Forming an LLC is generally a good idea if you’re starting a business. If your business is based in Oklahoma, then you have to file your LLC with the Oklahoma state government. That way, you’re legal to operate and you avoid unnecessary fines and penalties.
However, if it’s your first time to form an LLC, then you need to know that it will involve quite a bit of paperwork. And that paperwork doesn’t end once you’ve formally established your LLC. To maintain the good standing of your Limited Liability Corporation, you have to periodically send in more paperwork.
These paper works include filing your LLC Annual Certificates. Oklahoma law requires all LLCs based in Oklahoma to file an Annual Certificate with the Secretary of the State of Oklahoma. The Annual Certificate in the State of Oklahoma is the same as the Annual Report that is filed in most of the other states in the United States.
What is an LLC Annual Certificate?
An LLC Annual Certificate is a report you file every year, and it’s meant to furnish the state government with the crucial details regarding your LLC. This report should include any updated info or changes that may have happened since the last filing period. As the Annual Certificate contains crucial data, it’s also sometimes referred to as a statement of information.
Every LLC in most states has to submit its Annual Certificates. The required information may change a bit depending on the state, but usually, the report will contain the following information:
The name of the LLC
- The main business address of the LLC
- The names of each LLC member (owner), and their addresses
- All the crucial ID numbers for the LLC, such as the state entity number
- The main purpose of the LLC
- A list of authorized signatories
- Information regarding your registered agent
Filing Options
The Annual Certificate in the State of Oklahoma can be filed online, through the mail, or in person. Submission through non-electronic means involves downloading the paper form of the Annual Certificate, completing the form, and then emailing it or delivering it in person along with a check of 25 USD that Is payable to the Secretary of the State of Oklahoma to the address:
Oklahoma Secretary of State
421 NW 13th, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Note that non-electronic submission takes between 7 to 10 working days to be processed. Meanwhile, filing online takes a day or two to be processed.
The cost of the Annual Certificate in the State of Oklahoma is 25 USD only. However, it may even cost more if you fail to file the report on time, as it may result in your LLC having a “not in good standing” status and also the dissolution of your LLC. You’ll then have to spend money, time, and effort to reestablish the LLC.
Filing the Annual Certificate helps to make sure that your LLC is compliant with all state regulations. That should keep your LLC in good standing with the Oklahoma state government, ensuring that your business enjoys all the LLC benefits and protections.
Deadlines
If you’re a member (owner) of an Oklahoma LLC, you have to ensure that you send in these Annual Certificates on time. You can file your Annual Certificate starting 60 days before the deadline. The absolute deadline is the day your LLC was formed/approved by the State of Oklahoma. You can get to know this date by checking your certificate of formation or searching for your LLC name.
Your LLC’s first Annual Certificate is required for the year right after the LLC’s year of formation. For example, let’s assume your LLC was formed on January 27, 2021. Your first Annual Certificate will be due by January 27, 2022.
To keep you from forgetting, the state helpfully sends out reminder emails 60 days before the deadline date on the day your LLC was formed/approved. The reminder is a great step by the State, however, it is important that you set your own reminder to ensure that you do not forget.
Required Steps
It’s easy since you only have to go online. Here are the detailed steps you need to take to file your Oklahoma LLC Annual Certificate:
- Go to the Oklahoma Secretary of State Online filing webpage. You’ll have to create a new account on the system if you don’t have one.
- Log in to your account and click on the File Annual Certificate electronically on the Menu.
- Click on the Start New option on the page
- Input your LLC information as well as the payment information as you’ll be required to make a payment of the 25 USD filing fee that the State Charges for online filings which would be done with your Card.
- The next page will confirm that you’ve submitted your Annual Certificate for Filing and have made the payment.
Again, just make sure you do all this on or before the date your LLC was formed/approved. Your Annual Certificate will be processed immediately after submission. Your filing will be processed 1 or 2 working days after you have submitted your Annual Certificate.
Who Should Do This Task?
Basically, the right person to do the task is the person with access to the necessary information that must be included in the Annual Certificate. This can be a member or LLC officer. It can be someone that the LLC authorizes to file on its behalf.
Professional Assistance
It’s very possible that you can foist this task to professionals, such as the online service provider that helped you with the LLC formation procedure and provided you with its registered agent services. This may be part of a package (usually the medium or premium package), though it may be available as an extra service for a fee with the basic formation package.
This does save you a lot of time and tedium. Plus, you can concentrate on your business while the service deals with all the necessary report filing.
In addition, the service provider can maintain your privacy, as it will take care to submit only the absolutely required information. The privacy benefits may include the following:
- The service provider can list their contact information, so that you won’t have to file your residential address and personal smartphone number.
- The service provider will also list only their IP address. This limits the connection between your smartphone, personal PC, and LLC work computers. That way, advertisers can’t track you online.
- In case that the report asks for bank and credit card information (when the filing suddenly comes with a fee), then the service providers also furnish their own bank and credit card information. You still protect your own bank and credit card info.
An online service provider charges much more reasonable rates, compared to what a lawyer might charge. A reputable service provider can also file the Annual Certificate as soon as possible, so you can be sure that it won’t be late and your LLC won’t suffer any fines and penalties (such as dissolution). You can check our top brands such as ZenBusiness or Northwest Registered Agent.
There’s no uniform fee as to what a service provider will charge for filing the Oklahoma LLC Annual Certificate. The best brands in the business usually charge $100 or so.
Conclusion
If you’re the sole owner of the LLC and you have the time to spare, then it’s no trouble doing this yourself. The main risk is that you may make a mistake, by entering the wrong information or by pressing the wrong keys. A professional with extensive experience with this task will be very unlikely to make those mistakes.
Still, it’s all up to you. Just make sure you get the Annual Certificate filing done for the year!
