Mississippi is considered as one of the top tourism destinations in the United States and along with casino gambling has been instrumental in increasing revenues as well as economic gains for the state .These two industries have also witnessed a rise in the number of start-up companies in Mississippi especially in the resort towns of Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, and Biloxi and also in the Mississippi River towns of Greenville, Tunica Natchez, and Vicksburg. In fact, the state of Mississippi with $2.25 billion in gambling revenue is ranked sixth in the nation.

Business Growth Incentive for New Businesses

What makes Mississippi such a good destination for starting a new business? Today, Mississippi has a diverse industry base as it offers a strong transportation network and marketing advantages. Let’s look at some of the basic advantages that a start-up company in Mississippi can leverage on:

Advantage#1: The benefits of Incorporation or LLC formation

Corporation

• Tax Exemption Programs: One of the highlights of forming a corporation in Mississippi is that your business entity will be able to benefit from several tax incentives and exemption programs. The two top programs are Industrial Property Tax Exemption and Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit program.
• Independent life: When you register a new business in Mississippi as an S Corporation, it will enjoy an independent life. This means that the incapacitation or death of a stockholder will not have a negative impact on the business operations.
• Federal taxation: If you register a new company in Mississippi as an S corporation then the corporation or firm will not pay any income tax. Instead, each shareholder or owners in the company will be liable to pay tax on their personal tax return.

LLC

• Loan Programs: If you are planning to establish a startup company in Mississippi, you may require a certain amount of funding. Hence, the state has implemented several programs that will ensure you can benefit from loan amounts based on the industry, the type of business, and the location. Some of the top loan and funding programs include Capital Access Contract Loan Program, Agribusiness Enterprise Loan Program (ABE), and Minority Business Enterprise Loan Program (MBE) among others.
• Limited Liability: As an owner of a Mississippi LLC, you will be able to enjoy limited liability protection quite similar to what a corporation enjoys.
• Flexible Profit Distribution: A start-up company in Mississippi LLC has the benefit of being able to select different ways of distribution of profits unlike a partnership where the distribution is 50-50.

Advantage#2: Mississippi Business Incentives

Once you register a new company in Mississippi, there are several business incentives and programs that your company can benefit from. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular programs:

• Rural Economic Development (RED) Credits: This is a tax credit program that you can benefit from after you register a new business in Mississippi. These credits are available to those businesses that use industrial revenue bonds that have been issued by the Mississippi Business Finance Corporation (MBFC). Business entities that qualify for this tax credit program include manufacturers, data and information processing facilities, technology-intensive enterprises, distribution and warehouse facilities, and telecommunications enterprises.
• Sales and Use Tax Rebate for Tourism Projects: This is another beneficial program for businesses in the tourism industry. The program is being administered by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). The amount of rebate a business entity can derive is up to 80% of the amount of sales tax revenue collected from that business. Businesses that can qualify for this program include Tourist attractions like theme or water parks, Professional sports facilities, full service hotel, and much more.
• Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program: This is a program that is targeted at a start-up company in Mississippi that is located or planning to expand in the Health Care Zones of the state. The incentive that a business can derive through this program is a 10-year state income tax depreciation deduction as well as sales tax exemption for materials and equipment.

Are there any Disadvantages of Incorporating in Mississippi?

If you register a new company in Mississippi, are there any disadvantages? When it comes to tax or forming a business in Mississippi, there are no disadvantages. The only problems that businesses might face in the state are like limited life if you form an LLC and higher registration fee if you are a foreign LLC. It is important to note that the advantages of forming a business in the state are far more than the disadvantages.

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If you have incorporated a business in Mississippi or planning to form a small business in the state then it’s time to apply for a business license. In order to operate your business in Mississippi, business licenses, permits, and other professional licenses have to be obtained. The absence of a license or permit to operate a specific business can lead to heavy penalties and in some cases, closure of the business.

