Free LLC Operating Agreement Templates (2026)
These LLC operating agreement templates are built directly from the same clause structure covered throughout this site — free to download, editable in Word, and organized so you can fill in the bracketed fields and be done. One version for single-member LLCs, one for multi-member LLCs, since the two genuinely need different provisions.
These LLC operating agreement templates are free Word documents (.docx) covering the core provisions every operating agreement needs: formation and purpose, capital contributions, profit and loss allocation, management structure, voting thresholds, transfer restrictions, dissolution, and signatures. The single-member template is simplified for solo owners, including a succession planning clause. The multi-member template adds an ownership percentage table, voting thresholds for major decisions, a right of first refusal on transfers, and a buy-sell provision for triggering events like death, divorce, or bankruptcy. Neither template is legally required to be filed with the state — both are internal documents for your own records and your bank.
- Cost
- Free
- File format
- Microsoft Word (.docx)
- Filed with the state?
- No — internal document only
- Single-member version included?
- Yes
- Multi-member version included?
- Yes, with buy-sell provisions
- Legal review recommended?
- Yes, especially for significant assets
Download the Templates
These LLC operating agreement templates are free, ready to fill in, and built directly from the clause structure covered throughout this site.
Single-Member LLC Operating Agreement Template (.docx)
For solo-owned LLCs. Includes a simplified structure and a succession planning clause for what happens if the sole member dies or becomes incapacitated.
Multi-Member LLC Operating Agreement Template (.docx)
For two or more owners. Includes an ownership percentage table, voting thresholds for major decisions, transfer restrictions, and a buy-sell provision.
Both are standard Microsoft Word (.docx) files — open them in Word, Google Docs, or any compatible editor, fill in the bracketed [BRACKETED] fields with your specific details, and sign.
Which Template Do You Need?
| Your Situation | Template |
|---|---|
| You're the only owner | Single-Member Template |
| You have a co-founder or business partner | Multi-Member Template |
| You plan to add members later | Start with Single-Member; switch when you add a member |
What's Inside Each Template
Both LLC operating agreement templates are built around the same core structure covered in depth in our full operating agreement guide:
- Formation and purpose — entity name, formation date, registered agent, and business purpose.
- Capital contributions — what each member contributed and their resulting ownership percentage.
- Management structure — member-managed or manager-managed, and each option's authority.
- Profit, loss, and distributions — how money flows to owners.
- Liability and indemnification — reinforcing the liability protection the entity is meant to provide.
- Dissolution — what triggers winding up and how remaining assets get distributed.
- Amendment procedure and governing law.
Single-Member Template: What's Different
The single-member version is intentionally simpler — there's no need for voting thresholds between members, or a right of first refusal, when there's only one owner. What it adds instead: a succession planning clause, specifying who takes over the membership interest if the sole member dies or becomes incapacitated. This is genuinely one of the most commonly missing provisions in single-member agreements, since it's easy to overlook when you're the only one managing the business day to day.
Multi-Member Template: What's Different
The multi-member version includes several provisions a single-member agreement doesn't need:
- An ownership percentage table — documenting each member's contribution and resulting stake clearly.
- Voting thresholds for "Major Decisions" — admitting a new member, amending the agreement, selling substantially all assets, or dissolving the company.
- A right of first refusal on membership interest transfers, protecting existing members from an unwanted new co-owner. See our transfer LLC ownership guide for the full mechanics behind this provision.
- A buy-sell provision for triggering events — death, bankruptcy, incapacity, or divorce — giving the company and remaining members an option to purchase the affected member's interest.
- A designated Partnership Representative for IRS purposes, required for multi-member LLCs taxed as partnerships.
- A dispute resolution clause, since disagreements are more likely with multiple owners than with one.
How to Actually Customize These
Fill in every bracketed field
Replace each [BRACKETED] placeholder with your LLC's actual details — name, state, formation date, member information, and ownership percentages.
Choose your management structure
Select member-managed or manager-managed in Section 4, and delete the option you're not using.
Set your specific voting thresholds (multi-member)
Decide whether major decisions require a majority, a supermajority, or unanimous consent, and fill in the specific percentage.
Choose a valuation method for buyouts (multi-member)
Select an independent appraisal, book value, or an EBITDA multiple for the buy-sell provision, and specify payment terms.
Sign and store it — don't file it with the state
Have every member sign and date the final version, then keep it with your business records for your bank and future reference.
When to Bring In an Attorney
These LLC operating agreement templates cover the standard provisions most LLCs need, but they're genuinely not a substitute for legal review in every situation. Bring in a business attorney if your LLC involves significant assets, unequal member contributions relative to ownership percentages, outside investors, complex vesting arrangements, or any provision you don't fully understand once filled in. A template is a strong starting point, not a finished product for every business.
Which Template Fits You?
Which Operating Agreement Template Do You Need?
1 question · a direct download link
Ahmad Adil's Take: the whole point of offering LLC operating agreement templates for free is that there's genuinely no reason to skip this document over cost — it's the cheapest insurance in business, and a solid template gets you 90% of the way there for free. The other 10% is actually filling in the brackets thoughtfully rather than rushing through them: the voting thresholds, the buyout valuation method, the succession plan. Those specific decisions are exactly the ones that matter most if a real disagreement or life event ever tests the agreement, so don't treat them as boilerplate to breeze past.
Sources
These templates are built on general LLC operating agreement principles that apply broadly, but state-specific requirements vary. For primary source material on your specific state's default rules, see the Uniform Law Commission's Revised Uniform LLC Act overview and the IRS's LLC classification overview.
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LLC Operating Agreement Templates — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. These templates reflect general LLC operating agreement principles covered throughout this site. They are educational starting points, not a substitute for legal advice tailored to your specific LLC.
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