MS Corporation Filing Fees and Requirements

How Much Does It Cost to Form an MS Corporation?

Legal business registration — and maintaining a good standing status — involves necessary expenses and investment. Some of these costs are payable to the MS 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi Corporation Filing Fees

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

When you use Incfile to register a business in Mississippi, 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.

Mississippi Foreign Corporation Registration

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

To request registration of a Mississippi Foreign Corporation, you must complete an Application for Certificate of Authority via the online portal and pay a processing fee $500. The state may have additional registration requirements, so contact the Mississippi Secretary of State directly for more information and to ensure you're in compliance with MS corporation law.

Foreign Qualification to Operate in Another State

If you plan to expand your Mississippi 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.

Mississippi Annual Report Requirements

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

When you complete your annual report you will file it online accompanied with a filing fee of $25.

State of Mississippi 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

You are required to have Mississippi corporation bylaws if you form a corporation in the state. You aren't required to file them with the Secretary of State, but make sure you have them with your documents and by all means, continue to follow them.

The bylaws must 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 MS Corporation Filing Requirements and Fees

The State of Mississippi 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. The MS Business Corporation Act requires all corporations to have at least one director.

Appoint Officers

In Mississippi, the board of directors must elect at least one officer who has the responsibility of preparing minutes of the directors’ and shareholders’ meetings and maintaining and authenticating records of the corporation.

Issue Stock to Shareholders

To raise business capital and keep it separate from company owners' money, every Mississippi 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

Corporations in Mississippi may hold regular or special meetings in or out of this state.

Get a Fictitious Name or DBA

If you want to register a Mississippi DBA (fictitious name), you must file a form online with the Secretary of State and pay a filing fee of $25.

Change the Registered Agent

If your corporation is based in Mississippi, then you must have a Registered Agent in the state. You'll need to appoint one when you file your Articles of Incorporation. You can also change to a new Registered Agent later by filing a form online and paying a fee of $10.

Reserving a Name for Your Corporation

If you're not quite ready to start your business, you can reserve a name for 180 days with the Secretary of State by filing a form online and paying a fee of $25. Before you reserve a name, conduct a MS 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 first incorporate in Mississippi, the forms you fill out state 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 through the online portal with the Secretary of State. A filing fee of $50 is also due at this time. 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 Mississippi, 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 an MS Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State. You can do this via the online portal and the associated processing fee is $25.

The information listed above details many of the fees a standard corporation will be required to pay in Mississippi. 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 Mississippi taxes page.