Registering a business in Indiana means dealing with two agencies. The Secretary of State handles your entity. The Department of Revenue handles your taxes. Get one step out of order and your launch stalls.
Here is the good news. Indiana folds both agencies into one portal, INBiz. This guide walks the full sequence, every fee, and the real processing times below.
How Do You Register a Business in Indiana?
Register a business in Indiana in a set order: choose a structure, appoint a registered agent, file formation documents with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz, get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, then open state tax accounts with the Department of Revenue (DOR) BT-1 Business Tax Application. INBiz runs on Access Indiana single sign-on.
Follow these nine steps:
- Choose a business structure
- Check and reserve your business name
- Appoint a registered agent
- File your formation documents
- Get an EIN from the IRS
- Complete the BT-1 tax application
- Register for the Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) if you sell taxable goods
- Obtain licenses and permits
- File your Business Entity Report
How Much Does It Cost to Register a Business in Indiana?
The headline cost is the LLC Articles of Organization filing, roughly $95 online through INBiz and $100 by mail, per the Indiana Secretary of State. Your total depends on entity type and which tax accounts you open. The table below lists every core fee with its source.
| Filing | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| LLC Articles of Organization | $95 online / $100 mail | Indiana SOS rulemaking, effective July 1, 2025 (in.gov/sos) |
| Corporation Articles of Incorporation | $95 online / $100 mail | Indiana Register notice, March 26, 2025; IC 23-0.5-9-1 |
| Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation | $30 online / $50 mail | IC 23-0.5-9-14; INBiz |
| Name reservation (120 days) | $10 online | IC 23-0.5-9-36 |
| Assumed Business Name (DBA, “doing business as”) for SOS entities | $20 online / $30 mail | INBiz fee calculator; IC 23-0.5-9-40 |
| Assumed Business Name (DBA) for sole proprietors and general partnerships | $25 at county recorder | County recorder fee; IC 36-2-7-10 |
| Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) | $25 per location | IC 6-2.5-8-1 |
| Business Entity Report | $32 online / $50 mail | INBiz Business Entity Report page |
| EIN | $0 | IRS |
How Long Does It Take to Register a Business in Indiana?
Online LLC and corporation filings through INBiz typically process within about one business day, per the Indiana Secretary of State. Mail filings take several business days to a few weeks. Your EIN is immediate online during IRS hours. The table below breaks down each step’s timing.
| Step | Typical time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online SOS filing via INBiz | About 1 business day | Indiana SOS / INBiz |
| Mail SOS filing | Several business days to a few weeks | Indiana SOS |
| EIN online | Immediate during IRS operating hours | IRS |
| EIN by mail or fax | Up to 4 weeks | IRS |
| BT-1 and RRMC issuance | A few business days | Indiana DOR |
What Business Structures Can You Choose in Indiana?
Indiana offers five main structures: limited liability company, corporation, partnership, nonprofit corporation, and sole proprietorship. Your choice drives your taxes, your liability, and your filing obligations, so decide before you file anything with the state. An S corporation is not on this list because it is a tax election, not an entity type. See the S corporation election section below.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
An LLC gives you pass-through taxation and personal liability protection. It separates your personal assets from business debts. It suits small and medium businesses that want protection without corporate formality.
Corporation
A corporation is a separate legal entity with strong liability protection. It faces double taxation unless it makes the S election. It suits businesses raising capital through stock.
Partnership
A general partnership needs no state formation filing and records a county-level DBA only if it uses an assumed name. A limited partnership (LP) and a limited liability partnership (LLP) do file with the Secretary of State.
Nonprofit Corporation
A nonprofit corporation forms with the Secretary of State and can pursue federal tax-exempt status. See the nonprofit section for the full two-step process.
Sole Proprietorship
A sole proprietorship needs no state formation filing. You and the business are one, so you carry unlimited liability. File a DBA at your county recorder only if you operate under a name other than your own.
How Do You Check and Reserve a Business Name in Indiana?
Search the Indiana Secretary of State business database on INBiz to confirm your name is available and distinguishable from existing entities. You can then reserve it for 120 days by filing a name reservation online for $10, per IC 23-0.5-9-36. Your name must include the correct designator, such as “LLC” for a limited liability company.
Try the Commenda company name checker to test availability before you file.
What Are Indiana’s Registered Agent Requirements?
Every Indiana LLC, corporation, and nonprofit must designate a registered agent with a physical street address in Indiana. No P.O. boxes qualify. The agent must be available during normal business hours to accept service of process. The agent can be an Indiana resident or a business entity authorized to do business in the state.
You can serve as your own registered agent if you meet the Indiana street address requirement. Many owners do this to avoid an annual agent service fee.
How Do You File Articles of Organization for an Indiana LLC?
File your Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz for about $95 online, a $75 statutory base fee plus a $20 Enhanced Access surcharge, per the SOS fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. The filing creates your LLC, usually within one business day online. The form requires your business name, principal office address, registered agent, and management structure.
