Start a Kansas Corporation
A Kansas corporation is formed by submitting Articles of Incorporation to the Kansas Secretary of State. Your corporation will also need to get an EIN, hold an organizational meeting, and register with the Department of Revenue. Most corporations will want a corporate bank account as well. To market your business, you’ll need a business website, email, and phone number.
- File Kansas Articles of Incorporation
- Pay the filing fee: $89 online or $90 by mail
- Get a tax ID (EIN) from the IRS
- Hold your corporation’s organizational meeting
- Open a Kansas corporate bank account
- Register with the Kansas Department of Revenue
- Establish your online business presence
Or, if you’d prefer, we can lighten the load. At Kansas Registered Agent LLC, we’ll create and file your Articles, provide you with all the custom internal documents you’ll need to open a corporate bank account, such as bylaws and initial resolutions.
Plus, we have all the tools you need to get your business online and communicate with your customers: domain name, website, email, and a dedicated Kansas phone line. We even give you a full year of resident agent services, so you’ll have everything you need to begin incorporation today!
FILING KANSAS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
To file Kansas Articles of Incorporation, you’ll need the essential information for your corporation, such as your corporation’s name and how much stock you want to authorize.
WHAT’S LISTED ON MY KANSAS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION?
- Corporation Name
Kansas Statute §17-6002 requires corporation names to include one of the following: Association, Church, College, Company, Corporation, Club, Foundation, Fund, Incorporated, Institute, Society, Union, University, Syndicate, Limited, Co., Corp., Inc., or Ltd. Banks are excluded from this requirement. Names can’t already be in use by another Kansas entity. Kansas Business Center’s Name Search allows you to check availability. - Kansas Resident Agent and Registered Office
A resident agent accepts service of process, legal documents and other business correspondence at the registered office. The registered office is the physical address of the resident agent. We provide expert Kansas resident agent service as part of our formation package.
- Mailing Address
Write the address where you’d like the Kansas Secretary of State to send your official mail. Hire us, and you can use our mailing address and keep yours private.
- Tax Closing Month
This is the end of your fiscal year. Most corporations operate on a calendar year, meaning the end of the year (the “tax closing month”) is December.
- Business of Purpose
This is the reason why your corporation exists. It’s common for many companies to put a general business purpose, stating that your business is incorporated in order to pursue lawful business in Kansas. Your purpose could also be specific to what your corporation does, such as manufacturing a specific product or providing a service.
- Stock
You’ll need to declare the number of authorized shares for your corporation and their par value. Par value is the initial price of the share, and the minimum price for which a share can be sold. You can have different kinds of stock, such as Common and Preferred Stock. You can also authorize different series of stock, which are typically labeled Class A and Class B. When you authorize, you are creating shares. Some or all of the shares are issued (distributed) later at your corporation’s organizational meeting.
- Incorporators
An incorporator is the person who creates and files your Kansas Articles of Incorporation. An incorporator doesn’t have to be a shareholder, officer, director, or anyone with ownership interest. If you sign up for our incorporation package, we will be your incorporators.
- Directors
Directors oversee the activities of your company and appoint officers. The Kansas Articles of Incorporation request the name and mailing address of each director.
- Duration of Corporation
You can choose if you want your corporation to be perpetual or to stop existing on a specific future date.
- Effective Date
This is the date your corporation will begin its existence. The effective date must be within 90 days of filing.
HOW DO I SUBMIT KANSAS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION?
Kansas Articles of Incorporation can be submitted online or by mail.
Online
- Create a KanAccess Account
You’ll need a KanAccess account for online business registration in Kansas. When you sign up, you’ll provide your name, email address and a password. A confirmation email will be sent with a link to activate your account. There’s no fee for a KanAccess account.
- Sign In and Complete the Articles of Incorporation
After you sign in, you can select “Business Entity Formation” and “Kansas for profit corporation.” Answer the questions about your corporation.
- Pay Your Filing Fee
You can pay the $89 fee by credit card, electronic check, or subscriber account. Online submissions are processed immediately, and you can print a receipt.
By Mail
Paper submissions are slightly more expensive at $90 and can be paid by check or money order. Forms are available from the Kansas Business Center. Standard processing is 3-5 business days.
OUR KANSAS INCORPORATION SERVICES
At Kansas Registered Agent LLC, we believe in transparency. We present our services and fees up front. We give all the tools and support you need to incorporate your business with no hidden fees.
What Our Kansas Incorporation Service Offers
- 1-Year Kansas Resident Agent Service
- Expert Customer Service Support
- Custom Bylaws and Initial Resolutions
- Electronic Delivery of Your Documents
- Biennial Report Reminders and Compliance Notifications
- Instant Access to Services Through Our Secure Online Portal
- Address Privacy—Our Address on Public Records (Not Yours)
- Online Business Presence with Domain Name, Website, Email and Phone
- Ready In-Hand Corporation with Everything Needed to Open a Corporate Bank Account
What Our Service Costs
|
Service |
Fee |
| Kansas Formation Service |
$100 |
| 1 Year Resident Agent Service |
$49 |
| State Filing Fees |
$89 |
| Total |
$238 |
There are no additional upfront costs for business presence services, and you can cancel at any time.
