How to form an LLC in Michigan (2026)

File a domestic Michigan LLC on MiBusiness Registry when you live in Michigan and will do the work from Michigan. Articles of Organization Form CSCL/CD-700 cost a nonrefundable $50 (form Rev. 07/25). Five steps: confirm Michigan facts, gather Articles with a resident agent and Michigan street registered office, file at michigan.gov/corpfileonline, pay $50, then get a free EIN after acceptance. Compare structures on LLC vs sole proprietorship.

Short version for 2026: form through MiBusiness Registry (Form CSCL/CD-700), expect $50, appoint a Michigan resident agent with a registered-office street address — see registered agent, skip any newspaper advertising pitch that is not on the CD-700 path, and calendar the $25 Annual Statement due February 15 starting the year after formation (skip the next February 15 if you form after September 30 — FAQ revised 7 October 2026).

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Michigan?

$50. Form CSCL/CD-700 (Rev. 07/25) lists a nonrefundable $50.00 fee payable to the State of Michigan. The LARA Corporations FAQ “How do I start an LLC?” (revised 7 October 2026) points filers to the same MiBusiness path and applicable filing fee. Expedite is not a separate published line on the form PDF — pay what MiBusiness shows and keep the receipt. A veterans fee-waiver path exists under MCL 450.5101 when qualifying veterans hold a majority of the initial membership interests — confirm on michigan.gov/corpveteranfeewaivers before assuming it applies.

How do I file Michigan Articles of Organization on MiBusiness?

Log in at michigan.gov/corpfileonline with a MiLogin for Business account, open Forms, and select CSCL/CD-700 Articles of Organization - Domestic LLC. Paper Form CSCL/CD-700 remains available (mail to Corporations Division, P.O. Box 30054, Lansing MI 48909, or by appointment in Lansing).

1. Confirm you live and work in Michigan. Use the domestic Michigan path if you live in Michigan and will do the work from Michigan. A company already formed in another state files a foreign qualification instead.
2. Gather Articles of Organization, resident agent, and Michigan street registered office. Have a distinguishable LLC name that includes Limited Liability Company, L.L.C., or L.C.; Form CSCL/CD-700; a resident agent; and a Michigan registered-office street address (P.O. box only as a separate mailing address if different).
3. File on MiBusiness Registry. File through LARA’s MiBusiness Registry at michigan.gov/corpfileonline (form CSCL/CD-700 Articles of Organization - Domestic LLC), or follow the paper path if you are not filing online.
4. Pay $50. Pay the nonrefundable $50 Articles of Organization fee printed on Form CSCL/CD-700. Pay what the portal shows and keep the receipt.
5. Get an EIN after the articles are accepted. After the state Articles of Organization are accepted, obtain an Employer Identification Number free on IRS.gov. Form the state entity first.

Do I need a Michigan resident agent with a street address?

Yes. Form CSCL/CD-700 asks for a resident agent and a registered-office street address; a P.O. box may appear only as a separate mailing address if different. LARA defines the registered office as the physical location of the resident agent. DIY versus commercial: Registered agent basics.

When is the Michigan LLC Annual Statement due, and what does it cost?

Every domestic Michigan LLC files an Annual Statement starting the year after formation. LARA’s Corporations FAQ (Annual Statement section revised 7 October 2026) puts the due date at February 15 and prices each missed statement at $25 in the restoration fee notes. If the LLC is formed or qualified after September 30, it is not required to file on February 15 of the year immediately after formation.

Do I get an EIN before or after the Michigan LLC?

After the articles are accepted. The IRS tells applicants to form the state entity first; the EIN application on IRS.gov is free. Walkthrough: Get an EIN after the state entity exists.

Michigan LLC fee table (re-checked 7 October 2026)

Fees re-checked from Form CSCL/CD-700 PDF (Rev. 07/25) and the LARA Corporations FAQ on 7 October 2026 (several FAQ answers, including Annual Statement and start-an-LLC, show revised 7 October 2026). If MiBusiness shows a different checkout total, pay what the portal shows and keep the receipt.

File in Michigan if the work is in Michigan

A domestic Michigan LLC is organized by filing Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700, Rev. 07/25) with LARA’s Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau under Act 23, P.A. 1993. Online filing runs through the MiBusiness Registry at michigan.gov/corpfileonline. A company already formed somewhere else that wants to transact business in Michigan files a foreign qualification — a different instrument, with its own fee on LARA’s forms list.

Filing in Wyoming, Delaware, or Georgia does not move Michigan work out of Michigan. A foreign entity that transacts business here still needs a Michigan resident agent and Michigan foreign registration, plus the formation state’s agent and annual report. Home-state filing is the cheaper default for a one-state operator. Multi-state registration overview: Foreign LLC and certificate of authority.

What to have on the desk before opening MiBusiness Registry

Form CSCL/CD-700 and the LARA Corporations FAQ set the baseline. Checked against the form (Rev. 07/25) and the FAQ (Annual Statement / start-an-LLC revised 7 October 2026) on 7 October 2026:

• A distinguishable LLC name that includes “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.,” or “L.C.” (with or without periods). Search LARA’s entity search before ordering letterhead.
• Articles of Organization Form CSCL/CD-700 (PDF or online equivalent), including the resident agent and registered-office street address.
• Resident agent in Michigan: the person designated to accept mail, documents, or service of process. The registered office is the physical location of that agent. A mailing address may be a P.O. box if different from the street office, but the street office itself is required on Article IV. See Registered agent basics for a new LLC.
• Organizer signature(s) as the current form and portal require. Payment follows whatever MiBusiness shows at checkout for the online path.

