Minnesota · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Minnesota
Minnesota charges nothing for its yearly filing, but it still wants it on time.
See the stepsShort answer
File Articles of Incorporation (Minnesota Business Corporation) with the Minnesota Secretary of State for $155 online or in person, or $135 by mail. At checkout that is $155 for Minnesota plus $123.75 for our formation, $278.75 before card processing. Minnesota's annual renewal then costs $0, but you must still file it every year.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Minnesota, step by step?
Minnesota charges $135 by mail and $155 online or in person, and its own form calls the higher price the expedited service. The annual renewal costs $0, but it is required, and a corporation that skips it is administratively dissolved.
Choose and check the name
A Minnesota corporate name must contain the word corporation, incorporated or limited, or an abbreviation, or the word company or Co. Check the Secretary of State's business record search before you file. See the Minnesota name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File minnesota business corporation articles of incorporation
File the Minnesota Business Corporation Articles of Incorporation with Minnesota. The fee at our checkout is $155. 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
A Minnesota board has 1 or more directors. 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
Register with Minnesota Department of Revenue: register for a Minnesota tax ID number (sales tax, withholding) through e-Services. 7
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Minnesota annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Minnesota?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $155 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $278.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $333.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $377 | At filing |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. Minnesota's fees are the same whoever files.
Minnesota at a glance
| Question | Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Minnesota Business Corporation Articles of Incorporation, $155 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain corporation, incorporated or limited, or an abbreviation of one, or the word company or Co. 2 |
| Registered agent | Registered office street address required; a P.O. box by itself is not acceptable 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: one or more people filling the chief executive officer and chief financial officer roles 4 |
| Annual report | Annual renewal, no state fee, due by December 31 of each calendar year, starting the year after incorporation 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 9.8% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in Minnesota?
Minnesota requires a registered office and agent in the Articles, and a P.O. box by itself is not an acceptable address. 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. Minnesota registered agent rules.
What goes in the Minnesota minnesota business corporation articles of incorporation?
File Articles of Incorporation for a Minnesota Business Corporation under Chapter 302A. The form needs the corporate name, a registered office street address, the number of authorized shares and your incorporators. A P.O. box by itself is not an acceptable address.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Minnesota corporation owe?
File the annual renewal by December 31 each year, starting the year after you incorporate. It costs nothing, but skipping it leads to administrative dissolution.
How do I start an S corp in Minnesota?
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) 9. Minnesota treats a corporation as an S corporation if it has a valid federal S election, and does not tax it under the regular corporate franchise tax. 8
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Minnesota: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Minnesota?
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 Minnesota.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Minnesota as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Minnesota?
- 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 Minnesota corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($155), 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 Minnesota?
$155 online or in person, and $135 by mail.
Is there an annual report fee for a Minnesota corporation?
No. The fee schedule lists the annual renewal at $0, but you still have to file it by December 31 each year.
What must a Minnesota corporation name include?
The word corporation, incorporated or limited, or an abbreviation, or the word company or Co.
Can a Minnesota registered office be a P.O. box?
Not by itself. The Articles need a registered office address.
Sources 9 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Minnesota charges $155 to file Articles of Incorporation for a business corporation online or in person, or $135 by mail. sos.mn.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Minnesota corporate name must contain the word corporation, incorporated or limited, or an abbreviation, or the word company or Co. revisor.mn.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Minnesota requires a registered office and agent in the Articles, and a P.O. box by itself is not an acceptable address. sos.mn.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Minnesota board has 1 or more directors. revisor.mn.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Minnesota's fee schedule lists the annual renewal for a business corporation at $0. sos.mn.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Minnesota taxes a C corporation at 9.8% of taxable income, plus the same minimum fee schedule as S corporations. revisor.mn.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- A Minnesota business registers for a state tax ID number with the Department of Revenue. revenue.state.mn.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Minnesota treats a corporation as an S corporation if it has a valid federal S election, and does not tax it under the regular corporate franchise tax. revisor.mn.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.