You’ve decided to start an Oklahoma LLC. You’re excited about the future, but at the same time, you’re not sure how to get started.

There may not be a “Create LLC Oklahoma” button, but we can help. Our guide to starting an LLC in Oklahoma will give you the confidence to move forward. We’ll arm you with the essential information you need to start your LLC quickly and correctly. We’ll also show you how our services can help you form an LLC Oklahoma.

How to Start an Oklahoma Limited Liability Company

To get your limited liability company (LLC) up and running in the Sooner State, you need to know what documents need to be filed where, how to appoint a registered agent, if an operating agreement is required, and how to handle taxes and business licenses. Follow this step-by-step guide to be on your way to becoming an official owner of an Oklahoma LLC. You can also rely on us for guaranteed fast formation. We’ll help you form, run and grow your business.

Step 1: Name your Oklahoma LLC

Choosing a business name is the first step in forming an LLC in Oklahoma. Choose one that is unique, tells people who you are and what you offer, and resonates with your target market. Make sure another company in the state has not taken your name, and that it is distinguishable. Slight variations in spelling, punctuation, and suffix will not suffice. Make sure another company in the state has not taken your name, and that it is distinguishable.

Make a list of possible names and then follow the instructions for searching for business names on our Oklahoma Business Entity Search page. To garner more results (and to make sure the name isn’t too close to another business), just enter the key portions of the name. The more detailed your query, the fewer results you’ll receive.

Oklahoma LLC Name Requirements

You’ll also need to choose the proper designator for your company’s name. Registering as an LLC means you need to have some variation of “limited liability company” as the name’s suffix. You can end your company’s name with the full “Limited Liability Company,” shorten it to “Limited Company,” or use the abbreviations LLC, LC, L.L.C., or L.C.

Reserve a Business Name for your Oklahoma LLC

Once you’ve found an available name, you’ll need to determine if reserving the name is in your best interest. If you’re not quite ready to finish up the paperwork, Oklahoma allows you to reserve a business name for 60 days. If you’d rather not deal with this process yourself, we have a business name reservation service that can handle it for you. As part of the service, we also check to see if your desired name is available.

When you’re coming up with a business name, it’s wise to consider whether you can secure a matching domain name so that your future website can be easily found online. We have a tool to help you do a preliminary domain name search. Our domain name registration service can help you secure the online name that will best serve your company. 

File a DBA in Oklahoma

When it comes to your LLC name, you may want to think about a DBA name. A DBA or “Doing Business As” name in Oklahoma is another name you can register to use for your business. We have a DBA service that can handle this for you.

Finally, visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office website to make sure your business name or logo isn’t already federally trademarked. You’ll also want to make sure that no state trademarks exist on your planned LLC name. To find out more, go to the Oklahoma Secretary of State website page for trademarks.

Step 2: Appoint a registered agent in Oklahoma

The next step in the LLC formation process is to appoint a registered agent. A registered agent is a person or entity acting as the point of contact for legal matters. Your Oklahoma registered agent will receive all legal documents related to your business such as subpoenas or lawsuits. As the owner, you can act as your company’s registered agent. While that may seem like the easiest and most logical option when you file LLC in Oklahoma it’s not always in your best interest. After all, being served in front of customers can tank your company’s reputation.

Benefits of Hiring Registered Agent Services

You may benefit from hiring an outside registered agent service that ensures all of the registered agent requirements (Oklahoma residency, authorization to conduct business in Oklahoma, and a permanent address in the state) are met and prevents any awkward encounters in the future. Additional benefits of using a registered agent service like ours include:

• You’re required to be available during standard business hours if you serve as your own Oklahoma registered agent. When planning to work outside the office or take business trips, this requirement could be problematic.
• If you provide your personal or business address as your registered agent address, you’ll need to update your registered agent paperwork with the state each time you move. At rapidly growing companies, it’s easy to see how this essential step could get overlooked.

There’s a lot to consider when you name your Oklahoma LLC. But don’t fret, you don’t have to start over if you don’t like your name. If your business evolves over time, you can change your business name. View our step-by-step guide to change your Oklahoma LLC business name.

Step 3: File Oklahoma Articles of Organization

You’ll need to complete your Articles of Organization and file them with the Oklahoma Secretary of State to make your LLC official. Filing official government documents like this can be intimidating and/or complicated for many people, which is why we’re here. With our business formation plans, we handle the filing for you to make sure it’s done correctly the first time. But, although we can handle this for you, we’ll show you how the process works below.

