How to start a business in Oklahoma

What do you file before you open in Oklahoma?

1. Pick a structure

   Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Oklahoma LLC guide, Oklahoma corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Oklahoma. 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. Oklahoma trade names, also called DBAs, are filed with the Secretary of State, which lists a fee of $25.00 for a domestic trade name. ¹ See Oklahoma name search guide.

3. File with the state

   Oklahoma charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $104 ² and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $50 ³. See LLC cost.

4. Name a registered agent

   Every Oklahoma corporation must maintain 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 Oklahoma registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Oklahoma?

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

   A new Oklahoma business registers with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, using its business registration application, for the permits and accounts it needs. ⁶ See Sales tax permit.

3. Register as an employer

   The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission lists when employers must contribute to the state unemployment trust fund, such as paying wages totaling $1,500 or more in a calendar quarter or having an employee work one day per week for 20 weeks. ⁷ Oklahoma employers report each newly hired employee to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission within 20 days of the employee's start date. ⁸ Under Oklahoma Workers Compensation Commission regulations, most businesses must cover their employees with workers compensation insurance, which employers may buy from a private insurance company. ⁹

What keeps your Oklahoma business in good standing?

1. Check licenses and permits

   Oklahoma's Business Hub lists common business activities that need no state license, and notes that counties and municipalities may still require licenses for them. ¹⁰

2. Calendar the yearly filings

   Oklahoma annual certificate: $25, due by your formation anniversary date. ¹¹ See Oklahoma annual report.

3. Use free local help

   Small business advising in Oklahoma runs through the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center Network. ¹² Oklahoma runs the Oklahoma Business Hub, a state website for owners starting a small business. ¹³

What it costs to start a business in Oklahoma

Do you need a business license in Oklahoma?

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. ¹⁵ Oklahoma's own rule is in step 8. ¹⁰ Where to look up licenses: Oklahoma Business Hub.

How to register a business name in Oklahoma

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

Also in Oklahoma

• Withholding payment schedule. The Oklahoma Tax Commission has employers remit withholding monthly when the amount withheld is more than $500 per quarter, and quarterly when it is less than $500 per quarter. ¹⁶
• County assessor contact. The Oklahoma Tax Commission's New Business Center lists the county assessor's office in the county where the business is located as a contact for new businesses. ¹⁷

More for Oklahoma

• LLC guide
• Corporation guide
• Oklahoma LLC cost
• Name search
• Registered agent
• Oklahoma sales tax permit
• Annual report
• S corp or C corp

Common questions