Business Registers in Kansas: Secretary of State

Overview

Kansas business registration runs through the Secretary of State (SOS), which maintains the official record of entities formed or registered to do business in the state. Searches and filings go through the SOS's online portal at sos.ks.gov.

The recurring compliance filing is called an Information Report, and it runs on a two-year cycle rather than annually. The schedule depends on the formation year. Entities formed in even-numbered years file in even-numbered years; those formed in odd-numbered years file in odd-numbered years. For-profit entities owe the report by April 15 of their respective filing year; nonprofits have until June 15. Missed deadlines open a three-month delinquency window, after which the entity forfeits and cannot file with the SOS until it reinstates and clears past-due reports.

Kansas has no state-level beneficial ownership register. At the federal level, the Corporate Transparency Act (2021) created a BOI registry run by FinCEN, but a March 2025 interim final rule lifted the obligation for all U.S. companies and U.S. persons. Only foreign reporting companies remain subject to it.

For KYB and AML work, the free SOS search returns an entity's status, resident agent, principal office, and officer names for corporations with a current Information Report on file. For LLCs, each member owning 5% or more of the capital must be named in the report, along with their address. Those disclosures are public record. Corporate shareholder structures are not publicly held at the SOS.

Official Registers

Secretary of State (Business Entity Database)

The SOS maintains the official register of business entities through its Business Entity Search. It records domestic and foreign corporations, LLCs, LLPs, limited partnerships, and business trusts.

Search and access. The Business Entity Search is free and needs no account. Search by entity name, Kansas SOS Business ID, or resident agent name. Each record shows the entity name, type, ID number, current status, resident agent name and registered office address, and principal office address. For corporations, officer names from the most recent Information Report are also visible.

Filings. Formation documents go in online or by mail. Articles of Incorporation for for-profit corporations cost $85 online ($90 by paper). Articles of Organization for LLCs cost $85 online ($90 by paper). Nonprofit corporations file Articles of Incorporation at $20. Online filings are processed within minutes; the certified copy can be printed immediately.

Certificates. Certificates of Good Standing and certified copies of filed documents are available from the SOS for a fee.

Registration and Publication Requirements

Corporations

All domestic and foreign for-profit corporations must register with the SOS and maintain a resident agent at a physical Kansas address.

Information Report. For-profit corporations file a biennial Information Report with the SOS by April 15 of their respective even or odd filing year. The filing fee is $90 online or $110 by paper. The report collects the entity name, principal office address, resident agent name and address, officer names and titles, the nature of business, and the names and SOS IDs of any Kansas-registered businesses in which the corporation holds majority ownership. Officers named in the report become part of the public record.

Missing the April 15 deadline begins a three-month delinquency period. After that, the corporation forfeits and cannot file documents with the SOS until reinstated and current on past-due reports.

Financial statements. There is no public financial disclosure requirement.

LLCs

All domestic and foreign LLCs must register with the SOS and maintain a resident agent in Kansas. Domestic formation costs $85 online ($90 by paper).

Information Report. LLCs file a biennial Information Report on the same even/odd schedule as corporations. For-profit LLCs are due by April 15; the filing fee is $90 online or $110 by paper. The report requires the name and address of each member who owns 5% or more of the capital. Those disclosures are part of the public SOS record.

Nonprofit corporations

Nonprofits file Articles of Incorporation with the SOS at $20. They also file a biennial Information Report, due by June 15 of their respective even or odd filing year. Federal 501(c) status comes from the IRS; the state filing doesn't grant it.

LLPs

LLPs register with the SOS and file a biennial Information Report to maintain good standing. The due date follows the same even/odd schedule; for-profit LLPs are due by April 15. A resident agent in Kansas is required.

Limited partnerships

Limited partnerships register with the SOS and file a biennial Information Report. A resident agent is required.

Business trusts

Domestic and foreign business trusts register with the SOS and are subject to the biennial Information Report requirement.

Sole proprietors and general partnerships

Sole proprietors, DBAs, assumed names, and trade names do not register with the SOS and do not appear in the business database. General partnerships without a formal registered structure are also not in the SOS record.

Summary table

With Topograph

Topograph queries Kansas's Secretary of State system to return structured company data for entities registered in the state.

Available Data

Company Profile

• Kansas SOS Business ID
• Entity name
• Entity type and state of formation
• Current status
• Resident agent name and address
• Principal office address

Officers

• Names of officers as most recently reported in the Information Report (corporations)

Available Documents

For LLCs, members owning 5% or more of the capital are named in the Information Report, which is public record. Corporate shareholder structures are not publicly held at the SOS. Financial statements aren't filed publicly in Kansas. Domestic companies are also exempt from federal BOI reporting following the March 2025 FinCEN rule.

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