IN Corporation Filing Fees and Requirements

How Much Does It Cost to Form an IN Corporation?

Legal business registration — and maintaining a status of good standing — involves necessary expenses and investment. Some of these costs are payable to the IN Secretary of State, while others are due to additional state entities or the federal government. Here are some common requirements and fees.

Please note that fees for a State of Indiana business license or permit may be due when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. Find more details below.

Initial Indiana Corporation Filing Fees

When starting a business in Indiana State, you’ll need to file a form and pay a filing fee. Here are the current Indiana corporation filing fees and times:

Indiana Filing Time & Price

When you use Incfile to register a business in Indiana, we charge you the state filing fee and forward it to the Secretary of State when we file your incorporation paperwork.

Employer Identification Number

Every corporation in the country should have a unique EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the Internal Revenue Service. You'll use your EIN when you open a business bank account, file taxes and pay employees. You can get one directly from the IRS, or Incfile can get one for you.

Foreign Corporations

If you want to do business in a state other than the one where your business is based, you must create a Foreign Corporation.

Indiana Foreign Corporation Registration

Before you can bring an arm of your business from another state into Indiana, you must request Indiana Foreign Qualification. This means the state gives you permission to conduct business there.

To request registration of a Indiana Foreign Corporation, you must complete an Foreign Registration Statement and pay a processing fee of $125. The state may have additional registration requirements, so contact the Indiana Secretary of State directly for more information and to ensure you're in compliance with IN corporation law.

Foreign Qualification to Operate in Another State

If you plan to expand your Indiana corporation into another state, you’ll first need Foreign Qualification or a Certificate of Authority from that state. This is necessary before you can create a physical presence, hire employees or set up banking services in that state.

You'll likely have to complete at least one application and pay a filing fee, but each state has its own requirements. Before you start the process, compare state filing times and state filing fees so you can plan accordingly.

Above all, contact the state government entity that administers business (usually the Secretary of State) to confirm their requirements and for specific instructions.

If you need assistance, Incfile provides a complete Foreign Qualification service for all states.

Indiana Annual Report Requirements

Most states require business entities to file an annual (or other periodic) report. Indiana requires a Business Entity Report to be filed every two years (biennially) with the IN Secretary of State.

When you complete your Business Entity Report you will file it online accompanied with a filing fee of $50.

State of Indiana Business License and Permit Requirements

Before you start doing business, you must secure the necessary state, federal or local business licenses and permits to operate your corporation. Some of the fees will only need to be paid once, while others may be ongoing charges.

Permits and licenses vary based on:

Corporate Bylaws

Although you are required to have Indiana corporation bylaws if you form a corporation in the state, you don't need to file them with the Indiana Secretary of State. However, you should keep them with your documents and by all means, continue to follow them.

The bylaws must then be adopted (and amended, if necessary) by the board of directors and shareholders.

Drafting a set of bylaws can be extremely helpful in making sure you’re organized and can help protect your business from any future changes and events that may affect your business.

Other IN Corporation Filing Requirements and Fees

The State of Indiana requires you to complete a few more tasks before you can begin conducting business.

Appoint a Director

Some states require corporations to appoint a full board of directors. IN corporation law requires all corporations to have at least one director.

Issue Stock to Shareholders

To raise business capital and keep it separate from company owners' money, every Indiana corporation must sell stock to its shareholders. The Articles of Incorporation must authorize the sale of at least one class of share, and the corporation cannot sell more shares than are authorized.

Hold Annual General Meetings

This is one area where Indiana differs from other states. You may hold annual meetings, and it's generally a good idea to do so. But should you decide not to, Indiana Code Title 23, Article 1, Chapter 29, IC 23-1-29-1 states, "The failure to hold an annual meeting at the time stated in or fixed in accordance with a corporation's bylaws does not affect the validity of any corporate action."

Get an Assumed Name or DBA

If you want to register an Indiana DBA (assumed name), you must file a form with the Secretary of State and pay a filing fee of $30. You may register your assumed name via the

Change the Registered Agent

If your corporation is based in Indiana, then you must have a Registered Agent in the state. You'll need to appoint one when you file your Articles of Incorporation. You can also change to a new Registered Agent later by filing a Statement of Change of Registered Agent for free.

Reserving a Name for Your Corporation

If you're not quite ready to start your business, you can reserve a name for 120 days with the Secretary of State by completing an online application and paying a fee of $20. First, conduct an IN corporation search and learn the state's business naming rules to ensure you choose a name that meets legal requirements.

Amending Facts About Your Corporation

The Indiana business forms you fill out when you first incorporate include certain facts about your business at that time. Through the years, some or all of this information may change. If it does, you'll need to file Articles of Amendment with the Secretary of State along with a filing fee of $30. You can do this yourself via the online portal or Incfile can do it for you.

Get a Certificate of Good Standing

Some organizations may request that you prove your corporation's compliance with laws and tax requirements. In most states, this proof is provided with a Certificate of Good Standing. In Indiana it's called a Certificate of Existence.

If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you’ll need to request an IN Certificate of Existence from the Secretary of State. You can do this by using the online business portal to request the Certificate and paying a filing fee of $25.

The information listed above details many of the fees a standard corporation will be required to pay in Indiana. In some circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above.

Of course, your corporation will also probably need to pay federal, state, self-employment (if it's an S Corp) and other taxes. You'll find more information on the Indiana taxes page.