No newspaper or other advertising is required on the standard domestic CSCL/CD-700 path. Professional LLCs (PLLC form CSCL/CD-701 for listed licensed professions) and conversions are out of scope for a default 1099 single-member LLC on this page.

Five steps to form on MiBusiness Registry

1. Confirm you live and work in Michigan. The domestic path fits a person who lives in Michigan and does the work from Michigan. A company already formed elsewhere files a foreign qualification — see Foreign LLC and certificate of authority.
2. Gather Articles of Organization, resident agent, and Michigan street registered office. Name with Limited Liability Company / L.L.C. / L.C., Form CSCL/CD-700, resident agent, and registered-office street address.
3. File on MiBusiness Registry. Use michigan.gov/corpfileonline and select CSCL/CD-700, or mail the paper form.
4. Pay $50. Nonrefundable fee on Form CSCL/CD-700 Rev. 07/25. Pay what the portal shows and keep the receipt.
5. Get an EIN after the articles are accepted. Form the state entity first, then apply free on IRS.gov — Get an EIN after the state entity exists.

Form CSCL/CD-700 lists a nonrefundable $50.00 fee payable to the State of Michigan. Optional processing speeds and other line items, if any, belong on the current LARA fee materials and checkout screen — this page does not invent add-ons.

After the Articles of Organization are filed

Formation with LARA is not a Michigan Department of Treasury tax account, a sales-tax license, a city license, or a professional license. Those have their own filings. LARA’s FAQ states the Corporations Division does not issue business licenses.

The IRS tells applicants to form the state entity first, then obtain an Employer Identification Number. That application on IRS.gov is free.

Michigan does not require an operating agreement to be filed with Form CSCL/CD-700. A written agreement still matters between members. Banks often ask for one anyway. See LLC operating agreement basics.

Annual Statement — February 15, $25

Every domestic Michigan LLC files an Annual Statement starting the year after formation. LARA’s Corporations FAQ (Annual Statement section revised 7 October 2026) sets the due date at February 15 and, in the restoration fee schedule, prices each missed Annual Statement at $25. File online through MiBusiness Registry after claiming access to the entity record.

If the LLC is formed or qualified after September 30, it is not required to file an Annual Statement on February 15 of the year immediately succeeding formation. Put the first due date on a calendar the day articles are accepted. Cross-state renewals and “is an annual report a tax?”: LLC annual report and annual registration. This page does not compute anyone’s tax.

Missing statements puts the LLC out of good standing. LARA’s restoration path uses Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing (CSCL/CD-770_771) plus a $50 restoration fee and $25 per missing Annual Statement year (include the current year’s $25 if filing on or after February 15). Overview of admin-dissolve vs reinstate: Reinstate an administratively dissolved or revoked LLC.

Michigan LLC FAQ

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Michigan?

Form CSCL/CD-700 (Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC, Rev. 07/25) lists a nonrefundable $50.00 fee payable to the State of Michigan. File online through the MiBusiness Registry at michigan.gov/corpfileonline, or by mail / in person. Pay what the portal shows and keep the receipt. A veterans fee-waiver path exists under MCL 450.5101 when qualifying veterans hold a majority of the initial membership interests — confirm on michigan.gov/corpveteranfeewaivers before assuming it applies.

When is the Michigan LLC annual statement due?

Every domestic Michigan LLC files an Annual Statement starting the year after formation. LARA’s Corporations FAQ (revised 14 January 2026) puts the due date at February 15 and prices the statement at $25 per year in the restoration fee notes. If the LLC is formed or qualified after September 30, it is not required to file on February 15 of the year immediately after formation. File online through MiBusiness Registry. Cross-state renewals: LLC annual report and annual registration.

Can I use a P.O. box as my Michigan registered office?

The Articles form asks for a street address for the registered office location; a P.O. box may appear only as a separate mailing address if different. LARA defines the registered office as the physical location of the resident agent. DIY versus commercial tradeoffs: Registered agent basics for a new LLC.

Does a domestic Michigan LLC need newspaper publication?

No. Form CSCL/CD-700 and the LARA domestic LLC path do not list a newspaper publication step for a standard Michigan LLC. Skip any “Michigan LLC publication” add-on that is not on the Articles of Organization path. New York LLCs do publish under a different statute — see How to form an LLC in New York.

Should I form in Wyoming or Delaware if I live and work in Michigan?

For a one-state operator who lives and works in Michigan, home-state (domestic Michigan) filing is the honest default. A Wyoming or Delaware LLC that transacts business in Michigan still needs a Michigan resident agent, Michigan foreign qualification, and Michigan annual statements — plus the formation state’s agent and report. Multi-state overview: Foreign LLC and certificate of authority.

Do I get an EIN before or after filing the Michigan LLC?

After the Articles of Organization are accepted. The IRS tells applicants to form the state entity first; the EIN application on IRS.gov is free. Walkthrough: Get an EIN after the state entity exists. After the EIN, park operating cash in a dedicated account — see First business checking account.

What this page does not cover

• Professional LLCs (CSCL/CD-701), conversions, or foreign qualification of an out-of-state company.
• Sales-tax, employer withholding, unemployment, Workers’ Compensation, or local business licenses.
• Whether an S corporation election is worth the payroll. That is a CPA conversation after there is real net income.
• Any promise that an LLC prevents a personal guarantee on a bank account or a business card. It usually does not.
• Telling a Georgia operator to file Michigan as a sophistication upgrade.
• Voluntary dissolution — LARA uses Certificate of Dissolution CSCL/CD-730_731 and a Treasury tax-clearance request within 60 days; see Dissolve or cancel an LLC.
• Processor fees or portal line items that are not printed on the sources above.