Oklahoma Secretary of State

The office of the Secretary of State is held by the Oklahoma Constitution’s requirements. To clarify, the latter requires the appointee to be an Oklahoma resident, at least 31 years old, and an habitant of the USA for 10 years.

The Oklahoma Secretary of State (SOS) is claimed by law to verify the governor’s signature and to record all the official acts of the Governor. The SOS also has to attest and hand out the proclamations, executive orders, and appointments that the Governor has signed and issued.

Start an LLC in Oklahoma

Before starting your LLC, the first step to take is finding a name for it.

Choose a Name for Your Oklahoma LLC

When searching for a business name, remember that you must correspond with Oklahoma LLC naming guidelines. In case the Secretary of State rejects your company name, your whole LLC filing will be denied. So, you must start the entire process over, which takes a lot of effort and time.

It is important to find a unique name that shows people who you are and what you offer. For both official and marketing reasons, your new company’s name should be different from other business names in the filings of the Oklahoma SOS. 

Conduct an Oklahoma Business Name Search

Complete a list of possible names and then follow the rules for looking up business names on the Oklahoma Business Entity Search webpage. To gather more results and to be sure the name is not too close to another company, just add some key parts of it.

Another way to check the availability of your preferred business name is to call the Secretary of State at (405) 522-2520.

Oklahoma LLC Name Requirements

It is also important to choose a proper “indicator” for your business’s name showing that it is an LLC. So, you must provide some alteration of “limited liability company” as the name’s suffix. 

To explain, you can end your business’s name with the full version or shorten it to “Limited Company”, or apply the L.L.C., LLC, LC, or L.C. abbreviations.  Also, the abbreviation “Ltd.” can stand for the word ‘limited’  and “Co” for the word “company”.

Additionally, there should not be any words that can make it sound as if it is a government agency. The appropriate agency must approve using certain words relating to banking and particular certified professions.

Reserving an LLC Name

In case you are not ready to legally register your LLC but don’t want anyone else to take your business name, Oklahoma lets you keep your company name for 60 days. So, you just need to pay a small fee and file an application for a reservation either online or by mail.

Appoint a Registered Agent in Oklahoma

Your next step is to appoint a registered agent for the LLC. An Oklahoma registered agent is an individual or entity liable for getting legal and certain official notices on behalf of the company (like a notice of a lawsuit against the company).

The registered agent has to be present during regular business hours at a registered office that you choose. The office may not be your place of business, but it has to be a physical street address in the state.  

File Oklahoma Articles of Organization

After appointing an agent, you have to submit and file your Articles of Organization with the OK SOS. Once accepted, the Oklahoma Articles of Organization make your LLC legal. 

Apply for an EIN

For forming your LLC, you need to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Every OK LLC (that is single-member, without employees) must have this nine-digit number. 

EINs are used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to recognize businesses. The versions of FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) or FTIN (Federal Tax Identification Number) may also be available now. The EIN is used for financial and tax documentation (like hiring new employees or recording taxes). Most banks claim one for opening a corporate bank account.

You may obtain your LLC’s EIN through the IRS website, by mail, or by fax.

Apply for Business Licenses

After you get your EIN, check if your new LLC needs any permits or licenses. You can do it by visiting the webpage of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Business Licensing and Operating Requirements.

Licenses or permits may be on the local, federal, and state levels. There are also industry-specific permits. Unluckily, no one can tell you whether your business has every permit it needs. So, you must research yourself to guarantee you have covered all the bases. 

State of Oklahoma Business Licensing

The primary state-level license in OK is the sales tax license (also referred to as a seller’s permit). This is the document that allows you to sell services or products. 

You have to get a sales tax license in case you:  

• operate a business in Oklahoma,

• plan to sell or rent a tangible personal property and provide services that are subject to sales tax.

How Much Does a Business License Cost in Oklahoma?

For registering for an Oklahoma sales tax permit, you need to pay $20 (plus $10 for every additional business location). The other business licenses’ costs vary.