Start an LLC in Alaska
Start an Alaska LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the Alaska Division of Corporations for $250.
You can use our free tool to fill out the paperwork right here yourself. Or hire Northwest to do it for you and we’ll provide one year of registered agent service and a business identity—all for $39.
How to Start an LLC in Alaska
A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a permanent public record. Starting one requires sharing personal information with the government, banks, landlords, vendors, and of course, customers. We provide a Free Business Identity to anyone who needs it—that’s a domain name, website, phone line, email address, and Brand Protection. This helps protect your privacy and keep you in control of your intellectual property.
1. Name Your LLC
Your business name must comply with state statutes (AK Stat § 10.50.020) and serve your business for marketing purposes. You’ll likely want to choose a name that’s easy for customers to remember or closely aligned with what you do — or both. But before you settle on anything, it’s important to make sure your business name is available to use.
It’s a good idea to check the following sources to see if your name is already in use:
- Alaska’s Corporations Database
- US Patent and Trademark Office database
- The internet, to see if your name shows up in any search results
If you’re name is available but you’re not quite ready to form your LLC you can reserve it in Alaska for 120 days by filing the Business Name Reservation form and paying the $25 fee. You may renew your reservation twice.
It costs $25 to get a DBA in Alaska. A DBA (doing business as) allows you to use a different name than your legal LLC name. To get a DBA in Alaska, you’ll file the New Business Name Registration form.
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2. Register Your Domain Name
Your Alaska domain name gives your business more room to grow. From launching a website, building social media profiles, setting up email communications, and printing business cards, getting your domain name opens up your options.
Before choosing your business domain, consider:
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Does your domain work well with your business name?
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Is your domain easy to remember and spell?
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Is your domain available wherever else you want it, like social platforms, trademarks, or business name registries?
Once you have a domain you’re happy with, it’s time to claim it. When you order your domain through Northwest, we’ll also set you up with a website, hosted and secured through us.
3. Appoint a Registered Agent
A registered agent is someone you designate to accept state and legal paperwork on your business’s behalf. All LLCs in Alaska are required to have a registered agent.
The duties of a registered agent in Alaska are covered in AK Stat § 10.06.150 and include:
- Having a physical address (no P.O. Boxes or virtual offices) in the state
- Being available during regular business hours
- Accepting correspondence from the State of Alaska and legal mail on behalf of your business
The registered agent you use is a key part of your business identity. What’s a business identity? It’s the way you present yourself to the world, including potential customers and clients. You start building a business identity as soon as you form a business, and at Northwest, our Registered Agent Service can help strengthen that identity.
Yes. You can be your own registered agent in Alaska, but keep in mind your name and address will go on the public record. You’ll also have to be available to receive state and legal mail in person by keeping regular business hours. Not something many business owners can do.
You can change your registered agent in Alaska by filing the Statement of Change form for Domestic LLCs and paying a $25 fee.
4. File Articles of Organization
To officially form your LLC, you’ll need to submit the LLC Articles of Organization to the Alaska Division of Corporations either online, by mail, or in person with a $250 filing fee.
You’ll provide the following information:
- Company name. Include an indicator like LLC.
- Purpose. Briefly describe the activities of the company.
- NAICS code. This code classifies your type of business. Find out your code using the Alaska NAICS Code page.
- Registered agent. Includes name and address of registered agent.
- Management structure. Indicate whether your LLC will be managed by members or managers.
- Optional provisions. Additional arrangements or restrictions you’d like to add go here. For example: LLC duration or restrictions on authority of management.
- Organizer. The name of the person or entity preparing and signing the document. If you hire us, we sign here.
- Contact name and phone number. If the state has a question about your filing, they will reach out to this person.
Note: All of the information on this form will become part of the public record.
You can submit your Articles online, by mail, or in person.
