South Dakota · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in South Dakota
South Dakota keeps corporate filings simple, and the paper-versus-online price gap is the one detail worth planning around.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in South Dakota, file Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State for $150 online, or $165 on paper. At checkout that is $154 for South Dakota plus $123.75 for our formation, $277.75 before card processing. Expedited service is $50 more. After that, the main recurring state cost is the annual report, $55 online or $70 on paper.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in South Dakota, step by step?
South Dakota prices the same filing two ways. The articles are $150 online and $165 on paper, and the annual report is $55 online and $70 on paper, so the cheapest route is also the fastest and there is no reason to mail anything. The state is relaxed about registered agents too: besides a commercial agent or an individual, an office holder of the corporation can serve. A founder-run company can often handle it alone.
Choose and check the name
Run the Secretary of State's Business Name Availability search to see whether a name is taken, then reserve it if you need time. See the South Dakota 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 South Dakota. The fee at our checkout is $154. 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
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 South Dakota annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in South Dakota?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $154 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $277.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $332.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $376 | At filing |
| Annual Report (each year) | $55 5 | annually; the SOS search tool shows your due date |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: the state's published fee for the Articles of Incorporation (domestic business corporation) is $150; our checkout charges $154 on the state side, and the state's fee schedule does not itemize the other $4. You see it before you pay.
South Dakota at a glance
| Question | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation (domestic business corporation), $150 1 |
| Expedited filing | expedited service $50 2 |
| Name rule | Must include corporation, incorporated, company, limited or the applicable abbreviation 3 |
| Registered agent | Registered agent: a noncommercial agent (may be an individual), a commercial registered agent, or an office holder 4 |
| Annual report | Annual Report, $55, due annually; the SOS search tool shows your due date 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 0% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in South Dakota?
South Dakota lets your registered agent be a noncommercial agent such as an individual, a commercial registered agent, or an office holder. 4 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. South Dakota registered agent rules.
What goes in the South Dakota articles of incorporation?
The form asks for the company name, the registered agent, and each incorporator, and one or more incorporators are enough. If you need it faster, expedited service is $50.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a South Dakota corporation owe?
The Secretary of State's search tool shows your due date. File late and the state adds a delinquency fee. Keep your registered agent current, since changes go through the Secretary of State, and put your bylaws and stock records in place before you take money.
How do I start an S corp in South Dakota?
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. South Dakota has no corporate income tax, so there is no state S election to follow; the choice is federal only. 7
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read South Dakota: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in South Dakota?
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 South Dakota.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in South Dakota as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in South Dakota?
- 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 South Dakota corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($154), 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 South Dakota?
The Secretary of State charges $150 for domestic articles filed online and $165 on paper. Expedited service costs $50 extra.
Who can be a registered agent for a South Dakota corporation?
A noncommercial agent such as an individual, a commercial registered agent, or an office holder. The articles form asks you to complete just one option.
What is the annual report fee for a South Dakota corporation?
$55 online and $70 on paper. Delinquent reports carry an extra fee.
Can I file South Dakota articles of incorporation on paper?
Yes, for $165 instead of $150.
Sources 8 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- South Dakota charges $150 to file domestic articles of incorporation online and $165 on paper. sdsos.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- South Dakota offers expedited service for $50. sdsos.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A South Dakota corporate name must include the term corporation, incorporated, company, limited or the applicable abbreviation. sdsos.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- South Dakota lets your registered agent be a noncommercial agent such as an individual, a commercial registered agent, or an office holder. sdsos.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- South Dakota's corporate annual report costs $55 online and $70 on paper. sdsos.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- South Dakota does not impose a corporate income tax, so a C corporation pays no state income tax. dor.sd.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- South Dakota has no corporate income tax, so there is no state S election to follow; the choice is federal only. dor.sd.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.