How to Form an LLC in Georgia
Learn how to form an LLC in Georgia: Articles of Organization, state fees, registered agent rules, and what to do after filing. Step-by-step guide.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Georgia LLC at a glance
Filing fee: $100 online ($105 with online service charge); $100 by mail
Processing time: ~7 business days online; longer by mail
State agency: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Annual report due: $50 annual registration fee; due between January 1 and April 1 each year
State tax rate: No state-level LLC franchise tax; income taxed at the member level under Georgia's individual or corporate income tax rates
How to form an LLC in Georgia
To form an LLC in Georgia, you file Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division, pay the $100 state filing fee, and designate a registered agent with a physical Georgia address. Most online filings are approved in about 7 business days.
Georgia's formation process is straightforward, but a few details catch people off guard — especially the registered agent requirement and the annual registration fee that kicks in the following year. The steps below walk through everything in order.
Step 1: Choose a name
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from any existing business on record with the Georgia Secretary of State. It also needs to include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." Certain words — like "bank" or "insurance" — require additional authorization before you can use them.
Check name availability using the Georgia Corporations Division Business Search tool. When searching, omit the LLC designator and use the "Contains" option to catch names that are the same or too similar to yours.
Name reservation is optional. If you want to hold a name before filing, you can submit a Name Reservation request through the Georgia Secretary of State's eCorp system or by mail. The reservation fee is $25 and holds the name for 30 days.
Step 2: Designate a registered agent
Every Georgia LLC must have a registered agent — a person or business entity designated to receive legal documents and official state communications on behalf of your LLC. Georgia requires the agent to have a physical street address in the state; a P.O. box alone won't work.
The registered agent can be an individual Georgia resident (at least 18 years old) or a domestic or foreign business entity authorized to transact business in Georgia. You can serve as your own registered agent, but your address becomes part of the public record — many business owners use a registered agent service to keep their personal address off state filings.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the document that legally creates your Georgia LLC. You can file online through the Georgia Secretary of State's eCorp system or by mail using form CD 030.
To file online, create an account on the Georgia Secretary of State website, log in, select "Create or Register a Business," choose "Create a new domestic business," and select "Domestic Limited Liability Company." The online filing fee is $100, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.
To file by mail, send form CD 030 (Articles of Organization) along with the completed Transmittal Information Form CD 231 and the $100 filing fee to the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division. Online filings process in about 7 business days. Mail filings take longer.
Your Articles of Organization filing must include: the LLC name (or a valid name reservation number), the name and address of the person filing, a valid email address, the principal office mailing address, the registered agent's name and address, and the name and address of each organizer.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Georgia doesn't require an LLC to have an operating agreement, but having one is worth the effort. An operating agreement sets out ownership percentages, how profits and losses are divided, how decisions get made, and what happens if a member leaves or the business closes.
Without one, your LLC falls back on Georgia's default LLC rules — which may not reflect what you and your co-owners actually agreed to. For single-member LLCs, an operating agreement also helps reinforce that the business is a separate legal entity from you personally.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. You'll need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and register for Georgia state taxes. Applying is free at irs.gov/ein.
Georgia's official guidance directs new businesses to get their EIN from the IRS before registering with the Georgia Department of Revenue — you can't complete state tax registration without one when an EIN is required.
Step 6: Register for Georgia state taxes
If your Georgia LLC conducts business in the state, you may need to register for one or more state tax accounts with the Georgia Department of Revenue — things like sales and use tax, withholding tax, or other business taxes depending on what your business does.
A tax professional can help you figure out which accounts apply to your specific business. Not every LLC needs every account — it depends on whether you sell taxable goods, have employees, or operate in certain industries.
Step 7: Get business licenses and permits
Georgia doesn't issue a single statewide business license, but your LLC may need licenses or permits at the state, county, or city level depending on your industry and location. Regulated industries — things like construction, healthcare, food service, and childcare — typically have their own licensing requirements.
Check with your local county or city government for local business license requirements. For state-level licenses, the Georgia Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division handles many regulated professions.
How much does a Georgia LLC cost?
Forming a Georgia LLC costs $100 to file the Articles of Organization online through the Secretary of State's eCorp system (plus a $5 online service charge). Filing by mail is $100 with no additional service charge. These are the state fees — formation services may charge separately.
- Articles of Organization (online): $100 + $5 online service charge
- Articles of Organization (by mail): $100
- Name reservation (optional): $25
- Annual registration fee: $50 per year, due between January 1 and April 1
The $50 annual registration fee is the ongoing cost most people overlook when budgeting for their Georgia LLC. It's due every year starting the year after formation — missing it can put your LLC's good standing at risk.
FAQ
Online filings with the Georgia Secretary of State are generally processed in about 7 business days. Mail filings take longer — typically several weeks depending on volume. If you need faster approval, check whether the state offers expedited processing at the time of filing.
The state filing fee is $100 online (plus a $5 service charge) or $100 by mail. Optional name reservation adds $25. After formation, Georgia charges a $50 annual registration fee each year. These are state fees only — formation platform fees are separate.
No. Georgia charges a $100 state filing fee to form an LLC, and there's no way to waive it. Some formation platforms — including Bizee — charge $0 for their own service fee, so you pay only the state fee. But the state fee itself is always required.
Yes. Georgia law requires every LLC to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. You can serve as your own registered agent if you're a Georgia resident, but your address becomes part of the public record. Many business owners use a registered agent service to keep their personal address private.
No, Georgia doesn't require an operating agreement. But it's worth having one. Without it, your LLC is governed by Georgia's default LLC rules, which may not match what you and your co-owners actually agreed to. For single-member LLCs, an operating agreement also helps show that your business is a separate legal entity from you personally.
It depends. If your LLC has more than 1 member, hires employees, or elects to be taxed as a corporation, you need an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Single-member LLCs with no employees can use the owner's Social Security number in some cases, but getting an EIN keeps your personal number off business documents and is required before you can register for Georgia state taxes. Applying is free at irs.gov/ein.
Georgia calls it an annual registration rather than an annual report. The fee is $50 per year, due between January 1 and April 1. Missing the deadline can put your LLC's good standing at risk. You file it through the Georgia Secretary of State's online portal.
Yes. You can file your Articles of Organization online through the Georgia Secretary of State's eCorp system at georgia.gov/register-llc. You'll need to create an account, enter your business information, and pay the $100 filing fee by credit card. Online filings are generally processed in about 7 business days.
