Do you own a limited liability company (LLC) created in a state other than Kansas, but you want to expand your business to the Sunflower State? If so, you’ll need to qualify your foreign LLC in order to transact business in Kansas.
What is a foreign qualification and how do foreign LLCs function within the state of Kansas? In this guide, we’ll answer these questions and more.

Rocket Tip: If you’d rather hire an online service to handle this process for you, many of the best LLC services can handle it for you.
What Is a Foreign Qualification?
A foreign qualification enables your limited liability company to do business in the state of Kansas. It doesn’t matter which state you originally formed your business in ― or in other words, the state your domestic LLC is located in ― as the qualification process to register a foreign LLC in Kansas is the same regardless of where your domestic LLC is based.
The confusion surrounding foreign qualification usually centers on what it means to “do business” in a state outside of your primary state. This gets especially problematic considering some states don’t strictly define what it means to transact business in that state. However, Kansas state law does not define exactly what qualifies as “doing business in the state.”
What Qualifies as ‘Doing Business’ in Kansas
There is no set definition of doing business in Kansas, so each business is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In general (but with certain exceptions), you’ll need to form a foreign LLC in Kansas if your business pursues one or more of the following activities in this state:
What Does NOT Qualify as ‘Doing Business’ in Kansas
Kansas Statute 17-7932 lists the following activities that do not qualify as “doing business” in the state:
How to Get Foreign Qualification in Kansas
If you want to foreign qualify your LLC in Kansas, you’ll need to file an Application for Registration of Foreign Covered Entity with the Secretary of State. This application will allow you to obtain a Certificate of Authority to conduct business in Kansas. The form will require the following information:
Filing Fee: $115 (Corporation), $165 (LLC/Limited Partnership), or $250 (Series LLC), with checks made payable to the “Secretary of State.”
What Is the Penalty for Not Getting Foreign Qualification in Kansas?
There are three major penalties for failing to qualify a foreign LLC in Kansas. First, you cannot bring a lawsuit against a third party in Kansas. Second, the state attorney general can bring a case to prevent you from doing any further business in the state. And third, you will be liable for any fees and penalties for the full period of time that your business operated in the state without a Certificate of Authority.
Should I Hire a Business Service Provider to File My Kansas Foreign Qualification?
If you don’t want to handle your foreign qualification on your own, you have options. Some entrepreneurs choose to hire a lawyer to prepare and file their Certificate of Authority, which can be a good option if you’re concerned about getting the job done right. However, attorney’s fees can be quite expensive.
The other option is to hire a business service provider like Incfile or ZenBusiness to register your foreign LLC with the state of Kansas.
These companies can typically get your foreign qualification done for a fraction of the price of an attorney. This is our preferred route if you don’t want to go with the DIY option.
Conclusion
The process for getting a foreign qualification in the state of Kansas isn’t particularly complicated compared to some other states. It just involves a two-page form and a processing fee. However, you will need to contact the proper authorities in your state of formation to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing. Kansas’s rules and regulations regarding which LLCs need to foreign qualify are considerably looser than many states. Nonetheless, this is not a process that can be overlooked, because the penalties for not qualifying a foreign LLC in Kansas can be severe ― especially if your business is forbidden from operating in Kansas.
We hope this article managed to answer your questions about obtaining a Kansas foreign qualification, and we wish you a prosperous business future!