Deal alert! Northwest will form your LLC for $39 (60% discount). See details.
Starting an Indiana LLC
An Indiana Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a legal structure used to protect your personal assets (home, car, bank account) in the event your business is sued.
An LLC can be used to operate a business, or an LLC can be used to hold assets (such as real estate, vehicles, boats, or aircraft).
Forming an LLC in Indiana is simple. Search your Indiana LLC name in the state database and select your Indiana Registered Agent.
File your Indiana Articles of Organization and wait for the state to approve your LLC.
If you file your LLC by mail, the state fee is $100 and the approval time is 5 business days (plus mail time). If you file your LLC online, the state fee is $95 and the approval time is 1 business day.
(See LLC Cost in Indiana to learn about all the fees you’ll pay)
Note: Filing times may take longer due to the current global situation and government delays. Please see how long does it take to get an LLC in Indiana.
After your Indiana LLC is approved, complete your Indiana LLC Operating Agreement and get your Indiana EIN Number (aka Federal Tax ID Number) from the IRS. You should also check whether your small business needs an Indiana Business License or other permits to operate.
In order to keep your Indiana LLC in compliance, you’ll also need to file a Indiana LLC Business Entity Report every 2 years. The fee is $50 if you file by mail, or $31 if you file online. And every year, make sure your company meets its Indiana LLC Taxes obligations.
Need to save time? Hire a company to form your LLC:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)
(We recommend Northwest. We've reviewed all the top companies in the industry. And Northwest is our #1 pick for prices, customer support, and address privacy. Check out Northwest vs LegalZoom to learn more.)
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.
INDIANA LLC GUIDE
Follow the lessons below to form your Indiana LLC.
Hi Matt,
I have an LLP but I have since ended that partnership. I know I need to dissolve the llp and create a new llc. Do you know that steps required to dissolve with the secretary of state?
Hi Fred, you can also create the LLC first, then dissolve the LLP later (just in case you were thinking you need to dissolve the LLP first).
To dissolve your LLP in Indiana, you’ll need to file a Withdrawal (the fee is $20). You can do this online by creating an account with InBiz. After you create an account and login, hover “Online Services” in the main men, and then click “Withdrawal”. Hope that helps!
Hi, Matt! This page by far contains all the necessary info in the most concise manner– THANK YOU!
I live in Indiana and am looking to make my yoga/health business an LLC, as it just seems to be whatpeople in. I would be an independent contractor. Would an LLC be the most beneficial option? I’m not full time and don’t work many hours, so I’m really just wanting to form the LLC for the legal protection.
Hey Courtney! Thanks so much for the kind words. We’re happy to help :)
Yes, totally cool, appropriate, and normal to form an LLC for your yoga and health business (even if you’re just getting things started). You’re not required to form an LLC though; you could operate as a Sole Proprietorship in Indiana. However, we don’t recommend Sole Proprietorships since you wouldn’t get the liability protection like you would with an LLC.
Hi Matt, I live in Indiana and wanted to start a non profit organization in Indiana and Illinois. I am not sure if I would need an LLC or if it would be a sole proprietorship. I want to get business accounts and grants to help fund my non profit. Would I need two different EIN numbers for each state? I
Hi DNeisha, it would be neither. A Sole Proprietorship can’t be a non-profit and neither can an LLC (unless the LLC is owned by a tax-exempt non-profit entity). You can operate a Sole Proprietorship or an LLC that does good, but it won’t be tax exempt. A Non-profit is a Corporation formed at the state level that then applies for tax-exempt status with the IRS. It’s quite an involved process and should be filed by a person or company that specializes in such filings. Hope that helps.
I live in California and am starting a Business in Indiana and Ohio. Would I need a LLC for each state? Or just one LLC covering both Indiana and Ohio to make book keeping easier for tax purposes.
Hi JB, same business activities going on in Indiana and Ohio? And will you be running these businesses from California?
Hi!!
Thanks for this wonderful site. Just heard about it today.
I have an LLC for bakery but I want to get into also selling supplies. Can I put this under the same LLC or do I need to Incorporate? And do I have to get a different EIN?
Hi Maya! You’re very welcome. You can do whichever you please. Meaning, one LLC can engage in multiple business activities. If that were the case, there would only be one EIN.
While your personally assets are protected by you having one LLC engage in two business activities, the liability of one business activity will extend to the other (and vice versa). I’m not sure if that’s a concern. If it is, you’d then want to consider two LLCs. Each LLC would have its own EIN.
Two separate LLCs also means two separate LLC bank accounts. That can making things easier from a financial, bookkeeping, and tax perspective. Said another way, more organized. Hope that helps.
Hey Matt,
Thank you for a very insightful write-up, though I’m still a bit confused on maintaining an llc. (Sole proprietorship)
I started an llc earlier this year, but never got it off the ground. It hasn’t generated any income, nor are there any assets/money/accounts with it. It was only formed and due to covid, never done anything more with it.
My question is, (as to not get in any trouble with taxes). Do I need to do anything special with state/federal taxes and is there anything I may not be aware of in that regard?
Hi John, you’re welcome. Federally, you don’t have to file or pay anything to the IRS. We’re not sure about any filings in Indiana though. We recommend calling an accountant or two to double-check.
I have 2 llc businesses but i want to bring one in and have the other one as the umbrella company..how would i go about doing this.
Hi Tonya, so if you have Red LLC and Purple LLC (both owned by you), you want Red LLC to now own 100% of Purple LLC. Is that correct? If so, you will need to sign an Assignment of LLC Membership Interest and transfer 100% of your ownership in Purple LLC to Red LLC. You’ll also want to amend the LLC Operating Agreement for both LLCs. You’ll also want to let your accountant know, since Purple LLC will now report its taxes as a brach/division of Red LLC. What are you looking to accomplish by doing this?
Hello Matt!
Your website is so helpful and easy to navigate. What a wonderful resource.
I have a question about the two recommended providers you listed to set-up the LLC.
Do these providers complete all the required filings to the state including the acquisition of the Tax Id #?
Hi Kevin, thanks for the kind words! Most filing services will complete all the LLC paperwork in the formation process as well as obtain the Federal Tax ID Number (EIN) from the IRS if you elect this service during checkout. Keep in mind though, that there will likely be additional tax filings and paperwork after your LLC is formed. For that reason, we recommend speaking with an accountant after your LLC is formed. You’ll also want to research if your LLC will need to obtain any business licenses or permits in Indiana. Hope that helps.
How much legal responsibility is there for an Indiana LLC to comply with the provisions of the operating agreement?
Hi Don, I’m not 100% sure, so apologies, but I wouldn’t be able to answer that question for you.
Our LLC has 4 members, we tried to apply for the EIN. Filled in all the info … only able to enter 1 person’s information (SSN, address, phone on the authenticate step (2). And choose “I am oneof the owners, members, or the managing member of this LLC”. Once continue, it doesn’t ask for others members’ information, Is it correct?
Hi Ann, yes, you just need one Responsible Party on file with the IRS. The IRS does not care who all the members are, since each owes their taxes on their personal 1040 personal return. We have more details about the IRS Responsible Party here: EIN Responsible Party for LLC. Hope that helps.