Annual Report Filing Guide
What is an Annual Report?
Most state-registered businesses, including domestic, foreign, and nonprofit LLCs and corporations, must file periodic reports with the state, typically called “annual reports. These reports allow your company to confirm or update its basic business information on file with the state, such as contact information.
While these reports are generally due annually, some states have different requirements. For example, Alaska and New York require biennial reports, while Pennsylvania only requires them once every ten years. The names for these reports can also vary by state, including terms such as annual renewals, annual registrations, biennial reports, business entity reports, and periodic reports.
It’s important to note that the annual reports referred to here are those filed with the state, not the financial or shareholder reports used internally or filed with national agencies such as the SEC.
What Information Does an Annual Report Require?
Each state has its own requirements, but some of the most common annual report requirements include:
- Business name
- Business purpose
- Principal address
- Mailing address
- Registered agent and office
- Names and addresses of governors (those who run your business, such as directors, officers, managers or members)
- Stock issued
- Authorized signature
Generally, the information requested is similar to what you submit when you start an LLC or start a corporation. In some states, such as Arkansas, annual reports are combined with other filings like franchise taxes.
How Do I File an Annual Report?
The process for filing annual reports can vary from state to state, but generally involves determining your due date and submitting the required form along with the applicable filing fee.
- Due Date: Some states set specific dates for annual report submissions, while others determine your due date based on when your business was registered in that state. You can refer to the chart at the bottom of this page for a state-by-state list of due dates. Additionally, to ensure you don’t forget to file, some states may send reminder notifications via postcard or email to your registered agent.
- Filing Method: In many states, online filing is available, and in some states, including Colorado and Idaho, it’s mandatory to file online. If online filing is not obligatory, you can usually submit a paper form. While this form might be mailed to you, it’s more common to download it directly from your state’s business website, typically from the Secretary of State’s website.
- Filing Fee: All states, with the exception of Idaho, charge a filing fee for for-profit LLCs and corporations. The cost of these fees can vary significantly between states. For example, LLCs in Kentucky are required to pay $15 annually, whereas in Massachusetts, the annual fee is $500.
Don’t want to worry about remembering due dates or filling out paperwork? Our annual report service can do it for you, making it easy for your business to stay compliant. Start now!
What Happens If I Don’t File?
Failing to file your annual report can have serious consequences, ranging from loss of good standing to possible loss of your business. In most states, failure to file on time typically results in a late fee and loss of good standing.
Some states take a stricter approach. For example, in Minnesota, if a domestic LLC or corporation fails to file the required annual renewal by December 31, the entity is automatically dissolved. To remedy this, you would need to reinstate your corporation or LLC and also file the overdue renewal.
However, it’s more common for states to administratively dissolve a business only after the annual report has been unfiled for several months or even years. In some cases, the state may simply mark your business as inactive while continuing to collect fees.
When is My Annual Report Due?
Below is a table of due dates for regular filings for corporations and LLCs.
| State | Corporation | LLC |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Corp and S corporation: Mar. 15th. Due 2 1/2 months after tax ending period | No annual report. File PPT with DOR by April 15th, due 3 1/2 months after tax ending period |
| Alaska | Biennially. For profit corporation: Jan. 2 Non-Profit: July 2 | Biennially. For profit LLC: Jan. 2 |
| Arizona | Annually according to date incorporated | No Reports |
| Arkansas | May 1st Non-profit: August 1 | May 1st |
| California | Anniversary – end of month | Biennial – end of month |
| Colorado | Within a 3 month period starting the 1st day of anniversary month, ending the last day of 3rd month. | Within a 3 month period starting the 1st day of anniversary month, ending the last day of 3rd month. |
| Connecticut | Anniversary – end of month | January 1st to March 31st |
| Delaware | Domestic corporation: Mar. 1st Foreign corporation: June 30th | June 1st |
| District of Columbia | Biennial. April 1st | Biennial. April 1st |
| Florida | May 1st | May 1st |
| Georgia | April 1st | April 1st |
| Guam | Between July 1st and September 1st | Between July 1st and September 1st |
| Hawaii | Anniversary-end of quarter filed in | Anniversary-end of quarter filed in |
| Idaho | Anniversary-end of month | Anniversary-end of month |
| Illinois | Prior to the first day of the anniversary month | Anniversary-first day of month |
| Indiana | Biennially. Anniversary-last day of month. Nonprofits: annually. | Biennially: anniversary-last day of month. Nonprofits: annually. |
| Iowa | Biennially. April 1st on even years | Biennially. April 1st on odd years |
| Kansas | Biennially: April 15th-every other year from your start year | Biennially: April 15th-every other year from your start year |
| Kentucky | June 30th | June 30th |
| Louisiana | Anniversary-exact day | Anniversary-exact day |
| Maine | June 1st | June 1st |
| Maryland | Extended to June 17th for 2024 | Extended to June 17th for 2024 |
| Massachusetts | 2.5 months after fiscal year end | Anniversary-exact date |
| Michigan | May 15th | Feb. 15th |
| Minnesota | Dec. 31st | Dec. 31st |
| Mississippi | April 15th | April 15th |
| Missouri | 3 months after anniversary month ending | No report |
| Montana | April 15th | April 15th |
| Nebraska | Biennially. Mar. 1st on even years | April 1st on odd years |
| Nevada | Anniversary-end of month Initial report due within 30 days of filing | Anniversary-end of month Initial report due within 30 days of filing |
| New Hampshire | April 1st | April 1st |
| New Jersey | Last day of anniversary month | Last day of anniversary month |
| New Mexico | Biennially. Mar. 15th. Initial report due within 30 days | No report |
| New York | Biennially-end of month of filing date | Biennially-end of month of filing date |
| North Carolina | April 15th or 15th day of 4th month after tax year end | April 15th |
| North Dakota | Domestic: Aug. 1st. Foreign: May 15th | Nov. 15th |
| Ohio | No report unless professional corp-biennially | No report |
| Oklahoma | Anniversary-exact day. Business activity tax return: July 1st | Anniversary-exact day. Business activity tax return: July 1st |
| Oregon | Anniversary-exact date | Anniversary-exact date |
| Pennsylvania | Every 10 years | Every 10 years |
| Puerto Rico | April 15 | April 15 |
| Rhode Island | May 1st | May 1st |
| South Carolina | C-corps: 15th day of 4th month after tax year end S-corps: 15th day of 3rd month after tax year end | No report unless taxed as an S-corp or C-corp |
| South Dakota | Anniversary-first day of month | Anniversary-first day of month |
| Tennessee | April 1st or 1st day of 4th month after tax year end | April 1st or 1st day of 4th month after tax year end |
| Texas | May 15th | May 15th |
| Utah | Anniversary-exact date | Anniversary-exact date |
| Vermont | Mar. 15th | Mar. 15th |
| Virginia | Anniversary-last day of month | Anniversary-last day of month |
| Washington | Anniversary-last day of month | Anniversary-last day of month |
| West Virginia | July 1st | July 1st |
| Wisconsin | Domestic: Anniversary-by the last day of the quarter filed in Foreign: March 31st | Domestic: Anniversary-by the last day of the quarter filed in Foreign: March 31st |
| Wyoming | Anniversary-first day of the month | Anniversary-first day of the month |
At Startxpress, we offer annual report service to help keep your business in compliance.
For further insights, explore the Startxpress Help Center and Blog. If you have questions or need support, reach out anytime at support@startxpress.io!
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