What is an LLC Annual Report? What's Included & How to File

LLC Annual Report: What It Is, What’s Included & How to File

The limited liability company (LLC) entity type provides many advantages—like reducing the owners’ personal liability, and providing flexibility in tax classification and management structure.

Once you’ve established LLC status, you’ll need to comply with ongoing LLC compliance requirements to maintain LLC protections and avoid any penalties against your business. In most states, this includes filing an LLC annual report.

What is an LLC annual report?

An LLC annual report is a brief overview of key facts about a limited liability company (LLC). It typically includes business contact information, contact information for owners (called “members” of the LLC), and a record of any major activities (such as change in ownership, business purpose, or location) during a given reporting period.

States use annual reports to maintain updated information about all businesses transacting in the state. The purpose of the report is to ensure that they are able to contact you (or your registered agent) as needed, e.g, to deliver routine government correspondence or or to notify you of a legal action. Some states also use LLC annual report information to determine whether your business owes franchise taxes.

Filing processes, fees, and frequency vary by state. Depending on your state, your LLC annual report might also go by a different name. State-specific names can include the following:

Annual statement
Statement of information
Periodic report
Biennial statement (due every two years)
Decennial statement (due every ten years)

What information appears in an LLC annual report?

Although specifics vary by state, most LLC annual reports require the following information:

Business name
Primary office address
A brief statement of business purpose
Your EIN and any other state-issued registration numbers
Registered agent information (if applicable)
Addresses of offices in the state (if applicable)
Fictitious name (if applicable)
The names and addresses of members and managers

Some states will also request financial information, such as liabilities and assets located in the state.

Do all LLCs need to file an annual report?

As of June 2023, Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, and South Carolina don’t require LLCs to file annual reports. All other states require filling, although in some cases reports are only due every two or ten years.

If you don’t file your LLC annual report on time, the state can impose a fine and your business can lose good standing, preventing you from opening a business bank account, taking out a loan, or registering to do business in another state. Continued non-compliance can also cause the state to dissolve your LLC, resulting in a loss of the liability protections the entity structure provides.

When are LLC annual reports due?

Although LLC annual reports generally contain the same information state to state, due dates vary.

Some states require business owners to file annually, some every other year, and some once a decade. States also determine filing deadlines differently—some require you to file in a certain month, and others base your due date on when you originally registered to do business in the state.

This can make deadlines easy to miss—particularly for multi-state business owners, who have reporting obligations in multiple states. Imagine that you formed your LLC in Delaware in 2019, and over the next two years, you registered to do business in 14 other states. You might end up with eight annual reports due in January, one each in June, July, and August, three due in November, and one due every other December.

Using a tool like Mosey’s compliance platform can help you stay on top of these deadlines. Mosey automates tracking requirements, sends alerts for key tasks, and can even file annual reports for your business.

when to file llc annual reports and state deadlines

Here are a few state-specific filing deadline examples.

Iowa Biennial Report

If you are a foreign LLC registered to do business in Iowa, you are required to file a biennial report. You must file your first biennial report between January 1st and April 1st of the first odd-numbered year following the calendar year in which your company was authorized to transact business in Iowa. Subsequent biennial reports must be filed between January 1st and April 1st of each following odd-numbered year.

Michigan Annual Statement

Every LLC must file an Annual Statement by February 15th. However, a foreign LLC authorized to transact business in Michigan after September 30th does not have to file an annual statement in the year immediately after its authorization.

Virginia Registration Fee

As a foreign LLC qualified to do business in Virginia, you must pay an Annual Registration Fee to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) every year. The payment is due on the last day of your foreign qualification anniversary month.

Wyoming Annual Report

To maintain your business, you must file an LLC Annual Report with the Secretary of State every year on the first day of the anniversary month of formation.

How much does it cost to file an LLC annual report?

The cost of filing an LLC annual report varies by state. California and Massachusetts are among the most expensive flat-fee states—California charges $820 for annual filing, and Massachusetts charges $500. The least expensive states include Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Texas, which don’t charge for filing at all. Colorado, Nebraska, Hawaii, Kentucky, New York, and Utah also all charge filing fees under $20.

In some cases, LLC annual report filing fees can depend on the number of LLC members or other business factors. As an example, Tennessee charges $300 for an LLC with six or fewer members and adds an additional $50 for every additional member, and Alabama assesses a minimum fee of $50 but calculates exact costs based on number of members, business value, and annual income.

How to file an annual report in 5 steps

Follow these steps to file your annual reports and maintain compliance with state laws.

1. Research state requirements

Research due dates, filing processes, annual reporting fees, and reporting requirements in every state in which you are registered to do business.

2. Budget for taxes and fees

LLC annual reporting fees vary widely. Some states also require you to file franchise taxes along with your annual report. Determine what you’ll owe, and make sure that you’ll have enough cash on hand to cover tax and reporting expenses, noting that some states allow payment via credit card for an additional fee.

3. Obtain key forms

Obtain key forms from the Secretary of State. Some states accept online annual reports. States that require hard copies typically make forms available for download or send physical forms to your registered agent. Remember to factor in mailing time if you send a physical copy—filing deadlines are often based on date of receipt rather than postmark.

4. Prepare your report

Assemble the necessary information and prepare to file your report. If your state requires financial information, cross-reference your data with financial statements to ensure accuracy.

5. File your report and plan for the future.

File your report with the Secretary of State and pay all applicable fees. Once you file, it’s also a good idea to double-check the deadlines for your next annual report. If you aren’t using a compliance platform to stay on top of requirements, set a calendar reminder to initiate the process.

Mosey’s platform features active monitoring and notifications to help you stay on top of annual report filing for your LLC. Import your incorporation date or foreign qualification date for each state and Mosey will calculate your annual report filing requirements and deadlines automatically. They will be added to your account for easy management and Mosey will alert you when they become upcoming tasks to complete. Mosey keeps it all organized by showing you the requirements, when they are due, and who is doing what. Mosey will even automate filing the annual report for you—just click a button and we’re on it.