How to Start an LLC in Georgia
Form your Georgia LLC online with transparent pricing, registered agent service and real human support. Incofile prepares and files your Articles of Organization for you.
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Georgia LLC filing fee & timeline
To form an LLC in Georgia you file your Articles of Organization with the state and pay the state filing fee of $110 (online or by mail). Incofile adds a flat, one-time service fee on top — no monthly charges — and your total is always shown before you pay.
Most Georgia LLC filings are prepared and submitted within one business day. State approval time depends on Georgia's current processing queue, typically ranging from a few business days to a few weeks, with expedited options available in many states.
Why form an LLC in Georgia
Georgia is one of the simpler states to form an LLC in: a low state filing fee, no publication requirement, no state franchise tax on LLCs, and a short annual registration each spring. Atlanta is the largest business hub in the Southeast, which makes a Georgia LLC a popular choice for founders both inside and outside the state.
Georgia LLC at a glance
| State filing fee | $110 online through eCorp or by mail ($100 + $10 service charge) |
|---|---|
| Document filed | Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) |
| Standard approval time | 7–10 business days online · about 15 business days by mail |
| Expedited options | 2 business days $120 · same day $275 · one hour $1,200 (state fees, in addition to filing fee) |
| Annual registration | $60 per year ($50 + $10 service charge), filed between 1 January and 1 April |
| Late penalty | $25 late fee; LLC is administratively dissolved if the registration is not filed |
| Name reservation (optional) | $35 ($25 + $10 service charge), holds the name for 30 days |
| Publication requirement | None for LLCs |
| State income tax on LLC | None at the entity level — profits pass through to the owners |
| Registered agent | Required; must have a physical street address in Georgia |
State figures checked against the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division, September 2026. State fees are set by Georgia and can change; the exact total is shown before you pay.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Georgia?
| Cost | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (state filing fee) | $110 ($100 fee + $10 service charge), online or by mail | Required, one time |
| Registered agent | $0 if you act as your own agent at a Georgia street address; otherwise a registered agent service | Required, ongoing |
| Annual registration | $60 per year ($50 fee + $10 service charge) | Required every year from the year after formation |
| Local business licence (occupational tax certificate) | Set by your city or county | Required in most cities and counties |
| EIN from the IRS | Free from the IRS | Needed for a bank account and taxes |
| Name reservation | $35 for 30 days ($25 + $10 service charge) | Optional |
| Expedited state processing | $120 (2 business days) · $275 (same day) · $1,200 (1 hour) | Optional |
These are state, IRS and other outside costs — not Incofile fees. Your Incofile package price is shown separately at checkout, and your full total is always shown before you pay. Estimate every cost for your state with our LLC cost calculator.
How to form an LLC in Georgia — 4 steps
Choose your package
Pick the Incofile package that fits your goals. Your Georgia state filing fee is shown before you pay.
Tell us about your LLC
Complete our short form with your company name, address and ownership details — about ten minutes.
We check & file with Georgia
We confirm your name is available and file your Articles of Organization with the Georgia state office.
Get your documents
Your approved Georgia LLC documents land in your dashboard, with reminders for your annual report and other deadlines.
How to start an LLC in Georgia: step by step
Here is exactly what forming a Georgia LLC involves, whether you file it yourself or let Incofile handle the paperwork.
Choose and check your LLC name
Pick a name that includes “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” and is distinguishable from every other business on the Georgia register. Search it first with our free business name search. You can reserve it for 30 days for $25, but most founders simply file straight away.
Appoint a Georgia registered agent
Every Georgia LLC needs a registered agent with a physical street address in Georgia (not a PO box) who is available in business hours to accept legal papers. You can be your own agent if you have a Georgia address, or use a service such as Incofile to keep your home address off the public record.
File the Articles of Organization
File online through the Secretary of State’s eCorp portal or by mail using Form CD 030 plus Transmittal Form 231 — the fee is $110 either way ($100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge). You give the LLC’s name, principal office mailing address, registered agent, and organizer. Online filings are generally processed in 7–10 business days; paid expedite options can shorten that to one hour.
