Kansas Forfeited Business: How to Reinstate an LLC or Corporation and What It Costs

A Kansas LLC or corporation that misses its biennial Information Report, or that loses its resident agent, is forfeited. A forfeited business cannot file anything else with the Kansas Secretary of State until it is reinstated. This guide shows you how to check your status, which form to file, what an LLC reinstatement costs by the number of missed reports, and which other accounts to check before you assume the business is back in good standing.

Informational only: this guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Forfeiture can affect contracts, bank accounts, licenses and tax accounts. For a complicated situation, talk to a Kansas business attorney or a CPA before you file.

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What forfeiture means in Kansas

Kansas calls the registered agent a resident agent. The resident agent must be an individual, a business registered in Kansas, or the entity itself. The registered office must be a Kansas street address where the resident agent can regularly be present. A PO box does not qualify. A business is forfeited in either of two cases:

It misses an Information Report, and the report stays unfiled past the three-month delinquency window that follows the April 15 due date.
It fails to keep an active resident agent and registered office, for example after the agent resigns or moves, or after the address changes without an update.

Kansas uses a biennial Information Report, not an annual report. LLCs and corporations file every two years by April 15. A business formed in an even year reports in each succeeding even year, and a business formed in an odd year reports in each succeeding odd year. The fee for each report is $90.

Step 1: Check your status before you file

Do this first. The answers decide which form you file and which fee table applies.

Search the entity in Business Search. Look for the forfeited status and the forfeiture date, and confirm the legal structure: LLC, corporation, or not-for-profit. Use the Kansas Secretary of State Business Search.
Count the missed reports. Work out which report years were skipped. An LLC can owe up to five past-due reports, which covers the last 10 years.
Run the Business Name Availability search. It shows whether another entity holds the name now. If one does, you may not be able to reinstate under the same name (see the name section below).

How to reinstate an LLC in Kansas and what it costs

LLCs, LLPs and LPs reinstate on Form RL, Certificate of Reinstatement (Rev. 6/12/26). You file it together with every past-due Information Report, which for an LLC is Form ILC. The LLC total has three parts: a $35 filing fee, an $85 penalty, and $110 for each past-due report.

Past-due reports	Filing fee	Penalty	Report charges	Total
1	$35	$85	$110	$230
2	$35	$85	$220	$340
3	$35	$85	$330	$450
4	$35	$85	$440	$560
5 (maximum)	$35	$85	$550	$670

A business forfeited only for a resident agent lapse may leave off the $85 penalty. Ask the Secretary of State which rule applies to you before you pay.

Check the report charge. The standard Information Report fee is $90, but the reinstatement schedule charges $110 for each past-due report. Ask the Secretary of State what the difference covers, so you pay the right amount.

Corporations and not-for-profits: Form RR

Corporations and business trusts revive on Form RR, Certificate of Revival. Each past-due Information Report goes in with the form. Not-for-profits also use Form RR, but their costs are different:

Not-for-profit: a $20 revival fee plus an $80 report, for $100 total. No penalty applies, and only one reporting year is required.
For-profit corporation: this guide does not have a confirmed revival fee or penalty for for-profit corporations. The corporate report fee is $90 per report, but confirm the revival and penalty charges with the Secretary of State before you pay. Do not assume the LLC table applies.

How to file the reinstatement

The Secretary of State lists reinstatement as paper forms. Ask whether any part can be filed through the Secretary of State's online business services before you mail anything. Other online filings process within minutes, but this guide cannot confirm that reinstatement works the same way. You can reach the Business Services online filing login to ask. Paper filings are processed by mail from the Topeka office. This guide has no published turnaround for reinstatements, so ask when you call.

Gather the forfeiture date, the list of missed report years, and a Kansas street address for the resident agent.
Complete Form RL (LLC) or Form RR (corporation or not-for-profit), and one report for each missed year.
Confirm the total with the Secretary of State, then pay by the method the form lists.
Mail the package to the Secretary of State. Use the address on the current form, not an address from an older template or article.
Keep the confirmation with your records, and ask when the reinstatement takes effect. Until then, the business cannot file anything else.

Reinstate or form a new entity?

Reinstating keeps the same entity and its filing history. Forming a new LLC costs the $85 filing fee for Articles of Organization, and a name reservation costs $35 for 120 days if you want to hold a name while you set up. A new entity is a separate legal person. Contracts, permits and licenses in the old name may not move to it automatically, so have an attorney or CPA review that choice before you decide.

Check your other accounts before you assume you are back in business

Reinstating with the Secretary of State does not reset your other accounts. Ask each of these whether your account or license lapsed during the forfeiture:

Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR): your sales tax permit, withholding account, and any other tax account. Registration for Kansas business taxes is free. Start at the KDOR business registration page, and find general business tax information at ksrevenue.gov/business.
Licensing agencies: Kansas has no general statewide business license. Registering with the Secretary of State is a filing, not a license. Licenses are issued by agency or trade. The Kansas Department of Agriculture handles food, pesticides and pet animals. KDHE handles child care and home health. KDOR handles liquor, cigarettes and dealers. The Kansas Corporation Commission handles motor carriers and oil and gas. The Attorney General handles roofing. KREC handles real estate. The cosmetology and barbering boards, among others, handle their trades. Ask each agency directly.
Cities and counties: Kansas has 105 counties and 624 cities. Every incorporated place is legally a city, so there are no towns or villages. Your city or county may tie local permits or occupational licenses to the entity, so ask there too. Kansas has no statewide general contractor, electrician, plumber or HVAC license. Cities and counties issue those licenses.
Which Kansas City: Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri are different cities in different states. Only Kansas City, Missouri has a city earnings tax, so confirm which city you deal with before you pay anything.

If the name is taken

If the Business Name Availability search shows that another entity holds your name, you may not be able to reinstate under the same name. An LLC name must contain L.L.C., L.C., LLC, LC, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY or LIMITED COMPANY, and the Secretary of State checks it against registered entities. A name reservation costs $35 and holds a name for 120 days. It is a separate filing from reinstatement, so ask the Secretary of State whether it fits your situation.

Kansas has no state-level DBA filing. If the business operates under a trade name, check city and county requirements. You can protect a mark through the Secretary of State's trademark and service mark registration.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using the LLC fee table for a corporation or not-for-profit.
Filing only the most recent report. Every past-due report goes in with the form.
Letting the resident agent lapse again. Update the resident agent or registered office whenever the name or address changes.
Assuming reinstatement fixes tax, sales permit or license status.
Paying a fee you have not confirmed with the Secretary of State.

When to get professional help

Talk to a Kansas attorney or CPA before you file if the business has open contracts, debts, employees, or a sales tax account, or if it kept operating while forfeited. A tax professional can also help you decide between reinstating, dissolving, or starting a new entity. For general help with business planning, the Kansas Small Business Development Center is a good starting point.

Official resources

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Confirm every fee and deadline with the agency before you pay or file, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA about your situation.