Mail:
State of Alaska
Corporations Section
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
In Person:
333 Willoughby AVE, 9th FL
State Office Building
Juneau, AK 99801-1770
Online:
Alaska Online Filing
The total cost to form an LLC in Alaska is $300, including the $250 fee for filing your Articles and the $50 fee for your business license.
To amend your Alaska Articles, file the Articles of Amendment for Domestic LLCs with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. The fee for amending your Alaska Articles of Organization is $25.
The best way to keep your private information off the public record is by not listing it on your LLC articles. The only way to do that is to find a registered agent who will let you use their address in place of your own. We’re that registered agent!
5. Get an Alaska Business License
Alaska requires all LLCs to get an Alaska business license and renew it yearly for the privilege of doing business within the state. If you’re a professional that requires licensing from the state like doctors, accountants, and tobacco sellers, you’ll get your Alaska general business license after getting whatever professional licenses you need.
Nonprofessionals get their business license after filing their Articles with the state and before doing business. It costs $50 to get your business license.
All entities in Alaska must get a general business license, including sole proprietorships, LLCs, and corporations.
You don’t renew your LLC, but you do renew your Alaska business license every year for $50. All business licenses in Alaska expire on December 31, so you’ll need to be sure to renew before then to keep your business in good standing.
6. File an Alaska Initial Report
Within the first six months of filing your Alaska Articles of Organization, you’ll file an initial report. Your initial report gives the state the names and addresses of your LLC’s owners and/or officers. There is no fee for filing your Alaska Initial Report. You can file this report online through Alaska’s online filing system and print out a copy to file by mail or in person.
7. Write an LLC Operating Agreement
An operating agreement is an internal document describing the framework for your LLC’s management. It covers all the details of your LLC’s operation—membership duties, powers, responsibilities, and the strategies in place for dealing with things like business dissolution.
A sound operating agreement will define how your business handles big-picture situations. Things like profit allocation and business dissolution are sorted out here to prevent disagreement later. Alaska allows LLC owners to create custom operating agreements, as long as it does not violate any laws or contradict the Articles of Organization.
Not sure how to begin? You can get started right away with our free, attorney-drafted Alaska LLC operating agreement template.
The state of Alaska doesn’t require LLCs to keep an operating agreement. Regardless, an operating agreement is critical for the good of your company. It’s perhaps one of the most important documents an LLC keeps. It should be in writing and updated regularly.
Yes. Even though you can handle conflict resolution with yourself, an operating agreement does far more than that. It helps you prove your LLC is yours and guards your limited liability.
8. Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a string of numbers the IRS assigns to your LLC, making it like a social security number for business entities. You’ll need an EIN if you plan to have employees, but it can also help you set up a business bank account, which is important for maintaining the separation of business and personal finances.
To get an EIN for your business, you can apply for free through the IRS. Or, hire us and we can get your EIN for you.
To get an EIN in Alaska, you’ll file an Application for Employer Identification Number (also known as Form SS-4). You can file this form online if you have an SSN or by mail using the paper form if you don’t have a social security number. There is no fee for this form.
9. File Your Biennial Report
Alaska Biennial Reports are due every two years by January 2, starting from when you filed your company’s initial report. So if your initial report was filed in an even-numbered year, the biennial report will be due in January of every even-numbered year for the life of your company.
You’ll file your report with the Division of Corporations, Business & Licensing. Filing the biennial report costs $100. If your report is more than a month late, a penalty of $37.50 is added.
When you hire Northwest to form your business or act as your registered agent, we’ll automatically remind you about the report and file it for you.
In Alaska, all LLCs are taxed as a pass-through entity by default. Profits will simply pass through the LLC itself and disperse onto the owners to disclose on their personal tax returns. LLC owners will pay the self-employment tax at the federal rate of 15.3%.
*This is informational commentary, not advice. This information is intended strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. This information is not intended to create, nor does your receipt, viewing, or use of it constitute, an attorney-client relationship. More information is available in our Terms of Service.
Ready to Start an LLC in Alaska?
