Missouri · Start a business

How to start a business in Missouri

Missouri lets new businesses register for state sales, withholding and unemployment taxes through one online application.

As of 4 min readVermilion Vitez Team

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STATE FILING FEE$50FILEDSECRETARY OF STATEEINNONEOPENMISSOURI · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Missouri, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State: $50 for an LLC, $58 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.

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What do you file before you open in Missouri?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Missouri LLC guide, Missouri corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Missouri. 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. Missouri requires a fictitious name registration with the Secretary of State for any business operating under a name other than its true name. The filing fee is $7.00 and a registration is good for five years. 1 See Missouri name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Missouri charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $50 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $58 3. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    A Missouri corporation must keep a registered office and a registered agent in the state. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Missouri registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Missouri?

  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 Missouri Department of Revenue runs an online registration system, shared with the Division of Employment Security, where a new business can register for sales tax, withholding tax and unemployment tax. 6 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    The Missouri Division of Employment Security requires an employing unit to notify it within 30 days of becoming liable for unemployment tax. A general business employer becomes liable by having a worker in each of 20 different weeks of a calendar year, among other tests. 7 Missouri employers report each newly hired employee within 20 calendar days of the hire date. The Family Support Division, Child Support Enforcement, enters the reports into a statewide registry. 8 In Missouri, any employer with five or more employees, and any construction employer with one or more, must maintain workers' compensation coverage, through a policy or self-insurance approved by the Division of Workers' Compensation. 9

What keeps your Missouri business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    The Missouri Secretary of State's steps for starting a business list registering for a business license and other necessary permits, if any, with the local city or county. 10

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Missouri has no annual report for LLCs. See Missouri annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Missouri runs through the Missouri SBDC. 11 The Missouri Secretary of State publishes a step-by-step list for starting a business, covering the business entity, state tax registration, unemployment tax, workers' compensation and local licenses. 12

What it costs to start a business in Missouri

$50to file an LLC 2
$58to file a corporation's articles 3
$7for a fictitious name 1
101,854business applications filed in Missouri in 2025 13

Do you need a business license in Missouri?

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. 14 Missouri's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Steps for Starting a Business.

How to register a business name in Missouri

QuestionMissouri
Where it is filedWith the state 1
OfficeSecretary of State
What it is calledfictitious name
Fee$7

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

Also in Missouri

  • State minimum wage. The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations lists the state minimum wage at $15.00 per hour for 2026. Retail or service employers with annual gross income under $500,000 are not required to pay it. 15
  • New employer unemployment tax rate. The Missouri Division of Employment Security assigns new employers an unemployment tax rate for their first years; the 2026 and 2027 new employer rate for all other industries is 2.376 percent. 16

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Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Missouri?

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

What does it cost to register a business in Missouri?

In Missouri, an LLC filing is $50 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $58.

Can I start a business in Missouri with no money?

Missouri charges $50 to file an LLC. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one.

Are there small business grants in Missouri?

Missouri's Department of Economic Development says it offers programs, including incentives, to help businesses grow, expand or locate in the state.

What is the Missouri SBDC?

The Missouri Small Business Development Center is a business outreach and technical assistance provider of University of Missouri Extension, funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Sources 17 links, checked Nov 12, 2026
  1. DBA or trade name registration sos.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  2. Official state fee schedule for LLC filings sos.mo.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
  3. Corporation filing sos.mo.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  4. Registered agent rule revisor.mo.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  5. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  6. State tax registration dor.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  7. Unemployment insurance registration labor.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  8. New hire reporting missouriemployer.dss.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  9. Workers' compensation coverage labor.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  10. General business license sos.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  11. Small Business Development Center sbdc.missouri.edu, checked Nov 12, 2026
  12. State business portal sos.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  13. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  14. SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  15. State minimum wage labor.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  16. New employer unemployment tax rate labor.mo.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  17. State small business funding ded.mo.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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