Kansas business entity search and name check

For Kansas, we hand you off to the Secretary of State's Business Entity Search rather than searching it ourselves. An LLC costs $85 to form online and is usually filed within minutes. Kansas has no annual report; instead every business files an Information Report every other year, due April 15 in odd or even years to match the year it was formed. A name used by a business that was canceled or forfeited in the past year is still off-limits.

Registry: Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division
Official search: Kansas Business Entity Search
How we search Kansas: Official site only (we hand you off). Kansas's business search asks automated tools not to use it and shows a human-verification puzzle before you can search, so we don't search it for you. Use it in your browser.
What a result can tell you: Searching the official site shows names on record. Kansas decides acceptance when you file.
State fee to form an LLC: $85 (Articles of Organization)
Ongoing LLC filing: Information Report (biennial), $90. Due April 15 every other year for for-profit businesses: in even years if formed in an even year, odd years if formed in an odd year (nonprofits: June 15). It's $90 online or $110 on paper

What the Kansas search covers

Corporations (for-profit and nonprofit), LLCs (including series LLCs), limited partnerships, LLPs, business trusts and out-of-state entities registered with the Secretary of State. Trademarks are in a separate Secretary of State database, and Kansas has no state-level DBA registry.

Each record has a Business Entity ID Number. Search by number on the Kansas Business Entity Search.

How to read Kansas results

Kansas uses its own status labels. We always show the official wording; here is what the common ones mean according to the state:

Status	What it means
Active	Generally means the business is current with the Secretary of State. Kansas doesn't publish a formal definition. Source: sos.ks.gov
Delinquent	The information report is past due but still inside the three-month window when it can be filed late. The business is limited in which documents it can file. Source: sos.ks.gov
Forfeited	The three-month delinquency window ran out without the report. The business cannot file any other document until it files the past-due reports and is reinstated. Source: sos.ks.gov

A status describes the registry filing only. It isn’t evidence of a license, tax compliance or reputation, and a record with the same name as a company you know may be a different business. More on statuses.

Kansas business name rules

An LLC name must include one of: limited liability company, limited company, L.L.C., L.C., LLC, LC. A corporation uses one of: corporation, incorporated, company, limited, association, club, foundation, fund.

Your name must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records from other Kansas and out-of-state entities on file (general partnerships excepted), LLC series, reserved names, and businesses canceled or forfeited in the past year. Kansas law doesn't list which differences are ignored. (K.S.A. 17-7918) Source: ksrevisor.gov

Kansas doesn’t publish a list of the differences it ignores, so our check treats only capitalization and punctuation as insignificant and flags other close names as similar for you to judge.

Using a similar name with consent

Yes. You can use a similar name if the other business gives written consent on the Secretary of State's "Consent to Use of Similar Business Name" form (Form CN), or if you file a certified final court judgment establishing your right to the name (K.S.A. 17-7918(b),(c)).

Reserving a name in Kansas

Kansas lets you reserve a name before you form the business for $35, held for 120 days. Reservations can't be renewed.

File a Name Reservation (Form NR) by mail or online through the Kansas Business Center. You don't need a reservation to form a business.

Kansas name reservation

Searching on this site doesn’t reserve anything. Only Kansas Secretary of State can.

Forming an LLC in Kansas

Document: Articles of Organization
State filing fee: $85
$85 online, $90 on paper (form instructions revised February 27, 2026). On May 26, 2026 the Secretary of State announced proposed regulations to lower LLC, LP and LLP formation fees; check the current form before you file.
File online: Kansas Secretary of State filing
Processing: Online filings are processed within minutes, and you can print the certified copy right away.
Registered agent: Your resident agent can be an individual, a business registered in Kansas, or the business itself. The registered office must be a Kansas street address (not a PO box) where the agent may regularly be found.
Out-of-state LLC registering here: $115 (Foreign Business Application for Authority (Form FA, K.S.A. 17-7931))

Fees change. Confirm them on the official Kansas fee schedule before you file.

File it yourself or use a service

File directly with Kansas

$85 state fee

You fill in the Articles of Organization yourself and pay only the state. You’ll need a registered agent with a Kansas street address; that can be you if you have one.

File with Kansas Secretary of State

Use a formation service

A service prepares and files the paperwork, and most can act as your registered agent and send compliance reminders. You still pay the state fee on top of their price, and the state still decides whether to accept your name.

Bizee: $0 plus the state fee (Basic); Standard $199, Premium $299, plus state fee
LegalZoom: $0 plus state fees (Basic); Managed Service $249 plus state fees
Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee
ZenBusiness: $0 plus the state fee (Starter); Pro $199 plus state fee, renews $199/yr

We don’t currently earn commissions from these providers. Prices from each provider’s site on Oct 30, 2026. We never send them your proposed name. Compare what each includes · Disclosure

An EIN (federal tax ID) is free from the IRS; you don’t need to pay anyone for one.

Keeping a Kansas LLC in good standing

Information Report (biennial): $90. Due April 15 every other year for for-profit businesses: in even years if formed in an even year, odd years if formed in an odd year (nonprofits: June 15). It's $90 online or $110 on paper. Source: sos.ks.gov

After the due date there's a three-month window to file late, during which the business shows as Delinquent; after that it's Forfeited. The foreign registration instructions say a one-time $85 penalty applies to reports filed after forfeiture. The biennial Information Report replaced Kansas's older annual report for LLCs.

Proof of status: Certificate of Good Standing ($7.50). Source: kslegislature.gov

Assumed names (DBAs)

We found no state-level DBA or assumed-name registration in Kansas. A corporation's name can't include a DBA or trade name.

Good to know about Kansas

Kansas businesses file an Information Report every other year rather than annually, due April 15 for for-profits in odd or even years matching the year they were formed. Source: sos.ks.gov
A missed report gives you three months as Delinquent to catch up; after that the business is Forfeited and can't file anything else until it's reinstated. Source: sos.ks.gov
Names of businesses canceled or forfeited within the past year stay protected against new filers. Source: ksrevisor.gov
A Kansas LLC name can end in "LC" or "Limited Company" as well as "LLC". Source: ksrevisor.gov
A business can act as its own resident agent. Source: sos.ks.gov
Name reservations last 120 days, cost $35 and can't be renewed. Source: sos.ks.gov

Sources and accuracy

We checked this page against official Kansas sources on October 30, 2026. Our monitor rechecks the official search, filing portal and fee pages daily and flags changes for review.

Items we couldn’t confirm on an official page (8)

Official forms list $85 online and $90 on paper to form an LLC or corporation, but a February 2026 Kansas Register notice lists $75, and a May 26, 2026 press release said formation and report fees would be cut. We couldn't confirm whether those changes took effect.
We couldn't confirm the late fee for the Information Report. One official notice mentions a $10 penalty; the foreign registration form mentions $85 after forfeiture.
The certificate of good standing costs $7.50 under the statute, but a Kansas Register notice lists $5 for online certificates.
We couldn't confirm official definitions for status labels other than Delinquent and Forfeited.
We couldn't confirm the format of a Kansas Business Entity ID number.
We couldn't confirm whether the official search includes inactive and forfeited businesses.
We couldn't confirm whether the current Information Report must list members who own 5% or more of the LLC, as the older annual report did.
We couldn't confirm naming rules for professional entities.

See something wrong? Tell us. We can fix how we present information, but only Kansas Secretary of State can change an official record.