. None of these are universal; budget for the ones that apply to you.
Name reservation
If you want to hold a name before you're ready to register, North Dakota charges a fee to reserve it for a set period through FirstStop. This is optional — most partnerships file the registration directly and skip the reservation.
Trade name (DBA)
If your partnership will operate under a name different from its registered legal name, you can register a trade name with the state for a fee. This applies only if you're branding under a separate name.
Foreign registration
If your LLP was formed in another state and is expanding into North Dakota, foreign qualification carries its own filing fee, and you may need to obtain a certificate of good standing from your home state, which that state may charge for.
Certified copies and certificates
Banks, lenders, or other states sometimes ask for a certified copy of your registration or a certificate of good standing from North Dakota. The state charges a modest fee to issue these when you need them.
Professional and licensing fees
Licensed professional practices often carry board licensing and renewal fees that are entirely separate from the LLP registration. These belong in your budget but are governed by your licensing authority, not the Secretary of State.
Where Partnerships Overspend — and How to Avoid It
The most expensive mistakes with a North Dakota LLP are rarely the up-front fees. They come from lapses and avoidable rework.
The biggest one is missing the annual report. A modest, predictable annual fee turns into a reinstatement expense — plus the disruption of falling out of good standing — when the deadline slips by. Calendaring the deadline, or using a service that tracks it for you, is the cheapest insurance available.
A second common cost is a rejected registration. If your chosen name isn't distinguishable from an existing North Dakota business name, the state can reject the filing, and you lose time re-filing. A careful name search on FirstStop before you file prevents it.
A third is paying for expedited or premium services you don't need. Most partnerships have a modest timeline and don't need to rush. Plan a few business days for standard processing and you avoid paying for speed you won't use.
What Mainstay Filing charges for
One flat yearly fee covers everything Mainstay does: preparing your registration correctly, submitting it through the Secretary of State, serving as your North Dakota registered agent all year, and preparing and filing the annual report when it comes due. There is no separate agent charge and no add-on for the report — the same price simply renews each year. We keep what the state charges and what we charge clearly separated, so you always know which portion is the government fee and which is the service. The receipt card on this page shows the state amounts directly.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to register a North Dakota LLP?
The core cost is the state filing fee for the LLP registration statement, paid once through the FirstStop portal. The receipt card on this page shows the current amount from North Dakota's schedule. Beyond that, budget for the annual report fee each year, and optionally a commercial registered agent service if you don't want a partner's address on the public record.
Is there an annual fee for a North Dakota LLP?
Yes. North Dakota requires an annual report to keep the LLP active, and the state charges a fee to process it each year. It is a predictable, recurring cost and the most important one to keep current, since a lapse can jeopardize the partnership's good standing and lead to larger reinstatement costs.
Do I have to pay for a registered agent?
Not necessarily. A qualifying partner can serve as the registered agent at no separate charge, though their address then appears on the public record and they must be available during business hours. A commercial registered agent service charges an annual fee in exchange for a professional address, guaranteed availability, and prompt document forwarding.
Are there hidden fees when registering an LLP?
No. The state filing fee and the annual report fee are the predictable, required costs. Situational fees — name reservation, trade name, foreign registration, certified copies — apply only if your situation calls for them. A reputable service keeps its own fee separate from the state's so you can always see which is which.
Why do fees sometimes differ from what I read elsewhere?
State fees are set by North Dakota and can change over time, and third-party sites don't always update promptly. That's why the amounts here come from the receipt card, which reflects the current state schedule, and why you should confirm the exact figure inside the FirstStop form when you file rather than relying on a number quoted elsewhere.
Ready to form your North Dakota LLP?
Formation, your registered agent, and your annual report. One price, $199.00/yr, with the state fee passed through at cost.
Form Your North Dakota LLP ($199.00/yr All-In)