LLC registration available online

Missouri’s small business owners and entrepreneurs now can file an application online to form a limited liability company.

Articles of organization can be filed with Secretary of State Robin Carnahan through her office’s Web site.

Limited liability companies make up more than 125,000 of the active businesses in Missouri. About 26,000 were formed in 2004.

The added feature is part of the office’s plan for streamlining business operations. Other online services include annual reports submission, fictitious name filings, Uniform Commercial Code filings, notary training and access to other corporations’ filings.

So far in 2005, more than 85,000 businesses have filed annual reports online, an increase of 38 percent over online filings in 2004.

“Given the success of our online annual report filing feature, we expect this online LLC registration to be quite popular with Missouri businesses,” Carnahan said in a news release. “This makes it possible to organize one of our most widespread business structures in a matter of minutes.”