How To Get An Llc In Oklahoma

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To start an LLC in Oklahoma, you'll need to do three things: appoint a registered agent, choose a name for your business, and file Articles of Organization with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. You can file the document online, by mail, or in person. The articles cost $100 to file. Once filed with the state, this document formally creates your Oklahoma LLC.

Appoint a Registered Agent

According to 18 OK Stat § 18-1022 (2019), every Oklahoma LLC must appoint a registered agent. You don't need to hire a registered agent, but if you do, make sure your registered agent will list their address on your articles wherever possible to ensure maximum privacy.

Name Your LLC

If you're starting a new business, you probably already know what you want to name your LLC. But you'll need to know if your preferred name is available. To find out, visit the Business Entity Search and search until you find the perfect name for your LLC.

Submit Oklahoma Articles of Organization

Once you know who your registered agent will be and what your LLC name is, you're ready to file your Oklahoma Articles of Organization. Follow along with our filing instructions below:

Learn more about each Articles of Organization requirement below. Note that the information you provide becomes part of the public record—permanently.

Or skip the form entirely and hire us to form your Oklahoma LLC. We provide a free business address to list whenever possible throughout the filing to better keep your personal address private. Looking for a low-cost way to start a business? Pay just $35 out the door with our VIP monthly payment option.

1. Company Name

You have to include "Limited Liability Company" or an abbreviation like "LLC." You can't include words that would make people think you're a different business entity like "corporation."

2. Principal Office

This must be a street address in Oklahoma (no PO Boxes). When you hire Northwest, you can avoid listing a home or personal address and use our Oklahoma address as your principal address.

3. Business Email

This email address is where the Secretary of State will send Annual Certificate notifications. Since the information in your Articles of Organization is part of the permanent public record, using a personal email could mean you end up with an inbox full of spam. At Northwest, we allow our clients to use our email address.

4. Registered Agent and Office

Your Oklahoma registered agent must be available during business hours to accept legal notices for your LLC. You can list yourself, someone else, or a service like Northwest. You'll also need to list the street address in Oklahoma where your registered agent will be available. When you hire us, this publicly-listed address will be ours instead of yours.

5. Term of Existence

Want your business to continue indefinitely? List your term of existence as "perpetual." Prefer to put a self-destruct timer on your LLC? Enter an end date or a certain number of years to exist.

6. Executor

Your executor is the person you authorize to form and file your Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization. It doesn't have to be a member, manager, or anyone in your LLC. Hire Northwest, and we'll be your executor.

Professionals in Oklahoma hire registered agent services like Northwest Registered Agent to start an LLC—but why?

Logistics

Standard filing companies don't have employees or offices in every state. But as a national registered agent, it's a requirement for us, which is a benefit for our clients. We have an office in Oklahoma City. We're on a first name basis with the people who work for the Secretary of State. We know all the fastest filing methods, which translates to fast, professional service—without extra fees.

Privacy

As your registered agent, we list our Oklahoma City registered office address on your LLC's formation documents. Why? If you're starting a business from your apartment in Tulsa, do you really want your apartment address as your business address? (Hint: the answer is no.) We'll list our address, so you don't have to list yours. Plus, we never sell your data. We don't list your personal information on filings if we don't have to. It's all standard and part of our commitment to Privacy by Default®.

Free Mail Forwarding, Business Address and More

At Northwest, we do everything a registered agent should do and more. You can list our address as your business address on your state filings. We include limited digital mail forwarding with registered agent service (up to 5 pieces of regular mail per year; $15 a doc after that).

Plan on accepting credit cards? We also offer a Free Credit Card Processing Consultation. Our specialists work with processors to negotiate low rates and better contracts for our clients.

And now, try our in-house Northwest Phone Service for 60 days, free of charge with our formation service. Get a virtual phone number with your choice of area code, make and receive calls from any device, and more—for just $9 a month.

Local Expertise

We know the in's and out's of each state—and we use this knowledge to help you when you need it most. Our team of Corporate Guides® has over 200 local business experts. You can call or email us for answers to all your questions about your LLC in Oklahoma.

After your Oklahoma Articles of Organization are approved, you still have a few more important steps to take, including getting an EIN, drafting an operating agreement, opening a bank account, funding the LLC and learning about state reporting and tax requirements.