FAQ FOR KANSAS CORPORATIONS
WHAT IS A KANSAS RESIDENT AGENT?
A Kansas resident agent maintains a registered office in Kansas where the agent accepts legal documents, service of process, and official notifications for your corporation. States require registered agents to ensure your corporation can receive and respond to important communication quickly.
What’s the difference between a “resident agent” and a “registered agent?”
Just the spelling—“resident agent” and “registered agent” are just different words for the same thing.
Why do I need a resident agent for my Kansas corporation?
Per Kansas Statute §17-7925, corporations must have and maintain a Kansas resident agent. Besides the legal requirement, there are two other major benefits of a resident agent. The first is privacy—if you list a commercial registered agent (like us!), you can keep your own address private. Second, with a public address comes spam—junk mail that can obscure the much more important business and legal correspondence that you really need. Let us filter through all the junk with our registered agent service for only $49 a year.
DOES MY KANSAS CORPORATION NEED AN EIN?
Corporations are required to obtain an EIN, which is a tax identification number assigned by the IRS. EINs are used for tax filings, opening corporate bank accounts, and more. You can apply for an EIN for free on the IRS website.
DO I HAVE TO FILE A BOI REPORT FOR MY KANSAS CORPORATION?
As of January 1, 2024, most corporations registered in the U.S. must file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) as a result of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This is a free, online filing that must be submitted online to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) within 30 days of formation (or within 90 days if formed in 2024). You’ll have to provide the following information for your company, its beneficial owners and company applicants: legal name (plus any DBAs), date of formation (birth date for owners), physical address (business/residential), valid identification (tax ID/photo ID). There are some exemptions, but these tend to be reserved for companies that already report ownership information to the federal government. (Note that companies formed before 2024 have until 2025 to file their BOI report, and do not need to include information for a company applicant.)
It isn’t exactly straightforward. But, the good news is we can file your BOI report for you. For just $9, we’ll make sure your report is submitted correctly and on time.
HOW DO I MANAGE KANSAS BUSINESS TAXES?
In addition to corporate income tax, other state-level taxes (such as sales tax or liquor tax) can be managed through the Kansas Department of Revenue, where you can create an online account and view a list of common business taxes and download forms to file.
DO I NEED A BUSINESS LICENSE?
No, there is no state business license in Kansas. Some industries, however, require professional licenses or permits. Kansas Business Center provides a list of Common Business Licenses / Permits.
WHAT IS A BIENNIAL REPORT?
Your biennial report is how the Kansas Secretary of State stays current on your corporation’s ownership and contact information. As part of our incorporation services, we’ll send you renewal reminders when your report is due.
When is my Kansas biennial report due?
The due date is the 15th day of the fourth month after your tax closing month, every other year. For most corporations, the tax closing month is December, so reports would be due April 15th.
How do I submit my Kansas biennial report?
You can submit your Kansas biennial report online, or download the form from the Kansas Business Center.
How much does it cost to submit my Kansas biennial report?
The online fee is $100, payable by credit card or electronic check. The paper form has a $110 fee, payable by check or money order.
WHAT’S AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING?
This is the first meeting of your newly-formed corporation. In this meeting, your corporation can appoint officers, issue stock and adopt bylaws. As part of our formation package, we include Kansas corporate bylaws.
Do I have to have an organizational meeting?
Kansas Statute §17-6008 requires an organizational meeting be held unless each director named in the Articles of Incorporation (or incorporator if no directors were named) signs a statement permitting specific actions to be taken without the meeting.
Does the meeting have to be in Kansas?
No, the meeting can be held outside of Kansas.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A KANSAS CORPORATION?
- Easy Investment
When people think of investing, they think of stocks. And while most corporations aren’t the publicly-traded businesses you see on Wall Street, investing in stocks is more familiar and comfortable than investing in an LLC. Some kinds of stock, such as preferred stock, can even come with guaranteed dividends, which you won’t find in an LLC. Selling stock is typically easier as well; LLCs often have rules requiring you to offer your ownership or membership percentages internally.
- A Safe Bet
Money talks, and lenders and investors often trust their money with corporations. Corporations have been around for a long time, much longer than LLCs. A long legal history makes it easier to predict the outcome of any legal issues that could arise. The traditional operations of a corporation are also tried, true, and familiar. Corporations have long been required to have annual meetings, meeting minutes, a board of directors, officers and more. Knowing what to expect from a corporation inspires trust in those seeking a safe investment.
INCORPORATE IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE!
It’s time for your Kansas corporation to bloom! We give you everything you need to incorporate with the speed and privacy you deserve. We would love to create and file your Kansas Articles of Incorporation, provide you with registered agent service, and give you all the custom documents you need to get started PLUS the tools to establish your online business presence. Sign up today!