North Dakota · Start a business
How to start a business in North Dakota
North Dakota's workers' compensation comes only from Workforce Safety & Insurance, since private insurers may not underwrite it.
See the checklistShort answer
To start a business in North Dakota, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State: $135 for an LLC, $100 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.
Last checked .What do you file before you open in North Dakota?
Pick a structure
Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See North Dakota LLC guide, North Dakota corporation guide, S corp or C corp in North Dakota. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.
Check and register the name
Search the Secretary of State records before you pick a name: state name search. North Dakota registers a trade name through the Secretary of State's FirstStop Portal for a $25 fee, and the registration must be renewed every 5 years. 1 See North Dakota name search guide.
File with the state
North Dakota charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $135 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $100 3. See LLC cost.
Name a registered agent
A North Dakota corporation must maintain a registered agent that has a physical address in North Dakota. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See North Dakota registered agent rules.
Which accounts do you open after you file in North Dakota?
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
Open your state tax accounts
North Dakota employers register for an income tax withholding account with the Office of State Tax Commissioner online through the North Dakota Taxpayer Access Point. 6 See Sales tax permit.
Register as an employer
Job Service North Dakota requires an employer to register for unemployment insurance tax within 20 days after first employing workers, once it has one or more workers in 20 different weeks of a year or pays $1,500 or more in wages in a quarter. 7 North Dakota employers report each newly hired employee to the State Directory of New Hires within 20 days of the employee's first day of work, and Health and Human Services Child Support takes the reports. 8 Workforce Safety & Insurance is the sole provider of workers' compensation in North Dakota, and with limited exceptions every employer insures all employees, including part-time and seasonal workers, before they begin working. 9
What keeps your North Dakota business in good standing?
Check licenses and permits
The North Dakota Secretary of State says a business may need a license or registration from a state agency or board if it is involved in certain occupations. 10
Calendar the yearly filings
North Dakota annual report: $50, due November 15 every year. 11 See North Dakota annual report.
Use free local help
Small business advising in North Dakota runs through the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers. 12 The North Dakota Secretary of State runs a Start a Business page that connects new owners with the state agencies involved in establishing a business. 13
What it costs to start a business in North Dakota
Do you need a business license in North Dakota?
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. 16 North Dakota's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Start a Business.
- Contractor license. The North Dakota Secretary of State requires a contractor license when the cost, value or price of a job exceeds $4,000, including for subcontractors and general contractors. 15
How to register a business name in North Dakota
| Question | North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Where it is filed | With the state 1 |
| Office | Secretary of State |
| What it is called | trade name |
| Fee | $25 |
| Term in years | 5 |
Check that the name is free first: state name search.
Also in North Dakota
- Local city and county taxes. Cities and counties in North Dakota may levy sales and use taxes plus special taxes such as lodging taxes, lodging and restaurant taxes, and motor vehicle rental taxes, says the Office of State Tax Commissioner. 17
- Name reservation. The North Dakota Secretary of State lets a person reserve an available business name for up to 1 year through a Reserved Name Application in the FirstStop Portal, which grants no authority to use the name before the business is registered. 18
More for North Dakota
Start your North Dakota business
We file it, and the state fee shows before you pay.
Start my LLCCommon questions
What are the steps to start a business in North Dakota?
Pick a structure, file with the Secretary of State, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.
What does it cost to register a business in North Dakota?
In North Dakota, an LLC filing is $135 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $100. The annual report is $50 each year.
Can I start a business in North Dakota with no money?
North Dakota charges $135 to file an LLC, and the annual report is $50 each year. 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 North Dakota Small Business Development Centers provide no-cost, confidential business advising to people starting or running for-profit businesses in the state.
Are there small business grants in North Dakota?
The North Dakota Development Fund offers flexible gap financing through loans and equity investments to new and expanding primary sector businesses, with investments up to $3,000,000.
What is the North Dakota SBDC?
The North Dakota Small Business Development Centers provide no-cost, confidential business advising to people starting or running for-profit businesses in the state.
Sources 19 links, checked Nov 13, 2026
- DBA or trade name registration sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Official state fee schedule for LLC filings sos.nd.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
- Corporation filing sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Registered agent rule sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State tax registration tax.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Unemployment insurance registration jobsnd.com, checked Nov 13, 2026
- New hire reporting hhs.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Workers' compensation coverage workforcesafety.com, checked Nov 13, 2026
- General business license sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- North Dakota annual report firststop.sos.nd.gov, checked Sep 1, 2026
- Small Business Development Center ndsbdc.org, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State business portal sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Contractor license sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Local city and county taxes tax.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Name reservation sos.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State small business funding commerce.nd.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.