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Founder Mentor Guide

Walkthrough 1 · Michigan

Michigan LLC Formation Walkthrough (2026): 7 Stages and the 3 Best LLC Services

Here is the short answer for forming an LLC in Michigan in 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199), Michigan Registered Agent.co ($199) and MI Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked from first to last. Michigan charges $50 to form an LLC, and $25 for the annual statement later; you can finish in 7 stages.

Advice from the Founder Mentor Guide mentors

What to know before you start

Charge at the state office
$50
legislature.mi.gov, last viewed September 2026
Annual statement
$25 a year
Calendar note, straight from the state: February 15
Three-year state cost
$100
State charges only
Stage count
7
One at a time

Walkthrough goals

  • How forming an LLC works in Michigan
  • The resident agent requirement
  • What happens once the LLC exists
  • Who we would phone to file

Our shortlist for Michigan

Three-year cost and work taken off your desk weigh the most; how we score lists all five.

Our call

1. Mainstay Filing: best for new owners who want it done for them

Our first call$199 a year, state fee on top ($249 due at checkout)

Mainstay Filing is our first call in Michigan: the one yearly fee, $199, takes three jobs off your plate: filing, resident agent and annual statement.

Next to Michigan Registered Agent.co the three-year premium is $200, which the 32% weight on work taken off your desk outweighs.

You never fill out the annual statement; the state's $25 comes through at exactly what Michigan sets.

What you get

  • The filing is done for you
  • Resident agent all year long
  • Annual statement filed for you
  • The EIN application comes with it
  • The official fee, nothing added

What works

  • One yearly fee of $199 that includes the annual statement
  • The EIN application is covered
  • The renewal stays at $199

What to watch

  • Renewal runs $100 above Michigan Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Our call

2. Michigan Registered Agent.co: best for a no-frills formation

Focused on Michigan$199 and fees, then $99 yearly

Michigan Registered Agent.co comes in second: $199 to get going, agent service for year one included, then $99 each year.

Set time aside for the annual statement every year; the price leaves it out.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A year of agent service comes with the price

What works

  • The agent renews at $99
  • $199 and the state fee
  • Year-one agent service costs nothing more

What to watch

  • The annual statement stays your responsibility
  • It bills $99 for the EIN stage
Visit Michigan Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Our call

3. MI Registered Agent.org: best for owners happy to do their own reports

Focused on Michigan$199 and fees, then $99 yearly

MI Registered Agent.org comes in third: $199 to get going, agent service for year one included, then $99 each year.

Set time aside for the annual statement every year; the price leaves it out.

Michigan Registered Agent.co and this service cost the same.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A year of agent service comes with the price

What works

  • $199 and the state fee
  • Year-one agent service costs nothing more
  • The agent renews at $99

What to watch

  • The annual statement stays your responsibility
  • It bills $99 for the EIN stage
Visit MI Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Scores and prices together

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Michigan Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Michigan Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3MI Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit MI Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Pulled from each price page on November 13, 2026. Plan for $50 more in state fees, whichever row you pick.

How a Michigan LLC gets formed

  1. Stage 1

    Pick a name and make sure it is free

    Look your name up on the Michigan register at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). It takes a few minutes and spares you a rejected filing.

    Decide on a plan B name in case the first is gone.

  2. Stage 2

    Line up a resident agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Michigan resident, or a corporation or LLC formed in Michigan or authorized there, whose business office (or, for a person, residence) is the registered office.

    The address has to be a registered office in Michigan, which does not have to be the place of business. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

    You can hire whichever recommended service you like for this.

    Check it yourself: legislature.mi.gov, last viewed October 2026

  3. Stage 3

    Decide whether to do it yourself

    The state takes $50 regardless. If you hire a service from our list, add $199.

  4. Stage 4

    Your next job is the Articles of Organization

    The Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700) is the key document. It goes to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), the fee is $50, and the rule sits in MCL 450.4202. By the office's own account, expect Up to 10 business days for non-expedited.

    Check it yourself: legislature.mi.gov, last viewed September 2026

  5. Stage 5

    Order a federal tax ID for the LLC

    When Michigan approves the LLC, go to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number; your bank and any payroll service will ask for it. Mainstay Filing prepares the EIN application inside its package.

  6. Stage 6

    Write an operating agreement

    It spells out shares, voting and what happens if someone leaves. It stays private.

  7. Stage 7

    Stay in good standing in Michigan

    The filing that returns on schedule is the annual statement ($25, every year, by February 15). A late one carries $10.

    Check it yourself: michigan.gov, last viewed August 2026

The bill

What forPayeeSum
Setting up the LLCPaid to the state$50
Annual statementPaid to the state$25 every year
Late feePaid to the state$10
Service, if you hire oneService$199 for year one
State fees, years one to threePaid to the state$100
Whatever goes to Michigan is an official fee you can verify on the pages listed below. The three-year row combines the filing, two later reports and a minimum tax where there is one; service prices stay out of it.

Why Mainstay Filing is first

On work taken off your desk (32% of the score) finished first, with right behind.

Handling the annual statement outweighed the lower price once we applied the weights.

Common questions

How much will Michigan charge me to start an LLC?

Budget $50 to file. Service fees on our list run $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

Once the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) accepts the Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700), your LLC is real.

Is a resident agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

How long does Michigan take to process the filing?

Plan for Up to 10 business days for non-expedited.

What does Michigan require each year?

Once a year the LLC sends in its annual statement and pays $25, due February 15.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

Permitted. You pay $50, do the filing and line up a resident agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

The order runs Mainstay Filing, Michigan Registered Agent.co and MI Registered Agent.org, with Mainstay Filing first because $199 a year hands you the formation, a resident agent and the annual statement, with renewal at $199.

Where we got the facts

  1. Where the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations advice comes from: michigan.gov, viewed August 2026.
  2. Where the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations advice comes from: michigan.gov, viewed August 2026.
  3. Where the Michigan report due date advice comes from: michigan.gov, viewed August 2026.
  4. Where the MCL 450.4202 advice comes from: legislature.mi.gov, viewed August 2026.
  5. Where the Michigan formation fee: Filing fee, official source advice comes from: michigan.gov, viewed September 2026.
  6. Where the Michigan formation fee: Filing fee, official source advice comes from: legislature.mi.gov, viewed September 2026.
  7. Where the Michigan registered agent statute advice comes from: legislature.mi.gov, viewed October 2026.
  8. Where the Processing time, official source advice comes from: michigan.gov, viewed September 2026.
  9. Mainstay Filing: Michigan service page, opened November 13, 2026
  10. Michigan Registered Agent.co: pricing page, opened November 13, 2026
  11. MI Registered Agent.org: pricing page, opened November 13, 2026