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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on August 15, 2022
Updated on October 2, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC in North Dakota, the business entity formation process is one of the first and most important hurdles. This step can be terribly complex and time-consuming, which is why many entrepreneurs turn to professional formation services.
But which are the best LLC formation services in North Dakota? This article takes a closer look, stepping into an entrepreneur’s shoes, to help you choose the service that puts you on the road to success.
Here we summarize our top picks of business formation services in North Dakota.
Best for Startups
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best for Legal Services
Best for Speedy Processing
For those looking to form a North Dakota LLC, ZenBusiness provides a range of plans.
The Starter plan, at $0 plus North Dakota state fees, ensures your business name’s availability in North Dakota and assists with the formation, offering comprehensive support.
The Pro plan, priced at $199 plus state fees, builds on the Starter plan offerings by adding an operating agreement template suitable for North Dakota, an EIN, annual compliance service, and expedited filing.
For a more advanced package, the Premium Pplan at $349 plus North Dakota state fees encompasses all Pro services and adds a business document template library, domain name registration, website setup, and a business email.
ZenBusiness emerges as our top pick for the best North Dakota LLC formation service, courtesy of its affordable foundational service, which starts at $0 plus state fees and includes the assurance of 100% accuracy.
What sets ZenBusiness apart further is its standing as a Public Benefit Corporation, signifying its commitment to profit-driven goals while echoing community objectives akin to nonprofits.
For those establishing an LLC in North Dakota, ZenBusiness not only facilitates the foundational steps but also extends a variety of supplemental services. This includes offerings such as registered agent services tailored for North Dakota businesses, among other business tools. Do note that opting for these can lead to additional costs.
Over time, ZenBusiness has consistently received positive feedback from clients, affirming its value in the North Dakota LLC formation sector.
ZenBusiness offers valuable services for budding entrepreneurs. While registered agent services are an add-on, their excellent customer support, user-friendly site, and positive reviews make them a top choice.
Northwest’s offering for North Dakota LLCs is priced at $39 plus North Dakota state fees. This package incorporates business formation within North Dakota, complimentary registered agent services for one year, a business address tailored for the North Dakota market, a North Dakota-specific operating agreement, and some additional benefits.
The inherent value of this plan is pronounced, especially considering the inclusion of pivotal services like registered agent services and an operating agreement specific to North Dakota LLC regulations. However, it’s essential to note that even if you opt out of the registered agent services, the total cost of the plan remains unchanged.
Specializing as its name suggests, Northwest Registered Agent is widely recognized for their registered agent services within states like North Dakota. Leveraging this specialization, they provide more tailored customer support and swift notifications regarding correspondence for North Dakota LLCs.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because of their transparent pricing, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy. They pride themselves on personalizing their approach to meeting your registered agent needs, which are their specialty.
For just the North Dakota state fees, Swyft Filings’ Basic package provides company name verification, articles of organization preparation, and state filing. You’ll also get online document access and lifetime customer support.
The Standard package, at $199 plus North Dakota state fees, includes everything from the Basic package, plus a custom operating agreement, a federal tax ID (EIN), banking resolution services, and organizational minutes for your North Dakota LLC.
Swyft Filings’ Premium package, at $299 plus state fees, adds expedited North Dakota filing, a business document library, compliance notifications, a business domain, and a digital LLC kit with a company “seal”, ownership ledger, and certificates.
Notably, in North Dakota, Swyft Filings is recognized for its top-notch customer support and consistently positive reviews.
Swyft Filings offers fast processing but doesn’t include registered agent services in their packages, making additions somewhat costly. However, they provide good value overall and strong customer support.
The Silver package, for just North Dakota state fees, provides preparation and filing of the articles of organization for your North Dakota LLC, unlimited name searches within the state, and complimentary registered agent services for the initial year.
For $199, the Gold package encompasses everything in the Silver package and adds an operating agreement template, lifetime company alerts tailored to North Dakota’s reporting requirements, and a business tax consultation. Incfile’s Gold package also delivers an EIN tax ID number, IRS Form 2553 filing for S corporation tax benefits in North Dakota, banking resolution assistance, and a personalized online dashboard. Clients also benefit from unlimited phone and email support for their North Dakota LLC.
The Platinum package, priced at $299, builds on the Gold package by offering expedited filing in North Dakota, a domain name, business email, and access to over 20 attorney-reviewed business contract templates, invaluable for North Dakota LLC newcomers.
Incfile provides substantial value, especially with their Silver package that costs only state fees and includes a year of registered agent service. For first-time entrepreneurs looking to save, Incfile stands out in the competition.
Rocket Lawyer does not offer packaged business formation services for North Dakota LLCs. Their fee for forming a North Dakota LLC is $99, or it becomes complimentary if you secure a $39.99 membership. Within North Dakota, availing of this membership allows you to also access discounted registered agent services for $111.99, compared to the standard price of $149.99.
When establishing your North Dakota LLC, having a membership ensures you can tap into a suite of business document templates, including an operating agreement tailored to North Dakota’s requirements.
Rocket Lawyer simplifies business start-up, though it lacks some services offered by competitors. Their membership stands out, providing ongoing legal assistance and offering the best value.
Filenow presents a Starter plan for those establishing a North Dakota LLC at just $49. This includes company compliance alerts tailored to North Dakota’s regulations, a tax consultation, and assistance with setting up a business bank account in North Dakota.
For those looking for more comprehensive services in North Dakota, their Premium plan, priced at $199, offers a slew of added advantages: a free year of registered agent services, an operating agreement customized for North Dakota LLCs, an EIN, a banking resolution, business contract templates, and a promise of 24-hour processing within the state.
In the North Dakota business formation landscape, Filenow stands out with its swift processing times and a solid money-back guarantee, making its premium plan an exceptional choice for many in the state.
Filenow’s Premium plan is an exceptional value based on what you get for the price. It’s less expensive than similar plans offered by competitors. They also offer fast turnaround times, and a money back guarantee.
A business formation service handles the business formation process for you, making it nearly seamless while offering additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner. Whether you’re forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, a business formation service takes care of all the red tape, freeing you up to focus on growing your business.
With so many business formation services to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. There are four essential elements that can help you make your decision.
Each service offers various products and services, and their plans are all designed differently. You may need some services but not others, so you need to choose the service that offers everything you need. For example, only some of the providers offer annual report filing.
If it’s important to you to get that task off your plate, you’ll want a service that offers that feature. Another feature you might need is a digital dashboard where you can always access your business formation documents.
You’ll want to choose a service that has everything you need to make starting and running your business as easy as possible.
Of course, you’ll want to get the best value for your money!
Compare the cost of each service for everything you need. The price can really add up when you start adding extras, so be careful not to go too far. You also want to get good value and great customer service, so if you’re considering the cheapest service, check the reviews to see how people feel about it.
Business formation turnaround times vary with each service, so if you’re in a hurry to get your business up and running, you’ll want to look for the quickest service. You don’t want your order to sit in an office too long before your paperwork gets filed with the state. Some services differentiate themselves with fast turnaround times, so if they also offer good value, that might be your best choice.
One good way to learn about the quality of anything you’re buying is to listen to what people are saying about it. When we review services we look at Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot ratings and reviews. It’s wise to look at both positive and negative reviews to find out what people love about the service, and about issues customers have encountered.
Remember that fake reviews are common, so you should take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In nearly every case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewers are able to provide the most complete and insightful analysis of various LLC formation services.
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