Start A Corporation In Kentucky

Yes. Kentucky lets you reserve your chosen business name for 120 days. Your request must be made in writing—no online name reservation is available. This means that you’ll need to file a Reservation or Renewal of Reserved Name form either by mail or in person with the Division of Business Filings and pay the $15 fee via check.

Yes, you can be your own registered agent. You will have to share your name and address on the public record and be available during regular business hours to accept service of process in person.

You definitely can. In fact, you have the ability to change your registered agent in Kentucky anytime you want by filing the “Statement of Change of Registered Agent” form with the Kentucky Secretary of State. You can submit the form by mail, in person, or online. Total cost for changing your registered agent is just $10.

You can submit your articles online by mail, or in person. If you plan on paying the filing fees by check, they should be made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer.”

Mail:
Michael Adams
Office of the Secretary of State
P.O. Box 718
Frankfort, KY 40602-0718

In person:
Capitol Building
Room 154
700 Capital Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601

Online:
Kentucky SOS One-Stop

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

ew corporations must provide information about each beneficial owner and their company applicant. (Corporations formed before 2024 don’t need to give company applicant information.) You’ll also need to provide some basic company information.

Beneficial owner and company applicant information: 

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Residential or business street address
• Personal identification document (such as a driver’s license or passport), including the ID number

Company information:

• Legal business name
• Any DBAs/assumed business names
• Business street address
• State of incorporation
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Yes. Any time information that’s required on the BOI Report changes, (such as the chief officers, company name, or address) you’ll need to file an updated report within 30 days. You can use BOSS to file your updated report for free.

No. Unlike the information on your Kentucky Articles of Incorporation, your BOI Report won’t be available to the public. The only groups that will be able to access BOI Report information are US government agencies, law enforcement, and financial institutions (for customer verification purposes).

Yes, there are 23 classes of exemption from the BOI Report. The most common exemptions include:

• Large operating companies
• Most financial companies, such as banks and credit unions
• Investment companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• Insurance companies registered with a state or federal agency
• Public utilities companies registered with a state or federal agency
• Tax-exempt entities

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Kentucky bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. For example, KY Statute § 271B.2-060) states that bylaws cannot abolish or limit the ability of shareholders to inspect and copy any corporate records after giving written notice.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Kentucky corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

The Kentucky Annual Report has a flat fee of $15.

The filing is due on June 30th. Kentucky does not charge late fees for failing to file an annual report, but your organization faces administrative dissolution or revocation if you miss the deadline.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders for your Kentucky Annual Report filings. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we can complete and submit your annual report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

Kentucky corporations have two major taxes to contend with: a corporate net income tax and a limited liability entity tax.

The corporate income tax rate differs based on the amount of net income. Net income up to $50,000 has a 4% rate; net income between $50,001 and $100,000 pays a 5% rate; and any net income over $100,000 pays a 6% rate.

The limited liability entity tax (LLET) is a gross receipts tax that applies to businesses with limited liability, like corporations and LLCs. The LLET rate is $950 for every $1 million in gross receipts or $7,500 for every $1 million in gross profits, whichever is lower. There’s a minimum LLET of $175 regardless which rate is used.

The state sales tax is a flat 6%. While most states allow cities and counties to tack on additional sales taxes, this isn’t the case for Kentucky—customers pay 6% at the register, whether they’re in Lexington or Harlan.

Yes, if you conduct business in Kentucky, you’re required to register with the Kentucky Department of Revenue. You can register via the Kentucky Business One Stop Portal. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.