Everything You Need to Know to File Timely Annual Reports | Harbor Compliance BlogHarbor Compliance Blog

Updated March 2022

Annual reports are entity information updates due to the secretary of state on a predetermined, scheduled basis according to the statutes and rules of each state. Business entities, such as LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits, must file annual reports to maintain good standing.

While the reports themselves are often not complex, it can be challenging to remember to file them on time as there is little consistency across jurisdictions. Even filing for a handful of states can become cumbersome if you don’t stay on top of each specific deadline.

Organizations operating in multiple states often benefit from recruiting outside help to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of your filings.

Annual Report Requirements

Annual reports are designed to provide your state with the most current information about your business–including any changes since the last filing period. Details typically included on an annual report include:

Your primary business address
The purpose of your business
The names and addresses of your members or managers
Your registered agent’s information

Did you know that many states allow businesses to change their registered agent directly on the report? This results in time savings and fewer filing fees for organizations considering a change. Filing accurate reports to your state is critical to protecting your business and keeping it in good standing.

It is also important to note that states frequently update their annual reporting requirements. For example, businesses in Maryland are now required to record their total number of directors and total number of female directors. Consider securing assistance with your filings to stay on top of your annual reporting requirements.

Annual Report Deadlines

In most states, secretary of state reports are due annually. However, a few are due every other year (biennially) or even less frequently, such as Pennsylvania’s decennial reports, submitted every 10 years. Deadlines also vary based on entity type and whether the entity is domestic or foreign (out-of-state).

Some states set their deadlines on a single calendar date, while others base the annual deadline on an organization’s initial registration date. For example, an LLC that forms in New Jersey on January 15, 2022 has a first report deadline of January 31, 2023.

There are often other variables to consider, as well. For example:

In Colorado, reports are due annually within three months, starting the first day of the incorporation anniversary month.
In Iowa, reports are due biennially, with deadlines of April 1 of even-numbered years for corporations and April 1 of odd-numbered years for LLCs and nonprofits.
The deadline for nonprofits operating in New Hampshire comes around once every five years. Their subsequent filing will be due on December 31, 2025.

Additionally, some states require an initial report, which is usually due shortly after filing incorporation or qualification documents.

Filing deadlines occur throughout the year, but the deadlines in many states fall during the first quarter. Companies in multiple states will need to submit reports for each. Because of this, they generally have a more demanding filing workload before May 1—and may seek to recruit help from outside providers.

Small businesses and nonprofits tracking deadlines on their own should pay particular attention. In all cases, maintaining annual report compliance requires ongoing attention and internal resources. This is why it’s important to consider securing assistance with your annual report filings.

Our Ultimate 50-State Annual Report Guide

Our 50-State Annual Report Guide includes the filing deadlines and state fee information you need, compiled in an easy-to-use chart. You can see requirements for corporations, LLCs, and nonprofits in a few clicks, as well as variables for domestic and foreign entities. The guide also includes helpful links to references, including state entity databases and statutes.

Harbor Compliance Provides 100% On-Time, Error-Free Filing

Our Managed Annual Report Service fully automates due date tracking and annual report filing across your states and entities. With online ordering, you can instantly engage a solution for report management, bringing you unparalleled time savings and convenience.

Many clients turn to us for annual report filing to eliminate the hassle and risks of tracking yearly due dates and requirements. Our team of registration specialists will file your reports, and the Client Portal provides status updates in real-time—so you can focus on tasks that are more pressing to your business.

With Harbor Compliance as your partner in annual report compliance, you enjoy a suite of services to register and restore companies to good standing, including:

Purpose-built compliance software- Entity Manager connects with secretary of state databases to provide accurate reporting on your organization’s status.
Thorough entity status analysis- We review and confirm your entity registration status when you sign up.
Simplified company data entry- Enter your company information a single time through our secure, web-based information form. We apply this information across all filings throughout the year.
Consolidated billing- No need to have separate payment accounts for each state. We handle the legwork with convenient online ordering.
Expedited filing options- As an additional service, we offer hand-delivery of filings to secretary of state offices, where available. We often receive confirmation from the state the same or the next day.

Harbor Compliance award-winning compliance software organizes licenses, registration, records, and more while automating repeated tasks in a single user-friendly portal. This year, don’t struggle to meet your filing deadlines. Instead, hand off annual report management to the experts while enjoying the savings, convenience, and peace of mind that comes with our all-in-one service.

Harbor Compliance does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. Use of our services does not create an attorney-client relationship. Harbor Compliance is not acting as your attorney and does not review information you provide to us for legal accuracy or sufficiency.