LLC Articles of Organization Requirements

To accurately fill out the Articles of Organization form, you’ll need the following:

• The name of your LLC
• The address of the principal place of business (a P.O. Box is not acceptable)
• The name of your registered agent and the registered office address
• The ability to sign the document with one or more organizer signatures
• Information on how to reach the designated contact person
• How long the company will be in existence (perpetual or a specific number of years)
• Payment for the nonrefundable fee

View step-by-step instructions on how to file your Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization.

You can also fill out the document and mail it in or use the online portal to submit your paperwork. Either way, you’ll be responsible for paying a nonrefundable filing fee.

Want help filing your Articles? We can help. Click the ‘Start Now’ button below to use our fast, reliable LLC filing service.

Digitally Store your Oklahoma LLC Paperwork

If you have us handle filing your Articles of Organization, once the state approves your LLC, your paperwork will be available from your ZenBusiness dashboard. Here you can keep it and other important paperwork digitally organized. 

Once you get your physical paperwork back from the state, you’ll want to keep it in a safe location along with your other important documents. These may include your LLC operating agreement, member certificates, contracts, compliance checklists, transfer ledger, etc. We offer a customized business kit to help you keep these important documents organized and looking professional.

Get a Virtual Mailing Address for an LLC Oklahoma

By now you’re realizing how often you’ll need to supply an address for your new business. That can be unsettling for some business owners, especially those running their business from home. In instances where you’re not required to give the registered agent address or official principal address for your business, a virtual mailing address can come in handy. 

With our virtual mailing address service, we supply you with a physical street address where you can have your mail sent without divulging your real address to more people than necessary. Then we can send that mail to the address of your choice.

Step 4: Create an operating agreement

Every company has rules to follow, processes in place, and plans for the future. LLC operating agreements outline all of this and more. However, not every state requires LLCs to have one, including Oklahoma. 

If you’re a single-member LLC, you may think that drafting an operating agreement is pointless, especially since it is not required in Oklahoma. But even as a single-member LLC, your company can benefit from having an operating agreement. This document outlines how your company is run, how finances will be handled, and how decisions will be made. It also details what happens to your company if you leave or become unable to lead. An LLC operating agreement can also help protect you and your assets in the event of dissolution or bankruptcy.

We offer a customizable template if you’re not sure how to begin creating an operating agreement for your LLC.

Step 5: Apply for an EIN

The next step in forming your Oklahoma LLC is obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Every Oklahoma LLC will need this nine-digit number unless you are a single-member LLC with no employees (and sometimes even then). A FEIN is required for tax and financial paperwork, including filing taxes, hiring new employees, and opening company bank accounts.

You can get your LLC’s EIN through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) directly, you may not enjoy dealing with them more than you have to. Well, this is another thing we can handle for you. Our EIN service is quick and eliminates the hassle.

Apply for Business Licenses

Once you’ve obtained your Employer Identification Number, check if your new Oklahoma LLC will need any licenses or permits. To determine if your LLC is required to obtain a license or permit, start by visiting the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Business Licensing and Operating Requirements page. Your LLC could need licenses or permits on the federal, state, and/or local level. Many licenses are industry-specific, so you’ll need to do some research to make sure you’ve covered all the bases.

If you just want peace of mind knowing that your business has all the licenses and permits it’s legally required to have, our business license report service can do the work for you.

Open a Business Bank Account for an Oklahoma LLC

Another thing you can do after securing an EIN is to open a business bank account. Having separate accounts for your business and your personal banking is critical for sorting out your finances at tax time. Commingling funds can make your taxes more difficult. It could also be used against you if someone takes you to court to challenge whether you and your LLC are truly separate entities.

We offer a discounted bank account for your new business. This allows for unlimited transactions, online banking, a debit card, and more. When you want to authorize others in your business to use the account, we offer a banking resolution template to simplify the process.

For further help managing your new business’s finances, try ZenBusiness Money. It can help you create invoices, receive payments, transfer money, and manage clients all in one place. 

We can help

We offer fast, accurate Oklahoma LLC formation online guaranteed. Our services provide long-term business support to help you start, run and grow your business.

If starting an LLC in Oklahoma feels like an uphill battle, we can reduce your stress. Let us take care of formation, compliance and more. That way, you can get back to running your dream business.