Alaska · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Alaska
Alaska runs its corporate calendar on a two-year clock, which changes how you budget after the first filing.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in Alaska, file Articles of Incorporation for a domestic business corporation with the Division of Corporations for $250, which is a $150 corporation fee plus a $100 corporation tax. At checkout that is $250 for Alaska plus $123.75 for our formation, $373.75 before card processing. After that, Alaska bills the $100 biennial corporation tax every two years, due before January 2 of each filing year.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Alaska, step by step?
Alaska reports every two years. A domestic corporation pays a $100 biennial corporation tax before January 2 of each filing year instead of a yearly report fee. The $250 opening fee already includes one $100 corporation tax.
Choose and check the name
Search the Division of Corporations' entity database before you file. The Division's forms page lists the legal-ending words your name needs. See the Alaska name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File articles of incorporation
File the Articles of Incorporation (Domestic Business Corporation) with Alaska. The fee at our checkout is $250. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
An Alaska board has one or more directors, and the corporation must have a president, a secretary and a treasurer. 4 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Before you pay wages, open a payroll withholding account with the state’s tax department, and a sales tax account if you sell taxable goods or services.
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Alaska annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Alaska?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $250 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $373.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $428.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $472 | At filing |
| Biennial report and biennial corporation tax (every two years) | $100 5 | before January 2 of each filing year (every two years) |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. Alaska's fees are the same whoever files.
Alaska at a glance
| Question | Alaska |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation (Domestic Business Corporation), $250 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain Corporation, Company, Incorporated or Limited, or an abbreviation of one 2 |
| Registered agent | Must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in Alaska; agent is a resident individual or an authorized corporation whose business office is the registered office 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: president, secretary and treasurer; one person may hold any offices except president and secretary together, and a sole shareholder may hold all offices 4 |
| Annual report | Biennial report and biennial corporation tax, $100, due before January 2 of each filing year (every two years) (every two years) 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 9.4% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in Alaska?
An Alaska corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Alaska, and the agent's business office must be the registered office. 3 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. Alaska registered agent rules.
What goes in the Alaska articles of incorporation?
File Articles of Incorporation for a domestic business corporation with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. The articles name your registered agent and authorized shares.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Alaska corporation owe?
Your next state payment is the $100 biennial corporation tax. If it is unpaid before February 1, a $25 penalty applies for each year of delay.
- Alaska domestic corporations pay a $100 biennial corporation tax before January 2 of each filing year, every second year, with a $25 penalty per year of delay if unpaid before February 1. 5
- An Alaska C corporation pays graduated rates from 0% to 9.4% across ten brackets (2022 Department of Revenue annual report, the latest loaded). 6
How do I start an S corp in Alaska?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 8. Alaska follows the federal rules that exempt S corporations from tax, but an S corporation must still file. 7
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Alaska: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Alaska?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in Alaska.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Alaska as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Alaska?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your Alaska corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($250), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in Alaska?
$250: a $150 corporation fee plus a $100 corporation tax.
How often does an Alaska corporation file reports?
Every two years. The $100 biennial corporation tax is due before January 2 of each filing year.
What happens if I pay the Alaska biennial tax late?
If it is not paid before February 1 of the filing year, a $25 penalty applies for each year or part of a year of delinquency.
Does an Alaska corporation need a registered agent?
Yes. It must keep a registered agent and a registered office in Alaska, and the agent's business office must be the registered office.
Sources 8 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Alaska charges $250 to file Articles of Incorporation for a domestic business corporation ($150 corporation fee plus a $100 corporation tax). commerce.alaska.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Alaska corporate name must contain the word corporation, company, incorporated or limited, or an abbreviation of one of these words. akleg.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Alaska corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Alaska, and the agent's business office must be the registered office. akleg.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Alaska board has one or more directors, and the corporation must have a president, a secretary and a treasurer. akleg.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Alaska domestic corporations pay a $100 biennial corporation tax before January 2 of each filing year, every second year, with a $25 penalty per year of delay if unpaid before February 1. akleg.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Alaska C corporation pays graduated rates from 0% to 9.4% across ten brackets (2022 Department of Revenue annual report, the latest loaded). tax.alaska.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Alaska follows the federal rules that exempt S corporations from tax, but an S corporation must still file. tax.alaska.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.