There are several types of businesses that require a permit or business license in Mississippi to become operational and at the same time, all businesses don’t require licenses issued by the state. There are certain licenses or permits that are handled at the city, county, or town level. This guide will provide an insight into the process of licensing in the state of Mississippi.

How to Get a Business License in Mississippi

Where and how do you apply for a company license in Mississippi? Are permits required for your business entity? Does the business entity require a single license or multiple permits or licenses? Who is the issuing authority for these licenses or permits? The only way to answer these questions is by understanding the process of business licensing.

The following steps will help you understand how to acquire a business license in the state of Mississippi and they are:

Step#1: The Industry and Business Operation

It is extremely important to identify the industry that your business is a part of. This will help you narrow down on the type of business license you require. It will also help you determine if you require a single license, multiple licenses, permits etc. Let’s look at an example to understand how the process works.

Food Services

If you have been planning to start a business that focuses on food services then the type of Mississippi company license will depend on the type of food service you choose. In the state of Mississippi, food business can be further categorized as:

• Retail: This type of food services includes Restaurants, Fast food, Catering Services, Bakeries and doughnuts, and Coffee shops among others.
• Manufactured: This type of food services includes Food processors, Food warehouses, Food vending companies, Re-packers, and Ice plants among others.
• Cottage Food: This type of business operation focuses on specific types of foods that is made in the kitchen or your private home and sold to customers. The types of approved food include Baked goods, candy, Dry baking mixes, Chocolate-covered nonperishable food, Granola, cereal, and trail mixes among others.
• Milk and Bottled Water (MBW): This business operation focuses on milk production, and the distribution of milk as well as milk products in the state of Mississippi.

Once you have identified the area or operation of your business, you can approach the right authorities for issuance of a business license or permit.

Step#2: Issuance of License

Who is responsible for issuance of Mississippi company license? What is the annual fee? Do I need to renew it? These are some of the important aspects to consider as licenses pertaining to different industries are issued by different government authorities. Let’s look at the above “Food Service” example to clearly understand this.

Business License Issuer – Mississippi State Department of Health

Type of License and Information

• The license or permit depends on the type of food services.
• If you plan to start a retail or manufactured food service then you will not require a business license. You will be issued a permit.

License or Permit Fee

The fee for an annual food permit varies according to the risk level associated with your facility. This risk is calculated during the plan review, and the Division of Food Protection will evaluate it on a yearly basis during facility inspection. The existing fee according to risk category are:

• Risk 1: $40.00
• Risk 2: $132.25
• Risk 3: $198.00
• Risk 4: $264.50

Validity of business license in Mississippi

• The Review of a completed application can take up to 30 days.
• The licenses expire annually and the due date is different for each type of business.

At the same time, it is important to note that not all type of business licenses in Mississippi are issued by the state as some are issued by the city or county. If you were to establish an amusement park or place of amusement in Jackson, MS, you would be required to apply for a license with the “Signs and License Division” of the City of Jackson.

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Why should you set up company in Mississippi? The state has one of the best business climates as the government has kept taxes low, strengthened existing infrastructure, brought innovation and advancement to workforce training programs. Today, the top industries in the state where businesses have experienced high levels of growth include Agriculture, Manufacturing, Services(hotels, private health care, repair shops, law firms, casino gaming), and Fishing.

Why Choose Mississippi for Incorporation?

Although Mississippi is home to a variety of industries, one of the largest is the tourism industry with food services and drinking establishments, casino and non-casino hotel, and motels being the key drivers of the $395.1 million revenue in 2016. Higher business incorporation in Mississippi travel and tourism industry has also bolstered employment in the state.

Now let’s take a look at some of the salient reasons that are responsible for fuelling growth of small businesses:

• Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ): One of the programs that businesses can benefit from post incorporation in Mississippi is the “Opportunity Zones Program”. If your business qualifies for this program then you can earn tax relief on the capital gains. You can check the designated Mississippi opportunity zones map here.
• Business Incentive Tax Credits: There are a variety of tax incentives that are available to small and medium sized enterprises after they set up company in Mississippi. These tax incentives can be categorized under the following:
  – Income tax incentives
  – Franchise tax incentives
  – Sales or Use tax incentives
  – Property tax incentives

How do you incorporate in Mississippi?