Choose member-managed or manager-managed on the form. This governs who has authority to bind the LLC.
How Do You Register a Corporation in Indiana?
File your Articles of Incorporation with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz for about $95 online and $100 by mail, per the Indiana Register notice of March 26, 2025. The form names your corporation, registered agent, share structure, and incorporator. Corporations face double taxation unless they make the S election.
Indiana’s corporate adjusted gross income tax is a flat 4.9%, in effect since July 1, 2021, per the Indiana Department of Revenue.
How Do You Get an EIN in Indiana?
Apply free on the IRS website. Online applications issue your Employer Identification Number (EIN) immediately during IRS operating hours, per the IRS EIN application. You need an EIN to hire employees, run a multi-member LLC, corporation, or partnership, open a business bank account, and register for state taxes.
Avoid third-party sites that charge for an EIN. The IRS issues it at no cost. A single-member LLC with no employees can sometimes use the owner’s Social Security number, but most get an EIN for banking.
How Do You Complete the Indiana BT-1 Tax Application?
The BT-1 is the Indiana Department of Revenue Business Tax Application, filed through INBiz. It opens your state tax accounts, including sales tax and employee withholding. The form collects your EIN, legal name, DBAs, physical location, entity type, and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, plus the tax accounts you select.
The application issues a Document Locator Number (DLN). Save your DLN to track the application and for any correspondence with the Department of Revenue.
How Do You Register for Sales Tax in Indiana?
Businesses selling taxable goods register through the BT-1 for a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC), Indiana’s sales tax permit. The RRMC costs $25 per business location, per IC 6-2.5-8-1. The certificate is valid for two years and auto-renews at no cost for merchants current on their sales tax filings.
Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no local add-on rates, per the Indiana Department of Revenue. For the full walkthrough, see the Commenda guide on how to register for a sales tax permit in Indiana.
What Business Licenses Do You Need in Indiana?
Indiana has no general statewide business license. Your requirements depend on your industry and your locality. Contractors and licensed professions register with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Food service businesses need county health permits. Many cities and counties also require a local license before you open.
Check state and local rules before you start operating. See the Commenda guide on Indiana business license requirements for the specifics by industry.
How Do You Register a DBA (Assumed Business Name) in Indiana?
Where you file a DBA depends on your entity type. Sole proprietors and general partnerships record an Assumed Business Name with their county recorder for a $25 fee, per IC 36-2-7-10. LLCs, corporations, and other Secretary of State entities file with the SOS through INBiz for $20 online or $30 by mail, per the INBiz fee calculator.
An individual doing business under a name that includes their true surname is exempt from the assumed-name filing, per IC 23-0.5-3-4.
How Do You Register a Nonprofit in Indiana?
Registering a nonprofit is a two-step process. First, file nonprofit Articles of Incorporation (State Form 4162) with the Indiana Secretary of State for about $30 online, per IC 23-0.5-9-14. Second, apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status using Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ, then register with the Indiana Attorney General and Department of Revenue for state exemptions.
Nonprofit corporations also file the biennial Business Entity Report to stay in good standing.
How Do You Make an S Corporation Election in Indiana?
An S corporation is a federal tax election, not an Indiana entity type. Form an LLC or a corporation first, then file IRS Form 2553 to elect S status. Indiana recognizes the federal S election for state tax treatment, so you file no separate state election.
The S election passes profits and losses through to shareholders and avoids corporate double taxation.
What Are Indiana’s Business Entity Report Requirements?
Indiana does not require an annual report. LLCs, for-profit corporations, and nonprofits file a Business Entity Report every two years, due by the end of the entity’s anniversary month, per IC 23-0.5-2-13. File it through INBiz for $32 online or $50 by mail, per the INBiz Business Entity Report page.
Failure to file leads to administrative dissolution. Track the deadline with the Commenda compliance calendar so you never miss the biennial due date.
How Do You Use the Indiana Business Registration Lookup?
The Indiana Secretary of State business search on INBiz lets you look up any registered entity by business name, entity ID, or registered agent or owner name. It shows the entity’s status: active, inactive, or dissolved. Use it before filing to confirm name availability and to verify vendors or partners.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, see the Commenda guide on the Indiana business entity search.
How Commenda Helps You Register and Run Your Indiana Business
Commenda forms your Indiana entity and keeps every downstream filing on track, so you register once and stay compliant without the spreadsheet scramble. Commenda’s incorporation platform handles the formation itself, from structure choice to filing your Articles with the Secretary of State. Commenda’s entity management platform tracks ongoing obligations like the biennial Business Entity Report and your registered agent.
If you sell taxable goods, the Commenda Indiana sales tax guide covers your RRMC and rate rules in depth.
Book a demo and get your Indiana entity formed and every filing deadline tracked from day one.
