KS Corporation Filing Fees and Requirements

How Much Does It Cost to Form a KS Corporation?

Legal business registration — and maintaining business compliance — involves necessary expenses and investment. Some of these costs are payable to the KS Secretary of State, while others are due to additional state entities or the federal government. Here are some common requirements and fees.

Please note that fees for a State of Kansas business license or permit may be due when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. Find more details below.

Initial Kansas Corporation Filing Fees

When starting a business in Kansas State, you’ll need to file a form and pay a filing fee. Here are the current Kansas corporation filing fees and times:

When you use Incfile to register a business in Kansas, we charge you the state filing fee and forward it to the Secretary of State when we file your incorporation paperwork.

Employer Identification Number

Every corporation in the country should have a unique EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the Internal Revenue Service. You'll use it when you open a business bank account, file taxes and pay employees. You can get one directly from the IRS, or Incfile can get one for you.

Foreign Corporations

If you want to do business in a state other than the one where your business is based, you must create a Foreign Corporation.

Kansas Foreign Corporation Registration

Before you can bring an arm of your business into Kansas from another state, you must request Kansas Foreign Qualification. This means the state gives you permission to conduct business there.

To request registration of a Kansas Foreign Corporation, you must complete an Application for Registration and pay a processing fee of $115. The state may have additional registration requirements, so contact the Kansas Secretary of State directly for more information and to ensure you're in compliance with KS corporation law.

Foreign Qualification to Operate in Another State

If you plan to expand your Kansas corporation into another state, you’ll first need Foreign Qualification or a Certificate of Authority from that state. This is necessary before you can create a physical presence, hire employees or bank in that state.

You'll likely have to complete at least one application and pay a filing fee, but each state has its own requirements. Before you start the process, compare state filing times and state filing fees so you can plan accordingly.

Above all, contact the state government entity that administers business (usually the Secretary of State) to confirm their requirements and for specific instructions.

If you need assistance, Incfile provides a complete Foreign Qualification service for all states.

Kansas Annual Report Requirements

Most states require business entities to file an annual (or other periodic) report. Kansas requires an annual report to be filed once a year with the KS Secretary of State.

When you complete your annual report you may file it online accompanied with a filing fee of $55. 

State of Kansas Business License and Permit Requirements

Before you start doing business, you must secure the necessary state, federal or local business licenses and permits to operate your corporation. Some of the fees will only need to be paid once, while others may be ongoing charges.

Permits and licenses vary based on:

Corporate Bylaws

Unlike many states, you are not required to have Kansas corporation bylaws if you form a corporation in the state. We do however recommend that you write them, keep them with your documents and by all means, continue to follow them.

The bylaws may then be adopted (and amended, if necessary) by the board of directors and shareholders.

Drafting a set of bylaws can be extremely helpful in making sure you’re organized and can help protect your business from any future changes and events that may affect your business.

Other KS Corporation Filing Requirements and Fees

The State of Kansas requires you to complete a few more tasks before you can begin conducting business.

Appoint a Director

Some states require corporations to appoint a full board of directors. KS corporation law requires all corporations to have at least one director.

Appoint Officers

In Kansas, the board of directors may elect officers, such as the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, etc. and one of the officers must hold the responsibility to record the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders and directors in a book to be kept for that purpose. Any number of offices may be held by one individual.

Issue Stock to Shareholders

To raise business capital and keep it separate from company owners' money, every Kansas corporation must sell stock to its shareholders. The Articles of Incorporation must authorize the sale of at least one class of share, and the corporation cannot sell more shares than are authorized.

Hold Annual General Meetings

The state of Kansas requires annual meetings to be held, however if you fail to do so the Kansas Statutes Chapter 17, Article 65, § 17-6501 states, "A failure to hold any annual meeting at the designated time or to elect a sufficient number of directors to conduct the business of the corporation shall not affect otherwise valid corporate acts or work a forfeiture or dissolution of the corporation." In addition, the courts may order a meeting to be held if you go too long without one.

Get a Fictitious Name or DBA

If you want to register a Kansas DBA (fictitious name), you must check with your county clerk to see if you may register a DBA in your county, as the state doesn't permit DBA registration. If you are able to, you will also need to pay a filing fee for the county that your corporation is located in.

Change the Resident Agent

If your corporation is based in Kansas, then you must have a Resident Agent in the state. You'll need to appoint one when you file your Articles of Incorporation. You can also assign a new Resident Agent later by filing a form and paying a fee of $35 (includes $5 paper copy fee).

Reserving a Name for Your Corporation

If you're not quite ready to start your business, you can reserve a name for 120 days with the Secretary of State via the Kansas SOS website and paying a fee of $30. If you choose to file a paper form the filing fee is $35. First, conduct a KS corporation search and learn the state's business naming rules to ensure you choose a name that meets legal requirements.

Amending Facts About Your Corporation

When you incorporate, the Kansas business forms you fill out include certain facts about your business at that time. Through the years, some or all of this information may change. If it does, you'll need to file a Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State along with a filing fee of $35. You can do this yourself or Incfile can do it for you.

Get a Certificate of Good Standing

Some organizations may request that you prove your corporation's compliance with laws and tax requirements. In most states, including Kansas, this proof is provided with a Certificate of Good Standing.

If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you’ll need to request a KS Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State. You can do this online via the Kansas SOS website and paying a filing fee of $10.

The information listed above details many of the fees a standard corporation will be required to pay in Kansas. In some circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above.

Of course, your corporation will also probably need to pay federal, state, self-employment (if it's an S Corp) and other taxes. You'll find more information on the Kansas taxes page.