Best Online LLC Formation Services In South Dakota (SD) 2023
Reviewed by Kristina Knight, Journalist , BA
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Starting an LLC is a great option for business owners everywhere because a limited liability company helps protect your personal assets from any issues you’ll have with your company. Now, you have the option to file an LLC online, on your own, or through an LLC filing service. If you’re a business owner in South Dakota, you might want to research to find the best South Dakota LLC service. There are many options out there, but which companies know South Dakota laws best? We’ve narrowed it down to 5 of the best South Dakota LLC formation services.
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5 Best Online LLC Formation Services In South Dakota (SD) 2023
- Zenbusiness: Best Overall
- Northwest Registered Agent: Most Affordable
- IncFile: Best Suite of Services
- Tailor Brands: Best Online Resources
- Rocket Lawyer: Most Recognizable
What Is An Online LLC Service?
A business formation service is a middleman that can help your business differentiate itself as a limited liability company in your state of choice. Typically, this service will help you fill out and file your articles of organization, pay the state fees, and navigate any discrepancies that arise in your filing process.
What Is An LLC Service In South Dakota?
In South Dakota, there are several specific regulations your business will need to follow when filing as an LLC. You need to check if your business name is available for use, file articles of organization, pay the state fees ($150), and make sure your LLC formation is legitimate from start to finish.
Read more: Best South Dakota Registered Agents 2023
Top 5 Online LLC Services in South Dakota December 2023
ZenBusiness
Our favorite feature offered by ZenBusiness is their accuracy guarantee. Not many LLC filing services offer this feature, and it ensures that your LLC filing process will be smooth from start to finish, or you’ll get a refund.
- Starts at $0 plus state fees
- Premium registered agent and compliances services
- Affordable EIN and expedited filing options
- Price increases and upsells can get pricey
- Employer identification number for your South Dakota business is extra
If you need a price point for a low budget, ZenBusiness has some great options. They even offer a package for moms to file an LLC for free! You’ll get expedited filing for your business, which prioritizes your business formation documents over others with only standard filing speed.
Northwest Registered Agent
We love that Northwest is family owned, dedicated to their customers, and they offer advice from professionals, geared towards South Dakota business entities. Their dedicated customer service gets excellent reviews from customers.
- Free registered agent service for one year when filing South Dakota LLC
- Advice and services dedicated to South Dakota customers
- Family owned business
- Highly rated customer service team
- Pricing is high at $225 plus state fees
On top of the dedicated customer service teams, Northwest also provides registered agent services for free for one year when you file your South Dakota LLC through their services. They are truly a one-stop shop for online legal services for your LLC.
IncFile
It’s pretty impressive that IncFile offers lifetime compliance alerts to their customers to help them stay on top of their annual reports and legal documents that might need to be filed. This can come in so handy for new business owners, and it might save them a lot of money in the long run.
- South Dakota LLC formation service is free (plus your South Dakota filing fee)
- Registered agent services are offered
- Lifetime compliance alerts to remember your annual reports
- Help navigate business taxes and formation documents for your South Dakota LLC
- Customers aren’t always happy with the service they receive.
The fact that IncFile has a free online LLC formation service for South Dakota businesses is pretty impressive. Their compliance alerts and South Dakota registered agent services are other huge perks. On the other hand, some customers aren’t completely happy with the assistance they receive.
Tailor Brands
Tailor Brands is a popular name providing business formation, and for good reason. Their best offering is their excellent AI logo creation process, helping new business owners visualize their new business name and start their company off looking legitimate.
- Their LLC filing package is only $49 plus state fees
- Excel in visual process of business creation
- User-friendly process
- Customers are happy with fee structures
- No customer support over the phone
As far as pricing goes, Tailor Brands is one of the cheapest LLC formation services out there at $49 plus fees. They have an extremely beginner-friendly process, and pretty transparent fees and their visual process are unbeatable.
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer’s 7-day free trial period is a major selling point here. If you aren’t happy with their services, you can just cancel your account. In the meantime, you can file your LLC documents and business licenses and see if you’re happy with Rocket Lawyer’s customer service which most clients love.
- Customers have access to actual qualified legal professionals to help with other services
- Great turnaround times
- 7-day free trial period
- Excellent customer service
- Some customers complain of frequent upsells
- LLC formation requires a membership which is at least $39.99 per month
Rocket Lawyer is a household name in the world of LLC formation services because they offer so many legal services and additional services to new businesses across America. If you need amazing legal advice, accessible and helpful customer service, and fast turnaround times, Rocket Lawyer is for you. However, be aware that their pricing isn’t the cheapest, and they require customers to purchase a membership to get any of their services.
How Much Does LLC Service In South Dakota Cost?
An online LLC service in South Dakota can cost anywhere from nothing to around $300. This fee totally depends upon the LLC formation service you chose and the services they provide. Although it might seem counterintuitive to go with the cheaper option, we’d advise you to survey your company’s needs and budget before choosing the freebie.
Read more: LLC Vs. Sole Proprietorship: What You Need To Know
How To Start An LLC In South Dakota?
There are only a few steps to getting your South Dakota LLC filed with the state and ready for business:
- Choose a name for your LLC and make sure it’s available among other small businesses in South Dakota
- Designate a South Dakota registered agent (either be your own registered agent, choose someone within your organization, or designate third-party registered agents). You must include a physical address for your registered agent in South Dakota.
- File your articles of organization with the South Dakota Secretary of State and pay the state filing fee ($150).
- Await your official LLC formation approval
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to form an LLC in South Dakota through an online service, there are so many great business formation services to choose from. It’s important to take inventory of your company’s needs and priorities. Do you need registered agents to handle all the legalese you can’t understand? It might be best to go with online LLC services that also offer a registered agent. Does your business entity need to stand out with an awesome logo and website? You should look for a South Dakota LLC formation service that also includes website formation. Many of these choices offer the same services for different price points, so be sure to factor in your needs and their prices.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, the state of South Dakota requires that each LLC appoint a South Dakota registered agent to act as a legal liaison for their company. You can designate yourself, use a commercial registered agent service, or appoint a noncommercial registered agent from within your company. You must provide a business address with this individual’s information.
Yes, the fees to form a foreign LLC in South Dakota are higher than a domestic LLC.
Yes, it is highly advised to keep your personal and business finances separate through opening a business bank account and ensuring personal asset protection. This will also help with keeping income taxes and business taxes separate.
Depending on the service you go with, you might have to fill out portions or the totality of the legal documents and LLC operating agreement you’ll need to file for South Dakota LLC formation in accordance with South Dakota law.
We would definitely recommend securing insurance for your business after you’ve used an LLC formation company. Many online LLC services work with insurance companies and can offer a discount or point you in the right direction.
Depending on your company’s needs, you might need more or less liability protection, tax differentiation, and room for business growth. Each of these options offers different benefits.
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- General Information: South Dakota Secretary of State. sdsos.gov. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://sdsos.gov/general-information/filing-fees.aspx
- Corporations: South Dakota Secretary of State. sdsos.gov. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://sdsos.gov/business-services/corporations/contact.aspx
- FAQs Applicable to Commercial and Noncommercial Registered Agents | Secretary of State. sos.nd.gov. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://sos.nd.gov/business/registered-agents/faqs-applicable-commercial-and-noncommercial-registered-agents
- How to Start an LLC in South Dakota. Northwest Registered Agent. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/llc/south-dakota
- How to Start an LLC in South Dakota for $0 | SD LLC Formation. ZenBusiness Inc. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://www.zenbusiness.com/south-dakota-llc/