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Swyft Filings is committed to providing accurate, reliable information to help you make informed decisions for your business. That's why our content is written and edited by professional editors, writers, and subject matter experts. Learn more about how Swyft Filings works, our editorial team and standards, what our customers think of us, and more on our trust page.
Should you form your corporation in South Dakota? We've collected the relevant information that will help you make this decision.
Pros
No state taxes
Low cost of living
Among "Best States for Business" (Forbes 2016)
Cons
Geographical distance from coasts
Sparse population
Cost of doing business
$150 filing fee / $50 annual report
Privacy
Directors must be listed in periodic report
Forming your corporation in South Dakota
The name In order to communicate to the public that your new business is incorporated, its official name will need to end with one of the following signifiers (or a relevant abbreviation): “incorporated”, “Company”, “limited” or “corporation.” In addition, it is required that the name of your business is not intentionally misleading to consumers, for any reason. Your company’s new name must also be completely unique, and not deceptively similar to any other organizations name or trademarks. Do a FREE name search now.
Board of directors requirements You will need to form an official board of directors when incorporating in South Dakota. Here are the states explicit regulations regarding these directors:
Required number of directors
South Dakota corporations must have at least one director listed in their incorporation documents.
Age restrictions
Directors of corporations located in South Dakota can be of any age.
Residence restrictions
There are no residence restrictions imposed on the directors of C corporations in South Dakota. However, S corporations are only allowed to have directors located in the United States.
What information needs to be included in the Articles of Incorporation?
South Dakota does not require the names or addresses of directors to be disclosed in incorporation documents.
Requirements for the Articles of Incorporation
The Articles of Incorporation is a document that must be filed during the incorporation process in every state. Here is the information that must be included in this document when filing in South Dakota:
Stock information South Dakota requires the number of initial shares outstanding, and their par value, to be disclosed during the incorporation process. The number of outstanding shares does not affect initial state filing fees.
Officer information The state of South Dakota does not require officer information to be disclosed during the filing process.
Registered agent information All South Dakota corporations must have a registered agent on file, and submit their name and address (which cannot be a PO box). This agent will be required to be accessible during standard business hours, and act as the state’s point of contact with the company. Learn more about registered agents.
If your business is a professional practice Professional service corporations are permitted to form under the professional corporation (PC) structure.
Corporate record keeping requirements
Corporations are required to keep formal documentation regarding several of their operations. These are the explicit record keeping formalities required by South Dakota:
A copy of the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, and their amendments
Records that detail the owners and class of all outstanding stock shares
The business address and names of all officers and directors
Formal, in-depth documentation of all stock related resolutions
A permanent record of meeting minutes for all shareholder and director meetings
A copy of all written communications with shareholders within the previous three years
A copy of the corporation’s most recent annual report
Formal documentation of all director and shareholder decisions, regardless of if they were made during a meeting or not.
South Dakota corporate taxation and fee requirements
There are several tax and fee requirements that must be addressed by corporations in South Dakota. They are as follows:
Taxation All states have complex taxation requirements. For more information regarding taxes in South Dakota, it is advised that you visit the state’s official business related website.
Annual report requirements Corporations in South Dakota are required to file an annual report during the company’s anniversary month. There is a $50 fee associated with this process. Learn more about annual reports.
Tax identification numbers South Dakota requires an EIN (employee identification number) for all corporations that will have employees, and most banks will require one to open accounts. South Dakota does not require corporations to obtain state tax ID numbers. Learn more about EINs.
Business license requirements
The business licenses and permits required in South Dakota vary wildly depending on the county or municipality in which your new corporation is located. If you would like to see more in-depth information on licenses and permits, please feel free to visit the content in our learning library that covers business licenses and permits.
S corporation election South Dakota does not require a state-level S corp election, as they recognize any elections held at the federal level.
Need a South Dakota LLC instead? Click here.
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