What is the process of incorporation in Mississippi? What type of documentation is required? These are some of the common questions that you will be confronted with if you are planning to start a new business in the state. The following steps will enable understanding of the entire process:

Business Type

The first step towards incorporation in Mississippi is choosing the type of business you want to form. You can form different types of businesses in the state including Limited Liability Companies, C and S Corporations, General Partnership (GP), Limited Partnership (LP), and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). If you choose to form an LLC or a Corporation then you need to identify if it will be a domestic or foreign entity. The forms and fee will be different for each type of entity.

Business Entity Name

One of the most important steps towards incorporation in Mississippi is naming your business entity. You have to start by identifying, searching, reserving, or registering the business entity name. There are 3 steps towards business name formation and they are:

• Naming Requirements: According to MS Code § 79-29-109 (2013) for LLC and MS Code § 79-4-4.01 (2013) for a business corporation, the name should contain the words “limited liability company”, “corporation”, “incorporated” or abbreviation like “LLC. “, “corp.”, and “inc.” The names should be distinguishable from existing names.
• Business name search: You need to search for a business name that is not in use currently. You can conduct name search here.
• Name Reservation: Once you have identified a business entity name, you have to reserve the name pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-4.02 (2013) for corporations and MS Code § 79-29-111 (2013) for a limited liability company. The name can be reserved for a period of 180 days.

Choose a Registered Agent

Whether you form a corporation or an LLC business entity, in order to transact business in the state of Mississippi, you will have to maintain a registered agent pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-5.01 (2013) and MS Code § 79-29-113 (2013). We are one of the respected registered agents in Mississippi and will be responsible for initiating incorporation in Mississippi through processing of your “Articles of Incorporation” for domestic entities and “Certificate of Authority” for foreign business entities.

Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

You will be required to submit “Articles of Incorporation” if your business is a domestic corporation and a “Certificate of Authority” if it is a foreign business entity. In order to streamline the process of incorporation in Mississippi, we can file documents on your behalf through the online process or through an expedited process.

Date Stamped Copies

As a part of the process of company incorporation in Mississippi, we will ensure, you receive date-stamped and filed copies that verifies the state has filed as well as formed your corporation.

Costs and Fees associated with Mississippi Incorporation

What would it cost to set up a company in Mississippi? Check Fees here!

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It is a good business decision to form a corporation in Mississippi because the state provides strong infrastructure and transportation. The economy of the state is also quite healthy with the GDP in quarter 1 of 2018 at $111,707 million. The contribution of various industries to the GDP of the state at the end of quarter 1 of 2018 was $114,330 million with the largest industry being real estate followed by ambulatory health care services.

How do you form a Mississippi business LLC or Corporation? There is a certain process that you will be required to follow for proper registration of your business in the state. We have provided a small guide to help you in getting an insight into the process.

If you feel overwhelmed by the process or require any information regarding company formation in Mississippi then we are there to help you! We are one of the top Mississippi registered agents and are familiar with all business processes pertaining to the state of Mississippi.

Mississippi LLC Registration and Formation

LLC company formation in Mississippi is governed by 2010 Mississippi Code, Chapter 29 – Mississippi Limited Liability Company Act. The procedure for registration and formation of LLC is as follows:

Step#1: Maintain a registered agent

If you are planning to form a Limited Liability Company in Mississippi then you will be required to continuously maintain a registered agent in Mississippi in the state pursuant to MS Code § 79-29-106 (2010). This law is applicable for domestic limited liability companies as well as foreign limited liability companies. We would take this opportunity to share with you the fact that we are one of the top registered agents in the state and have been responsible for over 11,494 businesses set up in Mississippi. We can assist you to form a Mississippi business LLC.

