Form a corporation in Alaska

Q: How much does it cost to incorporate in Alaska?

The state filing fee is $250, plus the required $50 per year (or $100 two-year) business license. Realistic first-year state cost is around $300 before optional services.

Incorporate in Alaska with confidence – CountSure manages your Articles of Incorporation, the in-state principal office and business license, and biennial compliance. The in-state office rule most out-of-state founders miss.

Requirements, costs & steps for an incorporate in Alaska

Incorporating in Alaska gives you a formal entity with directors, officers, and stock in one of the few states with no income or sales tax. Alaska has a couple of rules that set it apart: your corporation’s principal office must be inside the state, and you’ll need a state business license before operating. This guide covers the cost, the filing steps, and ongoing compliance. To compare structures first, read our LLC vs. corporation guide, or let our Alaska incorporation service file it all for you.

What you need to know?

Filing fee:

$250 for Articles of Incorporation, filed with the Alaska Division of Corporations.

In-state principal office:

Alaska requires a corporation’s principal office to be located inside the state.

State business license:

Required before transacting business - $50/yr or $100/2yr.

Directors:

At least one; no residency or age requirement; not required to be named in the Articles.

Biennial Report:

$100 every two years, due January 2; first (Initial) report is free within 6 months.

Alaska corporation at a glance

The essentials for incorporating and maintaining an Alaska corporation.

Requirement	Detail (2026)
Formation document	Articles of Incorporation
Filing agency	Alaska Division of Corporations (DCCED)
State filing fee	$250
Principal office	Must be located in Alaska
Registered agent	Required; physical Alaska address
Directors	Min. 1; no residency/age rule; not listed in Articles
State business license	Required; $50/yr or $100/2yr
Initial Report	Within 6 months - no fee
Biennial Report	$100, due January 2 every two years
Corporate income tax	Graduated, up to ~9.4%; no personal income/sales tax

How to incorporate in Alaska, Step by Step

Seven steps from name check through your first Initial Report.

Choose a compliant corporate name

The name must be distinguishable from existing or reserved Alaska names and may carry a corporate designation. Search the Division of Corporations database, and optionally reserve for 120 days.

Appoint a registered agent and set your Alaska principal office

Alaska requires a registered agent with a physical in-state address AND your corporation’s principal office inside the state. CountSure can serve as your registered agent.

File Articles of Incorporation

File online (posts immediately) or by mail with the $250 fee. You’ll provide the corporate name, registered agent, NAICS code, authorized stock, and any alien-affiliate disclosure.

Get your Alaska business license

Obtain the state business license ($50/yr or $100/2yr) before transacting business.

Hold an organizational meeting and adopt bylaws

Appoint directors/officers, adopt bylaws (required but not filed), and authorize stock issuance; keep minutes in your corporate records.

Issue stock and get an EIN

Document share issuance, obtain a free EIN, and – if desired – file IRS Form 2553 for S-corp treatment.

File your Initial Report (within 6 months)

Free; then the $100 Biennial Report is due every two years on January 2.

Naming & Member Requirements

Alaska keeps director rules light but adds an in-state office requirement and a NAICS/alien-affiliate disclosure in the Articles. Here’s what to get right.

Ongoing Alaska corporation Compliance & Taxes

Corporate records

Keep a shareholder list, bylaws, books of account, and minutes of director and shareholder meetings at your principal place of business in Alaska. Alaska corporations must hold annual shareholder meetings unless waived by unanimous written consent or the bylaws.

Initial and Biennial Reports

File a free Initial Report within 6 months, then a $100 Biennial Report by January 2 every two years. Only the president or vice president may sign the biennial report; filing extensions are not permitted.

Corporate income tax

Alaska levies a graduated corporate income tax (up to roughly 9.4%) on C-corporations, but no personal income tax and no statewide sales tax.

S corporation election

Alaska recognizes the federal S-corporation election; income generally passes through to shareholders.

EIN and state tax ID

An EIN is required to hire and bank. Register with the Alaska Department of Revenue only for taxes that apply to your activity.

Alaska incorporation Cost Breakdown

The full picture before optional services.

Item	Cost (2026) · paid to
Articles of Incorporation	$250 · Division of Corporations (one-time)
State business license	$50/yr or $100/2yr · Division of Business Licensing
Initial Report	$0 · within 6 months of formation
Biennial Report	$100 · every two years (Jan 2)
Name reservation (optional)	~$25 · 120-day hold
Registered agent (optional)	~$50-$300/yr · CountSure / third party
EIN	$0 · IRS (free)

Insight From Our Team

“Alaska’s in-state principal office rule catches a lot of out-of-state founders – you can’t just incorporate here for the no-tax headline and run everything from the Lower 48 without a real Alaska footprint and registered agent. When clients genuinely operate in Alaska, the no-income-tax, no-sales-tax environment is excellent; when they don’t, we usually steer them to incorporate where they actually do business and avoid paying twice.”

Parth Shah
CountSure

Related Guides & Services

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to incorporate in Alaska?

The state filing fee is $250, plus the required $50/year (or $100/two-year) business license. Realistic first-year state cost is around $300 before optional services.

Does my Alaska corporation need an in-state office?

Yes. Alaska requires a corporation’s principal office to be located inside the state, in addition to a registered agent with an Alaska address.

How many directors does an Alaska corporation need?

At least one, with no maximum. There’s no residency or age requirement, and directors don’t have to be named in the Articles.

How often does an Alaska corporation file a report?

Every two years. The $100 Biennial Report is due January 2 of your cycle year; the first (Initial) report is free and due within six months of incorporating.

Does Alaska recognize S-corporation status?

Yes. Alaska honors the federal S-corp election, with income generally passing through to shareholders.

The applicable legal fees may vary over time. For the most up-to-date fee information, please click here to verify the latest figures.

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Start your Incorporate in Alaska with CountSure

From Articles of Incorporation and your in-state office setup to the business license, bylaws, stock, EIN, and biennial reminders, CountSure handles Alaska incorporation start to finish.