How to Register a Business in Indiana: Secretary of State Guide (2026)
If your company was formed in another state and now has employees, an office or regular business in Indiana, you register with the Indiana Secretary of State by filing a Foreign Registration Statement. Here is what it costs, what you need, and what comes after.
Indiana at a glance
Item | Indiana |
|---|---|
Filing | Foreign Registration Statement (State Form 56369) |
Where | INBiz, Indiana's online business portal, or by mail |
State fee | $107 online (includes the online processing fee), $125 by mail |
Typical processing | 2–3 business days online; 5–7 business days by mail |
You'll need | A certificate of existence (good standing) from your home state, dated within the last 60 days |
Registered agent | Required, with an Indiana street address |
Ongoing filing | Business Entity Report every two years: $32 online, $50 by mail |
Do you need to register in Indiana?
You generally need to register if your company is "doing business" in Indiana, for example if you:
Have an office, store or warehouse in Indiana
Employ people who live and work in Indiana
Regularly sell to, or provide services for, Indiana customers
Activities that usually don't count on their own include holding a bank account in Indiana, holding internal meetings there, soliciting orders that are accepted outside the state, and isolated one-off transactions. If you're unsure, check with your attorney or book a call with us.
Hiring a remote employee in Indiana always means opening Indiana payroll tax accounts, even when Secretary of State registration isn't required. See the payroll section below.
How to register, step by step
Get a certificate of existence from your home state. Indiana requires one dated within the last 60 days. Order it from your home state's Secretary of State first, since it can take a few days.
Choose an Indiana registered agent. See the rules below.
File the Foreign Registration Statement on INBiz. Online filing costs $107, including the online processing fee, and is the fastest route. You can also mail State Form 56369 with a $125 check to the Secretary of State, 302 West Washington Street, Room E-018, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Save your approval and Indiana business ID. You'll need them for payroll and tax registrations.
Registered agent rules in Indiana
Every business registered in Indiana must keep a registered agent and registered office in the state at all times. The agent must be an Indiana resident or a company authorized to do business in Indiana, and the office must be a street address, not a P.O. box. A business can't act as its own registered agent and can have only one.
Using an employee as your agent is allowed, but it means legal papers go to one person's home, and they're lost if that person leaves. A commercial registered agent avoids that. Every AbstractOps plan includes registered agent service.
Business entity reports: every two years
Indiana doesn't have an annual report. Instead, registered businesses file a Business Entity Report every other year, starting two years after you register, in the month you registered. It costs $32 online or $50 by mail for for-profit companies.
Missing it is costly: Indiana revokes the registration of out-of-state companies that don't file. Getting reinstated requires a tax clearance from the Indiana Department of Revenue, which can take four to six weeks.
Indiana payroll accounts
If you have employees in Indiana, you'll also need:
A withholding account with the Indiana Department of Revenue, opened through INBiz. Indiana employers withhold county income tax as well as state income tax, so getting each employee's county right matters.
An unemployment insurance account with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
Our Indiana payroll tax registration guide walks through both.
Indiana registration FAQ
How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC or corporation in Indiana?
$107 online (including the online processing fee) or $125 by mail for a for-profit company, plus the cost of your home state's certificate of existence.
How long does Indiana take?
Online filings are typically processed in 2–3 business days; mailed filings take about 5–7 business days.
Does Indiana require an annual report?
No. Indiana requires a Business Entity Report every two years instead.
Can I be my own registered agent in Indiana?
An individual Indiana resident can serve, but your business itself can't be its own agent, and the agent needs an Indiana street address.
Let us handle Indiana for you
AbstractOps files your Indiana registration, acts as your registered agent, opens your payroll accounts and tracks your business entity reports, from $250 per state per year. Start a 7-day free trial or book a 15-minute call.
This guide is for general information and isn't tax or legal advice. Fees and rules change; confirm current requirements with the Indiana Secretary of State.