A short list of LLC terms

The words you will meet when you file. One line each, more on the term page.

Charter Simple editors Updated November 13, 2026

All terms

Annual report: A periodic update of address, agent and managers.
Articles of organization: The filing that creates the LLC once the state approves it. It names the company, the agent and the filer.
Certificate of good standing: A paper from the formation state saying the LLC exists and is current. Many states ask for one at registration.
EIN: Employer Identification Number. A nine-digit IRS number that identifies the business for federal tax.
Foreign LLC: To a state, any LLC organized elsewhere is foreign once it starts operating there.
Foreign registration: The second-state filing for an existing LLC. It has a fee of its own and needs a local agent.
Member: The LLC word for an owner.
Minimum LLC tax: Some states tax every LLC a minimum each year, regardless of profit.
Operating agreement: The owners' agreement on how the LLC runs and who owns what. It stays in company records and is usually not filed.
Organizer: The filer named on the formation document. Not necessarily an owner.
Publication requirement: Several states ask a newly formed LLC to run an announcement in a local newspaper and then send the state proof that it appeared. The step comes after formation, and the lists below name the states that use it along with their own wording.
Registered agent: The person or company your LLC names to accept lawsuits and official state mail, using a street address in the state.
Registered office: The physical address on file for the LLC's legal papers.
Service of process: The formal delivery of a lawsuit or other court papers. The registered agent accepts it for the LLC.
Statutory agent, resident agent and other names: The other titles states use for a registered agent. The job is the same: accept legal papers and notices for the LLC.