Alaska LLC Cost

Starting an LLC in Alaska will require you to spend at least $250, which is the fee required to file your Articles of Organization with the state.

However, the total cost of setting up an Alaska LLC can vary based on your specific business requirements and choices.

In this Alaska LLC Cost article, we’ll break down all of the different expenses you might encounter when forming and maintaining your business.

More than 84% of our readers form their LLC through a professional service to save time and avoid mistakes.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

How Much Does an Alaska LLC Cost 

Below you can find a table summarizing the key costs involved in forming an Alaska LLC.

	LLC Cost Summary
Requirement	Fee
Articles of Organization	$250
Registered Agent	$0-$150+
LLC Name	$0-$50

Alaska LLC Filing Fee ($250+)

To establish your LLC in Alaska, you'll need to file certain formation documents with the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing — which forms part of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

The type of document you’ll be required to file ultimately depends on whether your LLC will be based within or outside of Alaska:

• Domestic LLCs: Must file Articles of Organization ($250)
• Foreign LLCs: Must file a Certificate of Registration ($350)

If you choose to use an LLC formation service, you’ll also need to cover a small service fee in addition to the state filing fee. These services can range in price, but they generally start at around $29, with additional fees being applied if you opt for extra services.

Remember that you’re required to file an initial report within six months of forming your LLC, though it has no filing fee associated with it. You can submit this report online, by mail, or fax.

Have a look at our in-depth review of the best and most affordable LLC Formation Services in 2024.

Alaska Registered Agent ($0-$150+)

In order to create an LLC in Alaska, appointing a registered agent is mandatory. This individual or business entity will be responsible for receiving legal, tax, and government documents on your LLC’s behalf.

In order to qualify for this role, the registered agent that you appoint must be an Alaska resident or a corporation registered within the state (excluding LLCs, LPs, and LLPs). While you or another LLC member can serve as the registered agent, the LLC itself cannot act as its own registered agent.

With that being said, it's often advisable to hire a professional registered agent service instead of performing this role yourself, as the latter can lead to a number of compliance issues and doesn’t protect your personal information from becoming public.

The cost of professional registered agent services in Alaska typically ranges between $125 and $300.

Alaska LLC Name ($0-$50)

When going through the process of selecting a name for your LLC in Alaska, there are a couple of costs to consider.

Reserving a Name

You may reserve your desired LLC name before filing your formation documents. To do this, you’ll need to pay $25 to submit a Name Reservation form to the Corporations Section of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

This reservation will keep your name safe for 120 days and costs the same to submit regardless of whether you do so online, by mail, or in person. You’ll have exclusive rights to use this name during this period, which can also be renewed up to a maximum of two times using a statement of intent.

Before submitting one of these reservations, we recommended searching the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing’s Entity Search Page to ensure your chosen name is available.

Additionally, it’s also a good idea to check that the name’s corresponding domain is not already taken, as you’ll need this for your business website. 

Doing Business As (DBA) Name

If your LLC will operate under a different name than the one it’s legally registered as, you’ll need to register a Doing Business As (DBA) name for it.

This can be done by submitting a DBA application either by mail or online through the Department of Commerce website. These cost $25 to submit and are valid for five years, with the option to renew for the same fee.

It’s important to note that having a business license is a mandatory requirement before you can register a DBA name in Alaska. In fact, each DBA name you plan to register will need its own corresponding business license. See below for more information on these business licenses.

Alaska Business Licenses

Alaska law (AS 43.70.020(a)) mandates that all businesses obtain a state business license to operate legally. This license costs $50 per calendar year and can be purchased up to two years in advance.

These licenses are valid from the date issued and expire on December 31 of the year indicated on them. Note that any licenses bought after October 1 include a grace period which extends their validity until December 31 of the following year.

You can apply either via mail or online through the Department of Commerce’s website, with processing typically taking around 15 business days.

Note: While the standard processing time indicated above is generally present between March and September, you should expect significantly longer processing times during peak filing season (October to February).

Optional Alaska LLC Formation Costs

Beyond the basic fees, there are other costs that you might encounter when forming an LLC in Alaska.

We’ve outlined these potential additional costs in more detail below.

Alaska LLC Operating Agreement

While not required by law, having an operating agreement is good practice for all LLCs. This document outlines your LLC’s management structure as well as the responsibilities of its members/managers in order to prevent future disputes.

You can either opt to draft this document yourself at no cost, or hire a service or attorney to do it for you — which may cost several hundred dollars.

Note: The operating agreement does not need to be filed with the Alaska Secretary of State since it is purely an internal document.

Certificate of Compliance

A Certificate of Compliance may be necessary to open a business bank account or to satisfy certain lenders that your LLC is properly registered and legally authorized to conduct business in the state.

You can obtain this certificate online or by mail using a Copy Request Form. Both of these submission methods cost $10, with the only difference being that online submissions can be printed immediately, while mail requests are processed within 10 to 15 business days.

Certified Copies of Business Documents

If you need certified copies of your business documents, such as for dealings with financial institutions or legal matters, you can also request them from the Secretary of State by using this Copy Request Form.

Alongside this form, you’ll need to attach one of the following fees:

• Certified Document Fee: $5 per certification
• Copy of Entire File: $30 per file
• Copy of Documents (e.g., Articles, Amendments): $10 per document

Ongoing Costs to Maintain an Alaska LLC

There are a number of key recurring costs involved in maintaining an LLC in Alaska, which we’ve broken down for you below.

Alaska LLC Biennial Report

After submitting an initial report, your LLC must file a Biennial Report every two years in order to stay compliant.

These reports are due by January 2 of every other year, with the submission window opening up to three months before this.

In addition to this report, you’ll also be expected to include a $100 fee (for domestic LLCs) or a $200 fee (for foreign LLCs).

Note: Any submissions made after February 2 will be subjected to additional late fees — which are set at an extra $37.50 for domestic entities or an extra $47.50 for foreign ones.

Registered Agent Maintenance

If you use a professional registered agent service, you should expect to pay an annual fee, which can range anywhere between $125 and $300 depending on the service provider in question and the features you need. 

Even though this is not required (as you can act as your own registered agent), it is highly recommended for new business owners as it’s an affordable way of protecting your personal information and ensuring you remain compliant. 

Ready to Get Started?

Have a look at our LLC Alaska Guide (DIY Approach)

Let Northwest Registered Agent handle it for you ($29 + State Fees) 

Alaska LLC vs Other States

In comparison to other states, the formation and maintenance fees an LLC will face in Alaska are quite high, especially if you consider the cost of all of the different permits and business licenses you’ll likely need.

Regardless, you should note that the best state to form your LLC in will generally almost always be the state you will be operating from. 

This simplifies compliance (as you’ll only need to adhere to one state’s regulations) and can ensure that you do not end up having to pay registration and maintenance fees twice.