Kansas · Start a business

How to start a business in Kansas

Kansas points new owners to the Kansas Business One Stop, its one-stop shop for dealing with state government.

As of 4 min readVermilion Vitez Team

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KANSASKSFILEDSECRETARY OF STATEEINAPROPENKANSAS · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Kansas, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.

Last checked .

What do you file before you open in Kansas?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Kansas LLC guide, Kansas corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Kansas. 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. See Kansas name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Kansas charges the state filing fee once: a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $85 1. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    A Kansas corporation needs a resident agent and a registered office at an address in Kansas where the agent may be regularly present, and the address cannot be a P.O. box. 2 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Kansas registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Kansas?

  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. 3

  2. Open your state tax accounts

    The Kansas Department of Revenue has new businesses set up an account in its Customer Service Center to register for and pay business taxes. 4 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    Kansas law makes an employing unit an employer once it pays wages of $1,500 or more in a calendar quarter, or has at least one employee in each of 20 different calendar weeks. 5 Kansas employers submit information on each new employee to the Secretary of Labor within 20 business days of the hiring, rehiring or return to work. 6 The Kansas workers compensation act applies to employers in the state except agricultural pursuits and employers whose total gross annual payroll for the preceding calendar year was not more than $20,000. 7

What keeps your Kansas business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    The Kansas Business One Stop says state and local governments require many industries to have permits or licenses to operate. 8

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Kansas biennial information report: $90, due every two years, by April 15. 9 See Kansas annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Kansas runs through the Kansas Small Business Development Center. 10 The Kansas Business One Stop is the state's one-stop-shop for interacting with Kansas government when a business is getting started, changing, growing or expanding. 11

What it costs to start a business in Kansas

$85to file a corporation's articles 1
$90every two years, biennial report 9
37,634business applications filed in Kansas in 2025 12

Do you need a business license in Kansas?

It depends on the trade and the place. The U.S. Small Business Administration says most small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies, and that requirements and fees depend on the business activity and the issuing agency. 13 Kansas's own rule is in step 8. 8 Where to look up licenses: Kansas Business One Stop.

Also in Kansas

  • Personal property rendition. Kansas has taxable personal property listed with the county appraiser on or before March 15 each year in the county where it has its tax situs, when there is no initial filing or a change to report. 14

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Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Kansas?

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

What does it cost to register a business in Kansas?

In Kansas, a corporation's articles of incorporation are $85. The biennial report is $90 every two years.

Can I start a business in Kansas with no money?

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 Kansas Small Business Development Center is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the state portal says most of its services can be delivered at no charge.

Are there small business grants in Kansas?

The Kansas Business One Stop lists SBA microloans of up to $50,000 for businesses that start up and expand, and says Network Kansas referral coordinators give free, personal assistance.

What is the Kansas SBDC?

The Kansas Small Business Development Center is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the state portal says most of its services can be delivered at no charge.

Sources 15 links, checked Nov 13, 2026
  1. Corporation filing sos.ks.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  2. Registered agent rule sos.ks.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  3. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  4. State tax registration ksrevenue.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  5. Unemployment insurance registration ksrevisor.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  6. New hire reporting ksrevisor.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  7. Workers' compensation coverage ksrevisor.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  8. General business license ksbiz.kansas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  9. Kansas biennial information report sos.ks.gov, checked Oct 4, 2026
  10. Small Business Development Center portal.kansas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  11. State business portal ksbiz.kansas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  12. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  13. SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  14. Personal property rendition ksrevenue.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  15. State small business funding ksbiz.kansas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026

Last verified Nov 13, 2026.

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

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