Indiana Articles of Organization

How to File Your Indiana Articles of Organization

Before you can file documents to form your LLC, you need to understand how your business is going to operate and who will be responsible for some of its key operations.

The following is a five-step guide on the information you normally need to include in your LLC’s Articles of Organization: 

Step 1: Submit your LLC’s official name

The name of your LLC is a small part of your business that can have a big impact on your success. It can be hard to choose a suitable name, but you don’t have to follow a lot of rules while doing it. In general, when you choose your LLC’s name, you have to make sure that: 

• The name is distinguishable from other names on file with the Secretary of State
• The name contains “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC” 

Step 2: Provide the address for your LLC’s Principal Office

You have to include the address for your LLC’s Principal Office on your Articles of Organization. This Principal Office can be in Indiana or in another state. 

Step 3: Provide the name and address for your LLC’s Registered Agent and Registered Office

An Indiana LLC needs to have a consenting Registered Agent, and that Registered Agent needs to be available to receive service of process at the LLC’s Registered Office. Your LLC’s Registered Office has to have a street address in Indiana. Your LLC must continuously maintain its Registered Agent and Registered Office to remain legally compliant. 

It can be a tall order to have an individual or organization that can be continuously present in Indiana to be your Registered Agent. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about filling this order on your own. Our Registered Agent Service can help you quickly find the right Registered Agent for your LLC.  

Step 4: State when your LLC will end

The state needs to have some idea of how long your LLC will last. On your IN LLC Articles of Organization, you can provide the exact date your LLC will end or state that your LLC will run perpetually. 

Step 5: State if managers will manage your LLC

Members of LLCs have a lot of rights and duties. Members typically have a right to share in the profits of the LLC and a duty to manage the LLC. But members can also delegate their management duties. If you want one or more managers to manage your LLC, you need to say so in your Articles of Organization. 

Where to File Your Indiana Articles of Organization

There are many ways to file your Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State. Articles of Organization in Indiana can be filed in person or by mail. You can also file your Articles of Organization online, using the Secretary of State’s online service. Regardless of how you choose to file, you will need to pay a filing fee. 

What are the next steps? 

Maybe you’ve already filed your Articles of Organization. Now what do you do? There can be other steps you need to take when you first form your LLC to help make sure that you’re running it properly. 

Create an Operating Agreement

Tailoring your business operation procedures to your LLC’s unique needs is usually one of the best ways to succeed. You can achieve this by writing an Operating Agreement for your LLC. An Operating Agreement allows you to write your own rules about running your company and resolve conflicts between members and managers.

Your LLC has to follow the default business operations rules under Indiana law without an Operating Agreement. These default rules aren’t always the best for addressing a business’s specific needs, so you’ll likely want to write as many of your own rules as possible. 

An Operating Agreement can be an excellent asset for your business, and we can help you easily complete one. Our Operating Agreement Template can help you quickly formulate your business procedures.

Apply for an EIN

Something you want to make sure you do correctly as an LLC owner is paying business taxes. To properly pay federal business taxes, LLCs that operate as corporations or partnerships need to have Employer Identification Numbers (EINs). You obtain your EIN by requesting one from the IRS. 

Even if you have an LLC that doesn’t need an EIN, it’s usually better to have one. An EIN can take the place of your sensitive, personal information when you’re applying for a business bank account, credit card, or insurance policy. 

Are you worried about where you’ll find the time to apply for an EIN while trying to start your business? Well, you don’t need to worry. Our Employer ID Number Service can obtain your EIN for you.

We can help!

Starting a new LLC can be demanding of your time, but we can help make the process quick and easy. With the help of our Indiana LLC Formation Service, you can get your new business off the ground in almost no time. 

Our business formation and maintenance services can help you make the most of your time as a business owner. With our Worry-Free Compliance Service, keeping your business legally compliant can be an easier process. And you can use our ZenBusiness Money Service to easily track your finances and generate the invoices that keep your business going!