Short answer
Michigan creates an LLC when the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) accepts the Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700). The state fee is $50[2]. The filing has to name a resident agent in Michigan.
Mainstay Filing will file it for you for $199 a year plus Michigan's $50 fee, with the Michigan resident agent and the Annual Statement included[1].
- State filing fee
- $50
- Form
- Form CSCL/CD-700
- Filed with
- Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
- Resident Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Yearly, $25
- Other states’ fees
- 3 lower, 40 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
The steps to form a Michigan LLC
The order below is the order most filers follow. The state filing is the only step with a Michigan fee attached.
- Pick a name the state will accept. It has to be distinguishable from names already on the Michigan register and include an LLC designator. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has a name search on its website[3].
- Line up the resident agent. The filing lists who receives legal papers for the company. Michigan allows A Michigan resident, or a corporation or LLC formed in Michigan or authorized there, whose business office (or, for a person, residence) is the registered office.[4]
- Submit Form CSCL/CD-700 and pay $50. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) reviews the filing; the LLC exists once it is accepted[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Banks and payroll providers ask for it. The application is made to the IRS, separately from the Michigan filing, and the IRS charges nothing.
- Calendar the first Annual Statement. It is filed every year with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division for $25[5]. It is due February 15[6].
How many new businesses Michigan sees
Business applications in Michigan reached 152,060 in 2025, the 11th highest count among the states and D.C. Through Jan-Sep 2026 the count stood at 131,698, a 17.7% change on the year before.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than Michigan LLC formations.
The form and where it goes
Michigan calls its formation filing the Articles of Organization, numbered CSCL/CD-700. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) accepts it[2].
The governing text:
One or more persons, who may or may not become members, may be the organizers of a limited liability company by filing executed articles of organization.
MCL 450.4202 (Michigan Limited Liability Company Act, Act 23 of 1993 - formation by filing articles of organization)[2].
Acceptance puts the company on the Michigan register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the resident agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
The fee, in context
Michigan's $50 filing fee is below the 50-state median of $100: 3 states charge less and 40 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 | [2] legislature.mi.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Statement | $25 every year | [5] michigan.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Resident agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $249 first year elsewhere | 6 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as resident agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $95 | $32 every 2 yrs |
| Ohio | $99 | None |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $25 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
Who can submit the filing
Mainstay Filing prepares and submits the Form CSCL/CD-700 for $199 a year plus the $50 state fee, which it passes through at cost[1]. The same yearly price covers its service as resident agent, the EIN application and the Annual Statement each time it is due, and it does not rise at renewal.
Anyone can also file the Form CSCL/CD-700 directly with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA); the state charges the same $50 either way.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Michigan?
The state fee is $50 for the Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700)[2]. After that, the Annual Statement costs $25 every year.
Do I need a resident agent to form an LLC in Michigan?
Yes. The formation filing names one. Owners who live in Michigan qualify as individuals and can take the resident agent role themselves.
Is there a service that files it for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Michigan LLCs for $199 a year plus the $50 state fee[1]. That also covers its resident agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Statement, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Michigan?
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Its website: www.michigan.gov/lara/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- MCL 450.4202 (Michigan Limited Liability Company Act, Act 23 of 1993 - formation by filing articles of organization). www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4202. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). www.michigan.gov/lara/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- MCL 450.4207. www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4207. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division: Annual Statement rules and fee. www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/limited-liability-co/filling-requirements-con. Updated October 29, 2026.
- MCL § 450.4207; LLC Act Ch. 9 (MCL § 450.4901 et seq.). www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.