Indiana · Start a business

How to start a business in Indiana

Indiana has no single, comprehensive business license, and one portal, INBiz, handles state registration.

As of 4 min readVermilion Vitez Team

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STATE FILING FEE$97FILEDSECRETARY OF STATEEINANNIVOPENINDIANA · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Indiana, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State: $97 for an LLC, $75 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes. Indiana has no general state business license.

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What do you file before you open in Indiana?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Indiana LLC guide, Indiana corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Indiana. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.

  2. Check and register the name

    Search the Secretary of State records before you pick a name: state name search. Indiana for-profit corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships file an assumed business name with the Secretary of State Business Services Division at $30.00 per name, with a separate form and fee for each name. 1 See Indiana name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Indiana charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $97 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $75 3. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    An Indiana corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Indiana, the office must be a street address, and the corporation cannot serve as its own registered agent. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Indiana registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Indiana?

  1. Get an EIN

    An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5

  2. Open your state tax accounts

    The Indiana Department of Revenue has new businesses register through the BT-1 Business Tax Application on INBiz, after which the business receives an Indiana Tax Identification number. 6 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    Indiana employers register with the Department of Workforce Development during the first quarter in which they hire their first employee; the department oversees unemployment insurance and wage reporting. 7 Indiana employers report each newly hired employee to the New Hire Center within 20 days of the day the employee begins working. 8 The Indiana Worker's Compensation Board says the law requires most businesses to have worker's compensation insurance, and employees are covered from the first day they are on the job. 9

What keeps your Indiana business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    Indiana does not have any one single, comprehensive business license, though businesses are subject to regulatory requirements from several state agencies and certain types need specific licenses or permits. 10

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Indiana business entity report: $32, due every two years, in your formation anniversary month. 11 See Indiana annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Indiana runs through the Indiana Small Business Development Center. 12 Indiana's INBiz is a one-stop portal where a new business registers with the Department of Revenue, the Secretary of State and the Department of Workforce Development. 13

What it costs to start a business in Indiana

$97to file an LLC 2
$75to file a corporation's articles 3
$30for an assumed business name 1
$32every two years, biennial report 11
90,103business applications filed in Indiana in 2025 14

Do you need a business license in Indiana?

Not from the state. Indiana has no general state business license. 10 Where to look up licenses: INBiz.

How to register a business name in Indiana

QuestionIndiana
Where it is filedWith the state 1
OfficeSecretary of State
What it is calledassumed business name
Fee$30

Check that the name is free first: state name search.

Also in Indiana

  • Business personal property return. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance says Form 103, the business tangible personal property return, is filed with the township assessor, or the county assessor where there is none, by May 15 unless that falls on a weekend. 15
  • Responsible officer for trust taxes. The Indiana Department of Revenue requires every business to name a responsible officer on its tax application, and that person may be held personally liable for sales and withholding taxes that go unremitted, even in a formal entity with limited liability. 16

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Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Indiana?

Pick a structure, file with the Secretary of State, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Indiana Department of Revenue, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.

What does it cost to register a business in Indiana?

In Indiana, an LLC filing is $97 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $75. The biennial report is $32 every two years.

Can I start a business in Indiana with no money?

Indiana charges $97 to file an LLC, and the biennial report is $32 every two years. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. The Indiana Small Business Development Center is housed within the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and offers no-cost, confidential business advising and training through 10 regional offices.

Are there small business grants in Indiana?

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation's Legend Fund is a loan participation program, and its lending partners make loans between $5,000 and $1,000,000 for small business operating capital.

What is the Indiana SBDC?

The Indiana Small Business Development Center is housed within the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and offers no-cost, confidential business advising and training through 10 regional offices.

Sources 17 links, checked Nov 12, 2026
  1. DBA or trade name registration forms.in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  2. Official state fee schedule for LLC filings iga.in.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
  3. Corporation filing iga.in.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  4. Registered agent rule in.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  5. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  6. State tax registration in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  7. Unemployment insurance registration in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  8. New hire reporting secure.in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  9. Workers' compensation coverage in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  10. General business license in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  11. Indiana business entity report inbiz.in.gov, checked Oct 4, 2026
  12. Small Business Development Center isbdc.org, checked Nov 12, 2026
  13. State business portal in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  14. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  15. Business personal property return in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  16. Responsible officer for trust taxes in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  17. State small business funding iedc.in.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026

Last verified Nov 12, 2026.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.

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