Alaska LLC Cost

The main cost of starting an Alaska LLC is the $250 fee to file the Alaska Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations.

Filing this document officially forms your LLC, and you can file online, by mail, or in person. There’s no option for expedited processing, but online filings are processed on the day they’re received.

All LLCs in Alaska need to file a biennial report, which costs $100. The due date is January 2nd every other year. For example, if you form your LLC in 2022, your first biennial report will be due on January 2nd, 2024.

So while you don’t have to pay this fee immediately, it is a cost you’ll want to factor in.

Find out how to file your Alaska Biennial Report.

When you file your Articles of Organization, you’re required to appoint an Alaska registered agent. Your registered agent is the person (or company) designated to accept legal notices on behalf of your business.

While you can be your own registered agent or appoint a business partner or employee, hiring a professional registered agent service helps you maintain your privacy and ensures that you won’t miss a legal summons when you’re out of the office. The fees for registered agent services vary. Northwest’s fee for registered agent service is $125 per year, and our price never goes up.

Most businesses in Alaska need a state-issued business license, which needs to be renewed annually. Good news! The Alaska Division of Corporations is currently waiving the usual $50 business license fee to help small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s right. Getting an Alaska business license and renewing it is currently free.

However, we don’t know when Alaska will bring back the business license fee, so if you want to save some money on starting your LLC, act fast.

Learn how to get an Alaska Business License.

Many professions that require specialized training—such as nurses, architects, and pawnbrokers, among others—need a professional license from the Alaska board regulating that industry. The fees for professional licenses vary by industry. For example, the application fee for a Marine Pilot License is $100, whereas the application for the Body Piercing, Tattooing, or Permanent Cosmetic Coloring License costs $150, plus $60 for the exam.

Check out the Alaska Division of Corporations Professional Licensing page for more information about your profession.

Some boroughs and cities in Alaska require a local business license. Fees vary by municipality or borough. For example, the Juneau Business Registration Form is free to file, whereas the Fairbanks city business license costs $40.

We’ve covered the basic, most essential expenses of starting an LLC in Alaska, but here are some other expenses that might be necessary for your business.

Name Reservation

Reserving a business name in Alaska costs $25. If you’re worried about someone else claiming your LLC name before you file your Articles of Organization, or you just want to make certain your business name is available, you can file a Business Name Reservation with the Alaska Division of Corporations.

Reserving the name gives you exclusive rights to that name for 120 days. If you do, just note that you’ll have to get in touch with the Alaska Division of Corporations to cancel your name reservation before you form an LLC. This can add a few extra days to the time it takes you to form an LLC.

DBA (Doing Business as) Name

Registering a DBA in Alaska costs $25. If you want to do business under a name other than your LLC’s legal name, you’ll need a DBA. To get a DBA in Alaska, you first need a state business license. Then you can file a Business Name Registration to register your DBA name for five years.

In Alaska, you need a separate business license for each DBA you register.

Certified Copies of Business Documents

Certified copies in Alaska cost $15 per document. As your business expands, at some point you might need to order a certified copy of your business documents from the Division of Corporations.

For example, if you register to do business in a new state, that state’s government may require a certified copy of your Articles of Organization. Some LLC owners choose to keep certified copies of business documents on record internally, just in case.

Find out how to get a certified copy of your Alaska Articles of Organization.

Alaska Certificate of Compliance

Requesting a Certificate of Compliance in Alaska costs $10. If you ever need to prove to a bank, investor, or foreign jurisdiction that your LLC is up-to-date on its taxes and state reports, you’ll need a Certificate of Compliance (also called a Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Existence).

You can request a Certificate of Compliance from the Alaska Division of Corporations online or by mail.

Here’s how to get an Alaska Certificate of Compliance.

If your business owns expensive property or is at risk of being sued, you’re probably going to want to invest in some kind of business insurance, which can cost anywhere from $50 a month to several thousand dollars a month, depending on the size and needs of your business.

If your business has one or more employees, you’re legally required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. There’s no state fund for workers’ comp in Alaska, so you’ll need to purchase this insurance through a private company. The price for this insurance varies, so it’s a good idea to shop around for a competitive rate. Rates can also vary widely based on your industry.

For example, an average workers’ comp rate for a roofing company is around $18 per $100 of covered payroll, whereas the average rate for a brewery is only around $1.50 per $100 of payroll.

Learn more about LLC Business Insurance.

Registering a foreign LLC in Alaska costs $350. If your LLC was formed in another jurisdiction but you want to do business in Alaska, you’ll need to register as an Alaska foreign LLC. To do business as a foreign LLC, you’ll need to apply for an Alaska Certificate of Registration.

You will also need an Alaska business license, and you may need one or more professional or local licenses as well.