EIN Form

Get an EIN

An EIN ("Employer Identification Number") is a federal tax ID assigned to your business by the IRS. The IRS uses your EIN to easily identify your business on tax filings.

Does an Oklahoma LLC need an EIN?

You're required to get an EIN from the IRS if you have employees or file certain federal excise taxes, like Alcohol/Tobacco/Firearms returns. You'll need an EIN for a few other situations as well—opening a business bank account, establishing credit with vendors, and even filing some local tax forms. You can sometimes use your personal social security number instead, but that's just another opportunity for someone to access your personal information. EINs are free from the IRS, so there's no reason not to get one.

How do I get an EIN for my LLC?

You can apply for an EIN directly from the IRS at no cost. Most businesses are able to apply online, but if you don't have a social security number, you'll need to apply with a paper form. Want one less thing to do? Add on EIN service when you hire us, and we'll get your EIN for you. Or choose our VIP service—an EIN is included.

LLC Operating Agreement

Write an LLC Operating Agreement

Operating agreements put into writing how your business actually operates—how much each member invested, how profits and losses will be allocated, how voting works, and what happens if there's a dispute or if the whole business (knock on wood) falls apart.

For more on Oklahoma operating agreements (including free operating agreement templates), see our Oklahoma LLC Operating Agreement resource.

Do I need an operating agreement for an Oklahoma LLC?

18 OK § 18-2012.2 (2019) describes the general powers of an operating agreement, but it does not specifically require you write an operating agreement. However, the importance of an operating agreement is hard to overstate.

While state approval of your articles makes you a business in the eyes of Oklahoma, your operating agreement is what defines how your business functions—and what legitimizes your business. Anyone with $100 can start a business, but your operating agreement shows you're serious and shows how you really operate.

What should be in an operating agreement?

An operating agreement should explain how the business will handle "big picture" situations—everything from allocating profits and losses to dissolving the business. Below is a list of common topics that operating agreements should cover.

Initial investments
Profits, losses, and distributions
Voting rights, decision-making powers, and management
Transfer of membership interest
Dissolving the business

Your operating agreement can cover pretty much anything as long as it isn't contrary to Oklahoma law. Topics not allowed to be changed in the operating agreement are listed in the Oklahoma statute 18 OK Stat § 18-2012.2 (2019), which states you cannot vary the rights, privileges, duties and obligations imposed specifically under the Oklahoma Limited Liability Company Act.

How do I write an operating agreement?

To write an operating agreement, you need to address how your business will handle money, members, votes, management, and more. Not sure how to get started? At Northwest, we're here to help your LLC get off on the right foot. When you hire us, we provide your business with a free LLC operating agreement, specific to your management style. We've spent years developing these agreements and other free LLC forms—which have been used by over a million LLCs.

Business Banking

Open an LLC Bank Account

Your LLC needs its own bank account. Why? An LLC gets its limited liability from being a distinct entity, separate from its members. If you mix personal and business finances, you could lose your liability protections.

How do I open a bank account for my Oklahoma LLC?

To open a bank account for your Oklahoma LLC, you will need to bring the following with you to the bank:

A copy of the Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization
The LLC operating agreement
The LLC's EIN

If there are multiple members in the LLC, you may also want to bring an LLC resolution to open a bank account that states that the person going to the bank is authorized by the members to open the account in the name of the LLC. Northwest can help with this as well—LLC bank resolutions are one of the many free legal forms we provide to ensure you can get your LLC started fast.

Fund the LLC

Time to put some money in that new LLC bank account. What money? For starters, your initial contributions to your LLC's capital. LLC members are owners, and each owner needs to pay for their membership interest to fund the LLC.

What is membership interest?

Membership interest is your percentage of ownership of the LLC. Membership interest is normally proportionate to your investment. So how does this work?

Imagine your LLC has 5 members. 4 members each invest $1,000 in the business. One member invests $6,000. The total contribution of all members is $10,000. The 4 members each own 10% of the business. The moneybags member who shelled out $6,000 owns 60% of the business.

Typically, this also means that the 4 members would each get 10% of any profits, and moneybags would get 60%. Exactly how profits and losses are allocated, however, can be adjusted in the operating agreement as long as changes are in line with IRS requirements and Oklahoma laws.

