Alaska LLC Articles of Organization

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Filing the Articles of Organization to form an Alaska LLC

Articles of OrganizationIn this lesson, we will walk you through filing your Articles of Organization with the Alaska Division of Corporations. This is the document that officially forms your Alaska LLC.

You can file your Articles of Organization online or file by mail. Or, if you want to hire a company to form your LLC, check out Best LLC Services in Alaska.

  • Online: $250 fee to be processed immediately.
  • By mail: $250 fee for approval in 10-15 business days (plus mail time).

Note: Filing times may take longer due to government delays. For the most up-to-date LLC processing times, check how long does it take to get an LLC in Alaska.

The $250 is a one-time filing fee. (see Alaska LLC Cost to learn more about fees)

Note: The “LLC filing fee” (the fee to create an Alaska LLC) is the same thing as the “Articles of Organization fee”. The Articles of Organization is the document that, once approved by the Alaska Corporations Section, creates your Alaska LLC.

Alaska LLC Division of Corporations Business and Professional Licensing
(Alaska Division of Corporations Business and Professional Licensing, Anchorage Field Office)

We recommend filing online as it’s easier and your Articles of Organization will be approved immediately.

Having said that, you will find instructions for both the mail as well as the online filing below.

Need to save time? Hire a company to form your LLC:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)

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Alaska LLC Articles of Organization Online Filing

Start here

Alaska Division of Corporations: Online Filing

Tip: Do not use your web browser’s back button while filling out the online application as it may delete the information you entered. Instead, use the built-in buttons in the application.

1. Entity Name

Enter the full name of your Alaska LLC including an allowable designator (ending). As per Alaska law (section 10.50.020), your LLC name must end with one of the following designators:

  • LLC (most popular)
  • L.L.C.
  • Ltd. Liability Co.
  • Ltd. Liability Company
  • Limited Liability Co.
  • Limited Liability Company

Comma in LLC name: You can use a comma in your Alaska LLC name if you’d like, or you can leave it out. For example, “Fresh Fish Company, LLC” and “Fresh Fish Company LLC” are both acceptable.

2. LLC Purpose

Enter the purpose of your Alaska LLC in this section. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be extremely specific and detailed, and you’re not going to be forced to do this forever. You can always change the purpose of your business as it grows.

You can enter just a few words (ex: “pizza shop”, “real estate investing”, “landscaping”, etc.), or if you prefer to keep things open-ended, you can use this default language instead:

“Any lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Alaska.”

3. NAICS Code

Enter the purpose of your business and its corresponding NAICS Code.

An NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Code is used by government agencies to identify your Alaska LLC’s line of business and business activities.

You can find your business’s six-digit NAICS Code here:
Alaska Division of Corporations: Alaska NAICS Codes

If you can’t find your specific business, just list the business industry that most closely represents/describes what you do.

4. Alaska Registered Agent

An Alaska Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to receive legal mail (Service of Process) on behalf of your Alaska LLC in the event it is involved in a lawsuit or court case.

Your Alaska Registered Agent must have a physical street address located in the state. And if your Alaska Registered Agent is a person, they must be a resident of the State of Alaska.

Reminder: You have 3 options for who can be your LLC’s Registered Agent in Alaska (you, a friend or family member, or a Commercial Registered Agent). Please make sure you have read our Alaska Registered Agent lesson and learned the difference between Registered Agent vs LLC Member before completing this section.

  • If you (or a friend/family member) are going to be your Alaska LLC’s Registered Agent, select “Individual” from the drop-down menu, enter your/their name, then enter your/their mailing address and physical address (which may be the same address).
  • If you hired a Commercial Registered Agent, select “Entity” from the drop-down. Then enter their Entity Number, their mailing address, and their physical address (which may be the same address).

If you don’t have their Entity Number, you can search for it here:
Alaska Division of Corporations: Search Corporations Database

Alternatively, you can call your Commercial Registered Agent to get their Entity Number (or to confirm what you found when searching the state’s database).

Note: If you hired Northwest Registered Agent, their Entity Number is 10021053.

5. Entity Addresses (Mailing and Physical)

Enter your LLC’s mailing address and physical address. These addresses can be the same, but they don’t have to be. These addresses can be located in any state in the US, or in any country in the world. They don’t have to be an Alaska address (although they can be).

6. Management

  • If your LLC will be Member-managed, select “The limited liability company is managed by its members“.
  • If your LLC will be Manager-managed, select “The limited liability company is managed by a manager“.