Step#2: LLC Name Reservation

One of the foremost steps towards company formation in Mississippi is identifying a name for your business entity. The process is as follows:

• Identify a name for your business entity
• According to MS Code § 79-29-104 (2010), you need to choose a name that contains the phrase or words “limited liability company” or the abbreviations “L.L.C.”, or “LLC”.
• The chosen name should be distinguishable and should not be deceptively similar to the name of any limited partnership, corporation, or limited liability company
• Apply for reservation of name pursuant to the provisions of MS Code § 79-29-105 (2010)
• Submit the form through mail or online with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State along with the applicable fee. An LLC can reserve its name for a period of 180 days.

Step#3: Certificate of Formation and Application for Registration

If you are planning to form an LLC in Mississippi then the most important step is to prepare and file the proper documents for a Limited Liability Company. The steps are:

• If you want to register a domestic LLC then you will be required to file “Certificate of Formation” governed by MS Code § 79-29-201 (2010).
• If your business entity is a foreign LLC then you will be required to file “Application for Registration” for a Foreign Limited Liability Company pursuant to MS Code § 79-29-1003 (2013).
• The application or documentation for registration of LLC can be filed with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State, through mail or online.

We can file the form on your behalf as your registered agent in the state and provide you with certified copies of the LLC registration.

In case, you have any questions regarding how to form a Mississippi business, feel free to call us on 702-871-8678.

Mississippi Corporation Registration and Formation

If you are planning to form a Corporation in Mississippi then the procedure for registration and formation is as follows:

Step#1: Maintain a Registered Agent

If you are planning to form a business or professional corporation in Mississippi then you will be required to continuously maintain a registered agent in the state pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-5.01 (2013). This law is applicable for domestic as well as foreign corporations. We would take this opportunity to share with you the fact that we are one of the top registered agents in the state and have been responsible for over 11,494 businesses set up in Mississippi. We can assist you to form a Mississippi business as we are in compliance with all regulations in the State of Mississippi.

Step#2: Corporate Name Reservation

In order to form a corporation in Mississippi, one of the key steps is identifying a name for your business entity. The process is as follows:

• Identify a name for your business entity
• According to MS Code § 79-4-4.01 (2013), a corporate name should contain the phrase or words “corporation”, “company”, “incorporated”, or the abbreviations “Corp.”, or “Inc.”
• The chosen name should be distinguishable and should not be deceptively similar to the name of any limited liability company, limited partnership, or corporation
• Apply for reservation of name pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-4.02 (2013).
• Submit the form through mail or online with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State along with the applicable fee. A Mississippi Corporation can reserve its name for a period of 180 days.

Step#3: Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

If you are planning to form a corporation in Mississippi, then the most important step is to prepare and file the proper documents for a business corporation. The steps are:

• If you want to register a domestic corporation then you will be required to file “Articles of Incorporation” pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-2.02 (2013).
• If your business entity is a foreign corporation then you will be required to file a “Certificate of Authority” to transact business in the state pursuant to MS Code § 79-4-15.03 (2013).
• The application or documentation for registration of a corporation can be filed with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State, through mail or online.

We can file the form on your behalf as your registered agent in the state and provide you with certified copies of the incorporation.

If you have any questions regarding Mississippi incorporation or LLC formation, you can simply visit the Mississippi Business formation page.

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Once your company is set up, you will need:

1. Tax ID (EIN) – free over the Internet or phone.
2. Yearly Requirements and Fees for Missouri companies – All corporations doing business in this state must file an annual registration report. The annual report is due at the end of the month that the corporation incorporated or qualified. If you file by US Mail, the cost is $45.00. If you file online, the cost is $20.00. LLCs do not file.
3. Company Minutes & Stock Certificates – are included in incorporation. You will have access to documents generated on your client account.

Missouri additional services

• Registered Agent
• Annual Report
• EIN (Tax ID)
• More Additional Services

• Why Missouri?
• Missouri Registered Agent
• Missouri Annual Requirements
• Missouri Corporation Statutes: Missouri Corporate Statutes: 351 (Corporation)