File Reports and Taxes

File Oklahoma Reports & Taxes

Oklahoma LLCs are required to file a state report each year. This report is basically an information update and $25 fee you file so the state knows who currently runs things and how to contact your business. Oklahoma LLCs are also subject to state tax filing requirements.

How much is the Oklahoma Annual Certificate fee?

The fee for the Oklahoma Annual Report (also known as the "annual certificate") is $25. Not a killer, but forget to file it and your LLC will lose good standing with the state.

When is the Oklahoma Annual Certificate due?

Your Oklahoma Annual Certificate is due at the end of your "anniversary month" (the month your LLC first registered).

When you sign up for Northwest, we send you reminders for your annual certificate due dates. Want one less thing to worry about? With our business renewal service, we can complete and submit your report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

What should I know about Oklahoma LLC taxes?

Oklahoma has a marginal personal net income tax rate that tops out at 5% on income over $7,200 (single filers) or $12,200 (married filing jointly).

The state also has a 4.5% sales tax—although cities and counties can stack on local sales taxes as well. The maximum total sales tax tops out at 11% (which you can find in Hallett, Oklahoma), but the average total sales tax is 7.575%.

LLCs taxed as either partnerships or S corporations shouldn't have to worry about the state's franchise tax, and with the repeal of the Business Activity Tax (BAT), your pass-through LLC should have no state income tax (although in-state generated income paid to out of state members is subject to state personal income tax withholding).

How can I submit the Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization?

You can file Oklahoma articles online or by mail. Mailed filings must be submitted to the following address:

Secretary of State
421 NW 13th St, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73103

How much does it cost to start an Oklahoma LLC?

The state filing fee for Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization is $100. If you file online, there's also a credit card processing fee of 4%.

Hire Northwest for a one-time fee of $330, including state filing fees, a year of registered agent service, limited mail forwarding and loads of useful forms and tools to help get your Oklahoma LLC up and running. Or, pay just $35 out the door with our VIP monthly payment option.

How long does it take to start an Oklahoma LLC?

Online filings average 1-2 business days for processing. Mailed forms take 5-7 business days to process.

If you hire Northwest to start your LLC, we file online and typically have your Oklahoma LLC formed within 2 days.

Does an Oklahoma LLC need a business license?

Oklahoma doesn't have a general, statewide business license, but that doesn't mean your business doesn't need any specific permits or licenses. Some occupations, like accountants or psychologists, require state-level professional licenses. Other business activities, like child care services, typically require local licenses.

Need an EIN or a certified copy of your formation docs for your license applications? Northwest can help. You can easily add on these items to your LLC formation order.

Can an Oklahoma LLC help me live more privately?

Yes, an Oklahoma LLC can help you reduce your public footprint. For example, you can maintain a significant degree of address privacy by listing our address on public docs instead of your own. Check out our page on living privately with an LLC to learn more.

What is a foreign Oklahoma LLC?

A foreign Oklahoma LLC is any LLC formed outside of Oklahoma but registered to do business in the state. For example, if you formed an LLC in Indiana but wanted to conduct business in Oklahoma as well, you would register as a foreign LLC in Oklahoma by filing an Application for Registration of Foreign Limited Liability Company with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. Like domestic LLCs, foreign LLCs in the state have to file annual Oklahoma annual certificates. Northwest can register your Oklahoma foreign LLC for you today!

How can I get an Oklahoma phone number for my LLC?

It's a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don't want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we've got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your LLC, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.

Our Oklahoma LLC formation service is designed to be fast and easy—signing up takes just a couple minutes. Here's how it works:

Signup

With Northwest, we give you flexibility on how to pay. You can pay all the fees up front (this includes one full year of registered agent service). Or, pay just $35 out the door with our VIP monthly payment option. With our VIP option, we also include an EIN. Just choose one of the buttons below, answer a few easy questions about your business and submit your payment.

State Approval

We'll prepare your Oklahoma Articles of Organization and send them to the Secretary of State for approval. In the meantime, you'll have immediate access to your online account, where you can find useful state forms, pre-populated with your business information.

Your Oklahoma LLC!

Once the Oklahoma Secretary of State has approved your filing, we notify you that your Oklahoma LLC has been legally formed. You can now take any necessary next steps, like getting an EIN and opening a bank account.