A Member-managed LLC is where all the owners have the ability to bind the Alaska LLC in contracts and agreements, as well as run the business and day-to-day operations.

A Manager-managed LLC is where only one, or a few designated people (called “managers”), have the ability to bind the Alaska LLC in contracts and agreements, as well as run the business and day-to-day operations. The other members cannot bind the LLC in contracts and agreements, and they can’t take part in running the business and day-to-day operations. Instead, they take a passive/investor role.

Tip: Most Alaska LLCs choose to be run and managed by all Members, so they elect to be Member-managed.

7. Organizers

Click the “Add” button to begin adding the LLC’s Organizer (or Organizers). Make sure “Individual” is selected from the drop-down menu, then enter the Organizer’s first and last name, then click “Save”.

Click the “Add” button again if you have more Organizers, or proceed if your LLC just has one Organizer.

An LLC Organizer is the person (or company) who files your Articles of Organization with the State of Alaska. Just being an LLC Organizer doesn’t automatically make someone a Member (owner) of an LLC. Said another way, just entering someone’s name in this section doesn’t automatically make them an owner of your LLC. Learn more by reading LLC Organizer vs LLC Member, and Registered Agent vs LLC Organizer.

Members of an LLC are designated in your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Meaning, a person becomes a legal Member of an LLC by signing the Operating Agreement (not by listing their name as the LLC Organizer).

Note: It is most common when someone is forming an LLC that they are both the LLC Organizer as well as an LLC Member. Therefore, their name will appear in both the Articles of Organization as well as the Operating Agreement.

8. Optional Provisions (optional)

This section can be used to add any optional provisions to your Alaska LLC. This section is optional.

You can think of optional provisions as “additional rules” which your LLC must follow.

Note: Most filers don’t add optional provisions unless they’ve been instructed to by their attorney or other business advisor.

9. Name of Person Completing This Online Application

Agree to the terms (select the checkbox), enter your full name and your phone number, and then click the “Proceed” button.

Review Page

Click the “Review Filing” PDF link to review your information one final time. You can also print/save this PDF for your records.

  • If you need to make any changes, click the “Return to Filing” button.
  • To proceed and electronically file your Articles of Organization, click the “Proceed to Payment” button.

Checkout Page

Enter your billing information, email address, phone number, and click the “Continue” button to make payment.

Congratulations!

Your Alaska LLC has been filed online and will be approved immediately.

On the following page, you will be given your Alaska LLC Entity Number. Please save this number, as it will be used to reference your LLC with the Corporations Sections.

Alaska LLC Approval (Online Filing)

When filing online, your Alaska LLC will be processed and approved immediately.

To download and print a copy of the approved Articles of Organization as well as your Certificate of Organization, search for your LLC in the state’s database, then click on your LLC’s Entity number:

Alaska Division of Corporations: Search Corporations Database

Once you’re in your Alaska LLC’s online record, look for the heading “Filed Documents” (should be at the bottom).

Under the “Type” column, you’ll see “Creation Filing”.

Click the first link to the right to download your stamped and approved Articles of Organization. Then click the second link to download your Certificate of Organization.


Filing Alaska LLC Articles of Organization by Mail

Download the Alaska Articles of Organization form

Articles of Organization (Form 08-484)

Notes:

  • You can either print the form, fill it out by hand (use a black pen), then sign; or, you can type in the form on your computer, then print and sign.
  • When printing, use regular white paper (8.5″ x 11″).

$250 Filing Fee Checkbox

Check off the box at the top agreeing to the $250 filing fee.

Article 1, Name

Enter the full name of your Alaska LLC including an allowable designator (ending). As per Alaska law (section 10.50.020), your LLC name must end with one of the following designators:

  • LLC (most popular)
  • L.L.C.
  • Ltd. Liability Co.
  • Ltd. Liability Company
  • Limited Liability Co.
  • Limited Liability Company

Comma in LLC name: You can use a comma in your Alaska LLC name if you’d like, or you can leave it out. For example, “Fresh Fish Company, LLC” and “Fresh Fish Company LLC” are both acceptable.

Article 2, Purpose & NAICS Code

Enter the purpose of your business and its corresponding NAICS Code.

An NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Code is used by government agencies to identify your Alaska LLC’s line of business and business activities.

You can find your business’s six-digit NAICS Code here:
Alaska Division of Corporations: Alaska NAICS Codes

If you can’t find your specific business, just list the business industry that most closely represents/describes what you do.

