Forming a Kentucky LLC in 2026: Secretary of State Steps & Fees
Forty dollars. That is the entire state charge to organize an LLC in Kentucky, which puts the Commonwealth in the cheapest tier in America for new companies. The filing goes to the Kentucky Secretary of State, the governing statute is KRS 275.025, and the whole process breaks down into seven steps.
Where the filing goes
| Route | Details |
|---|---|
| Online | FastTrack, the Secretary of State's filing portal |
| Paper | Form KLC PDF, mailed to the Secretary of State |
| Fee either way | $40, per the state's fee schedule |
The seven steps
- Run a name search. Kentucky wants a company name that meets KRS 14A.3-010: it carries an LLC designator and does not collide with a name already on the Secretary of State's records. Confirm availability before printing anything.
- Line up a registered agent. The state will not accept articles without a registered office at a physical Kentucky address and an agent whose business address matches it (KRS 14A.4-010). When you form through us, year one of agent service comes with the package.
- Complete the Articles of Organization, form KLC. The document is officially titled "Articles of Organization - Profit Limited Liability Company." Its statutory contents under KRS 275.025 are minimal: the company name and the registered office with the initial registered agent. Kentucky's letter-coded catalog also includes PLC for professional LLCs and NLC for nonprofit LLCs.
- Submit and pay the $40. Use either route from the table above; the fee is identical online and on paper.
- Put an operating agreement in writing. Nothing gets filed with the state, yet the agreement decides who owns what, how money moves, and how exits work. Without one, the default rules of the Kentucky LLC Act decide for you.
- Grab your EIN. Apply free at IRS.gov. Banks require it for a company account, and the IRS issues most online applications on the spot.
- Note the annual report window. Every Kentucky LLC files a $15 annual report between January 1 and June 30, starting the year after the calendar year of formation.
What forming an LLC gets you
Ready to get started?
Get StartedThe LLC wraps a liability shield around its owners: business debts and lawsuits stop at the company instead of reaching your house and savings, provided you keep company money and personal money apart. Kentucky pairs that shield with pass-through taxation by default and some of the lightest state fees anywhere, though the Commonwealth does levy a Limited Liability Entity Tax (LLET) with a $175 floor on gross receipts or revenues.
Where we come in
For $199 plus the $40 state fee, we prepare form KLC, file it with the Secretary of State, and cover your first year of registered agent service. Renewal after that year is $99 annually. Prefer to file on your own? Everything you need sits on the Secretary of State's site.