Oklahoma LLC Costs – Summary

Here is a summary of your LLC costs:

Fee	Cost
LLC filing fee (Articles of Organization)	$100
A registered agent (optional)	$199-$400
Filing a DBA (optional)	$25
Operating Agreement (optional)	$0-$1,000
Franchise tax (If there is one in IL)	$1.25 per $1,000 in capital investments
Annual report	$25

There’s a presumption that establishing a limited liability company (LLC) can be a difficult and expensive proposition. However, it’s not that difficult if you understand the necessary steps or hire an LLC formation service to take the stress and details out of your hand.

The annual fees to establish an LLC vary from state to state. The costs can differ depending on the municipality you choose to call your business home. Here, we’ll walk you through the costs of forming an LLC in Oklahoma.

General Steps and Costs When Forming an Oklahoma LLC

Before diving into the LLC Oklahoma costs, it’s essential to understand the steps necessary to create an LLC business entity in the state.

Naming your Oklahoma LLC

One of the first things you’ll want to do is decide on the formal name and, if desired, a trading name for your business. Name search is free – but please mention the option of reserving a business name and filing a DBA (and for both – the costs)

You’ll establish a formal name when you file your paperwork to establish the LLC in Oklahoma. However, many businesses want to use a different name as their daily brand.

In that case, you’ll want to consider a trading name, often referred to as an assumed name or fictitious name. The trade name allows you to use a name that’s not your legal name on signage, in advertising, and in other public-facing instances. In many states, the process is called selecting a “doing business as” (DBA) name. 

To do so, you’ll want to complete an Oklahoma assumed name search to ensure your desired name is not already taken. Then, you can register that name for a $25 fee.

Filing Articles of Organization

Articles of organization list basic information about your business, such as your physical address, the name and address of a registered agent, and a signature. The cost is $100 to file, plus an additional $25 if filing in person for same-day service.

Appointing a registered agent

A registered agent is a person or entity that received essential documents, including those issued by the state and any related to a lawsuit you’re a party to. The registered agent must meet specific qualifications – be 18 years old, be located in Oklahoma, and be available to receive documents within regular working hours.

It’s an option to act as your registered agent. However, you must be available daily in the office to receive documents. You also will receive sensitive documents in front of employees and customers. 

For those reasons, many businesses opt instead to use a service to act as a registered agent. Using a registered agent service frees you up to focus on other business priorities, confident that the service will ensure that documents are received and delivered to you discretely.

The cost of acting as your registered agent is nothing. Using a service like Tailor Brands costs $199 to $400 annually.

Creating an operating agreement

The Oklahoma Secretary of State does not require an LLC to create and file an operating agreement, but it’s a good idea. An operating agreement is an intelligent practice, especially if you have partners in the LLC.

The operating agreement is a binding legal document that outlines foundational principles for the LLC. Typically, an operating agreement includes sections on:

• Organization of the LLC
• Management, whether by a manager or members
• Voting rights
• Capital distribution
• Profit and loss distribution
• Tax management
• Dissolution

By having an operating agreement in place, disputes can be minimized and guided by the document.

If you create the operating agreement yourself, there is no cost. You can also opt to use a service to create your operating agreement or hire a lawyer, with fees ranging up to $1,000.

Other Annual and Additional Oklahoma LLC Costs

How much does an LLC in Oklahoma cost? In addition to the fees listed above, some other fees are required to do business in the state.

Franchise Tax

For tax years 2023 and prior every for-profit corporation, including LLCs, were required to pay an annual franchise tax in Oklahoma. The tax was $1.25 per $1,000 of capital invested or used otherwise in the state. The maximum annual levy for that was $20,000. Businesses had to file annually, and there were penalties for filing late. Foreign LLCs had to pay an additional $100 per year. Entities with a tax liability of less than $250 did not need to pay a tax.

On June 2023, a new franchise tax law (H.B. 1039) was enacted by The Oklahoma state, which eliminates all corporate franchise tax fees and reporting requirements for tax year 2024 and beyond.

Business Licenses & Permits

Depending on your business type, you may be required to pay various license and permitting fees. Here are a few of the most common Oklahoma business licenses and permits:

• Business License. This license also called a seller’s permit, is necessary to operate and collect taxes in the state and costs $20 plus $10 for each additional location
• Liquor License. An on-premises beer-and-wine license carries a $500 initial fee, while for retail spirits, the filing fee is $905
• Food License. Prices vary greatly depending on the type of food business you run. For example, a retail food store must pay a $425 application fee, $425 initial license fee, and $335 renewal fee.

Annual Report

LLCs in Oklahoma have to file an annual report for $25. The annual report includes basic information about the business, including its name, primary address, whether it’s active, and an email address for the primary contact.

The Expenses You Can Write Off

The good news is that the costs you pay for your LLC formation are tax deductible. You can deduct the state fees and the costs of using a service to complete the documentation on your behalf. The following expenses are deductible on your federal tax return:

• Articles of organization
• DBA fees
• Operating agreement costs
• Registered agent costs
• Attorney fees

Oklahoma LLC State Fees

The following fees are taken from Oklahoma’s Secretary of State site:

Fee Type	Fee Cost
Amended Certificate of Registration – LLC	100
Amended Certificate of Registration with mailing address change only – LLC	10
Annual Agent Fee – Oklahoma/Foreign LLC	40
Annual Certificates – Oklahoma/Foreign LLC	25
Application for Withdrawal/Foreign LLC	100
Articles of Amendment – Oklahoma LLC	50
Articles of Consolidation – Oklahoma LLC	100
Articles of Correction – Oklahoma LLC	50
Articles of Dissolution – Oklahoma LLC	50
Articles of Merger – Oklahoma LLC	100
Articles of Organization – Oklahoma LLC	100
Certificate of Correction – Foreign LLC	100
Certificate of Registration – (Foreign LLC)	300
Restated Articles of Organization – Oklahoma LLC	50

Conclusion

There are many costs your LLC may incur in Oklahoma; understanding the different fees, deadlines and costs can be a lot to manage on your own.

Tailor Brands offers services to assist in the preparation and filing.

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