How to file a North Dakota annual report

North Dakota's annual report updates essential company details with the state, like your principal address, registered agent, and current management roster. The Secretary of State uses this information to keep your entity "active" and in good standing, a status that lenders, investors, and large vendors check before doing business with you.

This filing isn't optional. Nearly every entity registered in North Dakota—corporations, LLCs, nonprofits, limited partnerships, and their foreign counterparts—must submit an annual report through the Secretary of State's FirstStop system.

Who must file?

If you registered any kind of business entity with the North Dakota Secretary of State, you almost certainly need to file an annual report to stay in good standing. The state's registration page makes it clear that the obligation covers both domestic entities formed in North Dakota and foreign entities merely qualified to do business here.

Required filers include:

• Domestic corporations (for-profit)
• Foreign corporations authorized in North Dakota
• Domestic and foreign LLCs, including professional and farm/ranch LLCs (the latter face a unique April 15 deadline)
• Nonprofit corporations and nonprofit LLCs
• Limited partnerships and their liability-limited variants (LP, LLP, LLLP, PLLP)
• Professional corporations and other statutorily "professional" entities

You're exempt if you operate as a general partnership that has never registered another entity type, a sole proprietorship (unless you later formed an LLC or corporation), or an entity that has been formally dissolved, withdrawn, or merged out of North Dakota.

North Dakota doesn't care who presses the "file" button, just that someone authorized does it. This could be an owner, officer, member, manager, your registered agent, attorney, accountant, or a third-party compliance service.

How to file

Filing your North Dakota annual report is easiest online through the Secretary of State's FirstStop portal. The process is simple: 

• Visit FirstStop, sign in (or create an account), and search for your business by name or six-digit ID
• Click "File Annual Report" and check the pre-filled information, updating anything that's changed—address, agent, officers, or governors. 
• Fill in any blank fields the system flags, double-check everything, and pay by credit card or e-check. 
• Don't forget to download your confirmation and receipt.

If you prefer paper, you can still file manually. Download the form from the Secretary of State's site, fill in your current information, enclose a check or money order, and mail it all to the address on the form.

Due dates and deadlines

North Dakota uses fixed calendar dates rather than anniversary dates for annual reports, so all entities of the same type file simultaneously. This makes planning easier but creates traffic jams at deadline time. 

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You can file up to 60 days before your deadline, and extensions are rare. Once you're late, penalties kick in automatically and keep growing until you file.

Filing fees

North Dakota keeps annual report fees straightforward, though they vary by entity type. The state charges the same amount whether you file online or by mail:

Required information

When you open FirstStop to file, you'll see most fields already filled with last year's data. Your job is to check everything and update as needed before submitting. You'll generally need:

• Legal name (exactly as registered), 
• System ID number 
• Principal office address 
• Mailing address 
• Registered agent information 
• A brief business purpose 
• The filer's contact details

The remaining fields depend on your entity structure. 

• For corporations, you'll list every officer and director—including president, secretary, and other elected positions—along with their addresses. Stock corporations also confirm their authorized share count, reflecting the traditional corporate hierarchy.
• LLCs focus on management instead. You'll provide names and addresses for all governors.
• Nonprofit corporations provide the same basic information, plus restate their mission. 
• Limited partnerships, LLPs, LLLPs, and PLLPs identify each general partner, their addresses, and the partnership structure. 

Format rules are strict: registered agents must have physical street addresses. Your Wyoming registered agent can’t list a P.O. box any more than your North Dakota agent can, and all names must exactly match state records. Electronic signatures are acceptable, but only authorized individuals can sign. 

Consequences of not filing

Miss your North Dakota annual report deadline, and your status changes to Not Good Standing, though cash penalties typically kick in after a grace period. The financial and operational consequences escalate quickly from there.

Immediate financial penalties:

• Domestic corporations: $45 penalty the day after August 1 deadline, increasing to $85 if unfiled past November 1
• LLCs: Fee doubles to $100 overnight after missing November 15 deadline
• Other entity types: Similar penalty structures with grace periods varying by deadline

Good standing complications:

• Certificate unavailability: Cannot obtain certificates of good standing required by lenders, landlords, and business partners
• Public record exposure: Delinquency appears in public searches, deterring vendors and investors during due diligence
• Contract enforcement issues: Non-compliant LLCs may struggle to enforce contracts in North Dakota courts

Long-term dissolution risks:

• Administrative dissolution timeline: Secretary of State may begin dissolution process for LLCs after 6-12 months in Not Good Standing
• Corporate revocation: Corporations and other entities face similar timelines, typically around one year of non-compliance
• Legal authority loss: Dissolution strips name protection, operating authority, and may affect professional licenses

Fixing this mess requires three steps: file every missed annual report (one per year), pay all accumulated late fees plus a $135 reinstatement charge if already dissolved, and submit a reinstatement request through FirstStop, then wait for approval. 

FAQs about North Dakota’s annual reports

Can I file my North Dakota annual report early?

Yes. FirstStop opens about 60 days before your deadline, so you can submit in mid-September for LLCs, mid-June for corporations, and so on.

What if I notice a mistake after I submit?

Minor typos can often be fixed by emailing the Business Division, but substantial changes—like replacing a director or moving your office—require a separate amendment.

How do I get a certificate of good standing?

Once your report shows as "Filed," you can download the certificate directly from FirstStop for a small fee. This document is crucial for bank loans, insurance renewals, and government contract bids.

Who is allowed to file on my behalf?

North Dakota is flexible here. You can delegate to any authorized person: an officer, member, or manager; your registered agent; an attorney, CPA, or other professional; or a compliance service. The state only requires the signer's name and role on the report.

Can I request an extension?

North Dakota grants extensions for charitable organizations but rarely for business annual reports. Late fees for businesses begin to accrue after the deadline, although exact amounts may vary and should be verified through official state resources.

Discern automates your North Dakota annual report

Discern automatically tracks each entity's specific deadline and sends alerts, whether your next deadline is March or November. Our platform pre-fills forms with data directly pulled from the North Dakota Secretary of State database, processes electronic submissions with accurate fees, and manages compliance across your entire multi-state portfolio.

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