In September, Missouri had the steepest annual rise in new entities among tracked U.S. jurisdictions, while the nationwide total reached a September record, Registered Agents Inc. said.
The company counted 562,579 filings, 13.7% more than the previous September high of 494,646, recorded in 2025. The total was 0.3% above August. From January through September, filings reached 5.31 million, a 16% increase from the same period last year.
Missouri recorded 16,458 formations, 83% more than in September 2025. Utah had 11,619, up 82.5%, and Maryland recorded 8,261, a 77.8% gain. In all, 44 of the 51 jurisdictions in the report posted year-over-year increases.
The volume leaders differed from the fastest-growing jurisdictions. Florida had the most filings, at 56,040, although its total fell 5.2% from a year earlier. Texas followed with 45,841, up 18.9%, and California recorded 41,930, up 4.6%.
Registered Agents Inc. said the timing of Missouri’s increase coincided with a state capital-gains tax change, but its report does not establish that the policy caused the rise. The Missouri Department of Revenue says individuals may deduct 100% of federally reported capital gains when calculating Missouri adjusted gross income, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Registered Agents Inc. said the deduction may benefit owners of pass-through entities who realize gains by selling a business or ownership stake. Molly Cavanah, the company’s vice president of revenue growth and data, called September another record-breaker.
The company counts entities filed with state secretary of state offices or equivalent agencies, including those that may never apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or hire workers. The Census Bureau released separate September 2026 Business Formation Statistics on Oct. 14. Its series uses EIN applications to track business applications, payroll records to identify actual employer formations, and models to estimate projected formations. The measures cover different populations, and Registered Agents Inc. says state reporting schedules vary and totals may be revised.
The Census Bureau’s October 2026 Business Formation Statistics release is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. ET.
