Register an Oklahoma Foreign LLC
An Oklahoma Foreign LLC is a limited liability company that does business in Oklahoma but was formed in another state or jurisdiction. When a foreign LLC wants to do business in Oklahoma, it must file an Application for Registration of Foreign Limited Liability Company with the Oklahoma Secretary of State, and pay a $300 state filing fee ($312 if using a credit card).
Northwest can register your foreign LLC in Oklahoma for just $225 + state fees. This includes the paperwork, registered agent service for a year, and a free trial of our identity services that take your business online. We’ll give you a custom domain name free for a year, plus 90 days free of our web hosting and security, business phone number and email address, and a local Oklahoma business address. Plus you’ll get forever access to our attorney-drafted legal document templates, personal help from our Corporate Guides®, and Privacy By Default®.
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How to Register a Foreign LLC in Oklahoma
In order to conduct business in the state of Oklahoma, your LLC needs to register with the Secretary of State. This process is called foreign qualification. To register as a foreign LLC in Oklahoma, follow these steps:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing
In order to register with the Oklahoma Secretary of State, you will first need to get a Certificate of Good Standing from your home state. Essentially, your Certificate of Good Standing tells Oklahoma you’re legally allowed to do business in your home state. This certificate must be dated within the last sixty days before your Oklahoma foreign LLC application.
Though this certificate might be called something different depending on the state, such as a Certificate of Existence or a Certificate of Fact, a version of this document exists in every state/territory.
Most states allow you to request a Certificate of Good Standing online for a small fee from the same government agency which originally formed your LLC.
2. Appoint an Oklahoma Registered Agent
In order to conduct business in Oklahoma, you will need an Oklahoma Registered Agent. A registered agent is a person or company that resides in Oklahoma, is available during regular business hours, and has a physical address to receive an LLC’s legal mail.
Not unless you actually live in Oklahoma and have an address there. Since Oklahoma Foreign LLC owners typically don’t live in the state, most make the wise choice and hire a Registered Agent Service.
Do you like privacy? Many Oklahoma registered agent services will let you use their name and address on state registration documents wherever possible, which means that your personal information stays off the public record and away from the prying eyes of spammers and scammers.
3. Launch Your Business Identity
Once your business is up and running in the new state, you’ll want to be able to connect with the new market of consumers. Having a robust and localized digital presence can help build your business’ identity, which in turn will make your business seem more trustworthy and professional, even if you’ve only just started offering services/products. We can help you build a custom website that is securely hosted with an unique domain, plus give you a local phone number and up to ten email addresses to help establish your business in Oklahoma.
Learn more about how to launch your business identity in a new state.
4. Complete the Application for Registration
You will have to file Oklahoma’s Foreign Limited Liability Company Application for Registration in order to complete the foreign qualification process. Even if you’ve completed foreign LLC applications in other states, keep in mind requirements can change slightly from state to state. The list below is everything you will need to complete your Oklahoma application.
- Certificate of Good Standing from your home state
- The name of your LLC (which must contain the words: limited liability company, limited company, LLC, LC, L.L.C., or L.C.)
- The name your LLC will use in Oklahoma, if different
- State of original formation
- Date of original formation
- Name and address of your Oklahoma registered agent
- Address of your principal office
- Email address of your business’s primary contact
- An authorized signature
If you’re ready to get started, you can Register Your Foreign LLC in Oklahoma now with Northwest.
Mailed or faxed filings: $300
Online filings: $312
Hand-delivered filings: $325
You can file online, by fax, in person, or through the mail. If you file through the mail, take note of the last page of the PDF Application, where you are given the option to receive your approved documents via email.
Online: Oklahoma Secretary of State
By mail or in person:
Oklahoma Secretary of State
421 N.W. 13th, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103
Fax: (405) 521-3771
No. Foreign LLCs in Oklahoma only file the foreign LLC Application for Registration, not Articles of Organization.
5. Receive Your Foreign Registration Documents
If you don’t want to wait for your filed documents to be mailed to you, you can fill out the request at the back of the registration application to receive the documents electronically. Once your application is approved, you will be able to find it in your online account and through the Oklahoma business entity search.
Oklahoma will process mailed filings in about 10 business days. Online filings take around 2 business days for approval.
Oklahoma Foreign LLC Registration FAQ
You can amend your foreign LLC by filing an Amended or Corrected Application for Registration. This costs $100 to file and can be done either online or by mail.
Like most states, Oklahoma does not offer a list of what counts as transacting business in the state. Since the Secretary of State can’t comment on if your actions legally count as doing business, the best way to proceed is to check with your lawyer if you are uncertain.
However, a few things that most states consider transacting business are:
- Hiring employees
- Opening a physical shop/branch of your business
- Transacting multiple sales of the same type
- Applying for a professional license
According to OK Stat § 18-441-1403, a few things that are not legally considered to be doing business in Oklahoma are:
- Defending or settling a legal action/procedure
- Holding meetings
- Maintaining financial accounts
- Selling through independent contractors
- Holding property
Read more: What Exactly Does “Doing Business” in Another State Mean?
Yes. In Oklahoma, foreign LLCs must file an Annual Certificate every year with the Secretary of State on the anniversary of registration. This costs $25 per year, and you can request to be notified about your filing through email instead of the regular mail.
Foreign LLCs in Oklahoma are taxed the same as any other LLC in the state. An LLC is taxed as a pass-through entity by default, meaning the business profits pass through the company and are reported on the individual members’ tax returns. An LLC can also file with the IRS to be taxed as an S-corp or a C-corp.
For more information on taxes, check out our Oklahoma tax guide.
The process for withdrawing your foreign LLC is simply to file a Certificate of Withdrawal with the Secretary of State. It costs $100 to file. It should be noted that withdrawing your LLC in Oklahoma does not change the status of the LLC in the state where it was originally formed.
