A Minnesota business also may organize as a limited liability company. A limited liability company elects to be treated for tax purposes as a sole proprietorship (disregarded entity), partnership, or corporation. A limited liability company may have one or more members. As described further in the section on tax considerations in choosing the form of organization, organizers of Minnesota limited liability companies have some flexibility with respect to the federal income tax treatment of such entities due to the Treasury Regulations on entity classification. These Regulations appear in 26 C.F.R. § 301.7701-1 et. seq. A limited liability company with more than one member may choose to be taxed as a partnership or a corporation. In either event, the limited liability company must obtain both federal and state tax identification numbers, even if it has no employees.

A limited liability company with only one member may be taxed as a corporation or as a sole proprietorship. A limited liability company that chooses to be taxed as a sole proprietorship generally does not obtain a federal or state tax identification number unless it has employees in which case it will obtain tax ID numbers and use them to remit unemployment taxes. Business income and losses of the limited liability company that chooses to taxed as a partnership or as a sole proprietorship may be passed through to the owners of the business. The income of a limited liability company that chooses to taxed as a partnership or as a sole proprietorship is included in the taxable income of the member or members and taxed at the owner’s individual tax rate. Like a corporation, a liability for business debts and obligations generally rests with the entity rather than with the individual owners. A limited liability company is not subject to many of the restrictions that apply to S corporations. All members of a limited liability company may participate in the active management of the company without risking loss of limited personal liability. It is managed by a board of governors and an active manager.