Start an LLC in Indiana

Let’s start with the name of your LLC. Indiana has some rules you’ll want to follow to make sure your name is good to go (those rules are covered in Indiana Code § 23-0.5-3.) Here’s what you need to know about choosing a business name for your Indiana LLC:

• Your name needs to be available to use in Indiana
• Your name must be distinguishable (different enough) from other registered domestic and foreign companies.
• Your name must contain the phrase or abbreviations: “limited liability company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.”

You can use our handy business name availability guide to check if your name is available to use.

Tip: You can reserve an LLC name in Indiana for $10 by applying through the Indiana online portal INBiz web portal. Your Indiana LLC name is reserved for up to 120 days and can be renewed for another 120 days. There is no paper form for the Indiana business name reservation.

Next, you’ll need to snag a domain name for your business website. Think of your domain name kinda like your online street address: it’s how people find your business on the web. A good business domain name should match or somehow connect to your business name or what your business does.

Registering your domain early on has some serious perks:

• Establishing Credibility: A professional domain name shows that you’ve taken the steps to craft an online presence that potential customers can connect to and trust.
• Branding Consistency: By aligning your domain name with your business name, you’re reinforcing your business brand, which helps customers recognize and remember your business more easily.

A domain name also gives you access to a professional business email address. You can use this email even if you don’t initially build your business website.

Tip: Northwest offers a year of free domain registration and business email whenever you use us to help you form your business.

Now, you’ll need to submit your Indiana Articles of Organization to the Secretary of State online, by mail, or in person. This is the step that officially forms your LLC with the state. Here’s what the form asks for.

Indiana Series LLC

A series LLC is an LLC with multiple LLCs within it. Series LLCs are businesses that have other businesses within them, each viewed as their own company. Here’s the scoop on starting a series LLC in Indiana: you’ll need to submit the Articles of Organization Domestic Master Limited Liability Company with the Indiana Business Services Division.

You can submit your form by mail, in person, or online. The fee to submit and file your Articles of Organization for your Indiana Series LLC costs $250.

Learn all the ins and outs of starting a series LLC in our Indiana Series LLC Guide.

How do you submit the Indiana Articles of Organization?

To submit your Indiana Articles of Organization to the Indiana Business Services Division, you can file online, in person, or by mail.

By mail or in person:
Secretary of State
Business Services Division
302 West Washington St. Rm. E018
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Online:
InBiz web portal

Your operating agreement is like the blueprint for how your LLC will run. It’s where you jot down all the important stuff, like who contributed what financially, how decisions are made, and even what happens if things don’t go according to plan. Technically, Indiana doesn’t require you to have an operating agreement, but having one is a smart move for legal protection and just keeping everything running smoothly.

Tip: Our attorneys have already drafted up an initial Indiana operating agreement that you can use for free.

An EIN (employer identification number) is what the IRS uses to keep tabs on your business for tax purposes. Needless to say, it’s important to have for your Indiana LLC. Don’t worry, though, getting an EIN is totally free. You can apply for one directly from the IRS online or learn why many business owners choose us to get an EIN for them.

Getting a business bank account for your LLC is something you should consider doing to help strengthen the liability protection your LLC has. When you head to the bank to open your account, make sure you’ve got these essentials with you:

• A copy of your Indiana LLC Articles of Organization
• Your LLC’s operating agreement
• The EIN (employer identification number) for your LLC

If your LLC has more than one member, you may need to provide an LLC Resolution to Open a Bank Account.

Any LLC that sells goods (physical items you don’t own like clothes at a retail store) or tangible personal property (physical items you do own like cars a mechanic buys and resells) must get a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate to collect the state’s 7% sales tax. To get the Indiana Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, you’ll submit the Indiana Business Tax Application and pay a $25 fee.

Indiana requires all LLCs to submit a Business Entity Report biennially or every other year. It costs $32 to file online and $50 to do so by paper. Some states call this type of report an annual report. Its purpose is to gather any information about your LLC that may have changed since your last filing like your business’s owners, location, or name.

Tip: Worried you’ll forget? Let us file your Indiana Business Entity Report for you.

2024 welcomed a new federal filing for most Indiana LLCs called the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report. With the BOI Report, you’ll need to share some details about your company applicant and all the beneficial owners with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. You can handle this complicated filing yourself, or if you prefer, you can hire us to do it for you.

*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.