Article 3, Registered Agent

An Alaska Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to receive legal mail (Service of Process) on behalf of your LLC in the event it is involved in a lawsuit or court case.

Your Alaska Registered Agent must have a physical street address located in the state. And if your Alaska Registered Agent is a person, they must be a resident of the State of Alaska.

In this section you’ll be entering the name of a person or the name of a company (if you hired a Commercial Registered Agent).

  • Line 1: Enter the full name of your Alaska Registered Agent.
  • Line 2: Enter the physical address and zip code of your Alaska Registered Agent.
  • Line 3: Enter the mailing address and zip code of your Alaska Registered Agent

Note: Both the physical address and mailing address must be completed. It’s okay if the physical address and mailing address are the same.

Reminder: You have 3 options for who can be your LLC’s Registered Agent in Alaska (you, a friend or family member, or a Commercial Registered Agent). Please make sure you have read our Alaska Registered Agent lesson before completing this section.

Article 4, Management

  • If your LLC will be Member-managed, select “The limited liability company is managed by its members“.
  • If your LLC will be Manager-managed, select “The limited liability company is managed by a manager“.

A Member-managed LLC is where all the owners have the ability to bind the Alaska LLC in contracts and agreements, as well as run the business and day-to-day operations.

A Manager-managed LLC is where only one, or a few designated people (called “managers”), have the ability to bind the Alaska LLC in contracts and agreements, as well as run the business and day-to-day operations. The other members cannot bind the LLC in contracts and agreements, and they can’t take part in running the business and day-to-day operations. Instead, they take a passive/investor role.

Tip: Most Alaska LLCs choose to be run and managed by all Members, so they elect to be Member-managed.

Article 5, Optional Provisions

This section basically states that if your Alaska LLC will have any additional provisions that they will be attached (included) with your Articles of Organization. This doesn’t mean you have to include attachments though. This section is optional.

You can think of optional provisions and additional statutes as “additional rules” which your LLC must follow.

Note: Most filers do not attach additional provisions unless they’ve been instructed to by their attorney or other business advisor.

LLC Organizers

An LLC Organizer is the person (or company) who files your Articles of Organization with the State of Alaska. Enter the name and address of each person submitting the Articles of Organization to the state. After the document is printed, make sure each person signs the form.

Just being an LLC Organizer does not automatically make someone a Member (owner) of an LLC. Said another way, just by someone putting their name and signature in this section of your Articles of Organization doesn’t automatically make them an owner of your LLC. Learn more by reading LLC Organizer vs LLC Member, and Registered Agent vs LLC Organizer.

Members of an LLC are designated in your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Meaning, a person becomes a legal Member of an LLC by signing the Operating Agreement (not by listing their name as the LLC Organizer).

Note: It is most common when someone is forming an LLC that they are both the LLC Organizer as well as an LLC Member. Therefore, their name and signature will appear in both the Articles of Organization as well as the Operating Agreement.

If your LLC has 4 or more Members and you’d like them listed as Organizers:
If your Alaska LLC has 4 or more Members and you’d like everyone listed on your Articles of Organization (which can make opening a bank account easier), then you’ll need to include an additional page with your filing called the Additional Organizers Attachment.

Contact Sheet Information

The Contact Sheet Information tells the state who to contact with any questions and where to send your LLC approval documents. Enter the name of your LLC at the top, then enter your name, email, phone number, and mailing address.

Then enter your name and mailing address again below in the “Return documents to” section. You can leave the “Company” line blank.

Mailing Instructions

Mail your Articles of Organization with your check or money order (for $250, made payable to the “State of Alaska”) to:

State of Alaska
Corporations Section
PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806

Congratulations!

Your Alaska LLC has been mailed to the state for processing. Now you just need to wait for approval.

Alaska LLC Approval Time (Mail Filing)

When filing by mail, your Alaska LLC will be processed and approved in 10-15 business days (plus mail time).

The state will mail you back a stamped and approved copy of your Articles of Organization, as well as a Certificate of Organization.

Note: If you are filing by mail between October 1st and January 1st, the state can get busy at this time, so your LLC approval time can take longer (so don’t panic if it hasn’t arrived yet).

Alaska Corporations Section Contact Info

If you have any questions, you can contact the Alaska Division of Corporations at 907-465-2550.

Their hours are 8am to 5pm AKT, Monday through Friday.

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Matt Horwitz
Matt Horwitz
Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.

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