How to File a Mississippi LLC Certificate of Formation
The Mississippi Certificate of Formation is the LLC form you fill out and file with the state to form an LLC.
Follow the steps in our How to File a Mississippi LLC Certificate of Formation guide below to get started.
Or simply use a professional service:
Northwest ($29 + State Fees)
Filing the Mississippi Certificate of Formation Is Easy!
We'll take you through three easy steps for filing the Mississippi LLC Certificate of Formation.
- Get Your Certificate of Formation
- Fill out the Certificate of Formation
- File the Certificate of Formation
Step 1: Get Your Certificate of Formation
You must file your Mississippi Certificate of Formation online.
Get Your Mississippi Certificate of Formation
Register for a Mississippi Corporations Register Filer account. From the user homepage, select “Form a Mississippi Corporation, Non-Profit, LLC, Partnership or Cooperative” under the “Name Reservation and Formation Filings” section.
Create AccountStep 2: Fill Out the Certificate of Formation
In this step, we will help you complete the Mississippi Certificate of Formation form.
You will need to know the following information to complete the form:
- Entity Name
- Nature of Business and Effective Date
- Registered Agent Name and Registered Office Address
Entity Name
Having a creative and smart business name is important but not as important as having a legally correct name.
When you choose a name for your business, you have to make sure the name:
- meets Mississippi naming guidelines.
- is not already in use by another business in Mississippi.
Follow the Mississippi Naming Guidelines:
- Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.).
- Your name may contain the name of a member or manager of the LLC.
- Your name cannot contain the following words: bank, banker, bankers, banking, trust company, insurance, trust, corporation, incorporated, partnership, limited partnership, or any abbreviations or words of similar meaning.
- Your name cannot include words that could confuse your LLC with a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
- Your name must be distinguishable from any existing business in the state. This includes Mississippi reserved names.
Check Name Availability:
Is your name available in Mississippi? Make sure the name you want isn't already taken by doing a name search on the Mississippi Secretary of State website.
To learn more about naming your business, including best practices and creative branding, visit our How to Name a Business in Mississippi guide.
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our Business Name Generator.
Register Your Domain Name:
We recommend checking to see if your business name is available as a web domain. Even if you don't plan to make a business website today, you may want to buy the URL in order to prevent others from acquiring it.
Nature of Business and Effective Date
If your business will have a different effective date than the date of filing, indicate the date. This cannot exceed 90 days of filing.
Indicate the nature of your business using up to three NAICS codes. You can do a NAICS Code Lookup and find the NAICS Code for LLC that matches your industry.
Registered Agent and Registered Office
A registered agent accepts and sends legal documents on your LLC’s behalf. When you register your Mississippi LLC, you are required to list your registered agent and your registered office.
Your registered agent can be anyone 18 years or older that lives in Mississippi. Your registered agent must always be available at the registered office during regular business hours.
To learn more about choosing a Mississippi registered agent, read our How to Choose a Mississippi Registered Agent guide.
To learn more about what a registered agent does and how to choose one, read our What is a Registered Agent guide.
Step 3: File the Certificate of Formation
To register your LLC, you will need to file the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State. This must be done online.
File Your Mississippi Certificate of Formation
Register or sign into your Mississippi Corporations Register Filer account, then file online by filling out the required fields.
File OnlineState Filing Cost: $50
Steps After Your Mississippi LLC Is Officially Formed
Once you’ve filed your Certificate of Formation, you should take the following steps:
Create an Operating Agreement
A Mississippi LLC operating agreement is a legal document that outlines the ownership structure and member roles of your LLC.
In Mississippi, you aren’t required to have an Operating Agreement to officially form an LLC, but it's still a good idea to have one. You can start your operating agreement before, during, or after you file your Certificate of Formation.
Your operating agreement will be kept in your LLC’s private business records; you do not file it with the state.
Use our free Operating Agreement Tool to draft a customized operating agreement for your LLC.
Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a social security number for your LLC. You will need an EIN if you want to hire employees or open business bank accounts.
You can get your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our What is an EIN article.
Open a Business Bank Account
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential to protect your business' corporate veil. When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your LLC is sued.
For reviews on some of our most trusted business banks, visit our Best Banks for Small Business review.
Get Licenses and Permits
When you are registering an LLC, you need to determine if your business needs any licenses or permits in order to remain compliant. On the federal level, there are a handful of business activities that require licenses and/or permits.
Find out how to obtain necessary licenses and permits for your business or have a professional service do it for you:
- Federal: Use the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guide to federal business licenses and permits.
- State: Apply for or learn more about licenses, permits, and registration with Mississippi's Business Services website.
- Local: Contact your local county clerk and ask about local licenses and permits.
State of Mississippi Quick Links
Mississippi Business Document Online Filing
Brand Your Business
The strongest and most memorable businesses are built on a solid brand. When developing your brand, think about what your business stands for. Customers and clients are looking for companies that have a compelling brand, as much as they are shopping for high-quality products and services.
Creating a logo for your business is vital for increasing brand awareness. You can design your own unique logo using our Free Logo Generator. Our free tool can help you design your own unique logo for your new business idea.