Create an operating agreement
Georgia does not require you to file one, but an operating agreement records who owns the LLC, how profits are shared and how decisions are made. Banks commonly ask for it, and it helps protect your limited liability.
Get an EIN
Apply to the IRS for your Employer Identification Number (EIN). You need it to open a business bank account, hire staff and file federal taxes — even as a single-member LLC in most cases.
Register for state taxes and local licences
If you sell taxable goods or services, register for sales tax with the Georgia Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center. If you hire employees, also register for payroll withholding and with the Georgia Department of Labor. Then get the occupational tax certificate from your city or county.
File your annual registration each year
Between 1 January and 1 April every year, starting the year after your LLC is formed, file the annual registration ($60, including the $10 service charge). Missing 1 April adds a $25 late fee, and the state can eventually dissolve the LLC.
Georgia LLC filing requirements: what you need
- A business name that is available and meets Georgia's naming rules (it must include “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company”).
- A registered agent with a physical address in Georgia — Incofile can be your agent.
- Articles of Organization filed with the Georgia state office — we prepare and submit these for you.
- An operating agreement and EIN to open a business bank account (included in our Gold and Platinum packages).
- Ongoing compliance — Georgia's reports, taxes and registered agent rules (see below). We track the deadlines and remind you.
Operating agreement
An operating agreement sets out who owns the LLC, how profits are split, how decisions are made and what happens if a member leaves. Georgia does not ask you to file it with the state, but banks usually want to see it, and without one the state's default rules apply. Incofile includes a customised operating agreement in the Gold and Platinum packages.
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Your EIN is the federal tax ID for your LLC. You need it to open a business bank account, hire staff and file taxes. The IRS issues it free — online in minutes if you have a Social Security number, or by fax or mail (one to eight weeks) if you don't. Our Gold and Platinum packages include it, and it is also available as a separate service.
This is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure which structure is right, compare LLC vs S-Corp vs C-Corp.
Georgia LLC naming rules
Your name must contain “Limited Liability Company”, “Limited Company”, or an abbreviation such as “LLC”, “L.L.C.”, “LC” or “L.C.”, and must be distinguishable from every other entity on the Georgia register. Words such as “bank”, “insurance”, “college” or “university” need approval from the relevant state authority. Check availability with our free business name search.
Keeping your Georgia LLC compliant
Annual registration
Every Georgia LLC files an annual registration with the Secretary of State between 1 January and 1 April, starting the calendar year after formation. The fee is $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge) and it takes a few minutes online. Georgia lets you prepay up to three years at once. Miss the deadline and a $25 late fee applies; keep missing it and the state dissolves the company.
Registered agent
Your registered agent must be available at a Georgia street address during business hours to accept legal papers. If you form from outside Georgia, or simply want your home address off the public record, Incofile can act as your registered agent.
Taxes
Georgia does not charge LLCs a franchise or privilege tax. A single-member LLC is taxed like a sole proprietorship and a multi-member LLC like a partnership unless you elect S-Corp or C-Corp treatment with the IRS. If you sell taxable goods or services in Georgia you will need a sales-tax registration with the Department of Revenue.
Licences
Georgia has no general state business licence. Most cities and counties (Atlanta, Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb…) require an occupational tax certificate — a local business licence — before you start trading.
Incofile clients get every Georgia deadline tracked in their dashboard with email reminders — see registered agent service.
Official Georgia resources
Georgia LLC — frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Georgia?
The Georgia state filing fee is $110 online or by mail ($100 plus a $10 service charge). Incofile adds a flat, one-time package fee with no monthly charges, and your full total is shown before you pay. After that, the only yearly state fee is the $50 annual registration.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Georgia?
We prepare and submit your Georgia Articles of Organization within one business day. State approval times vary from a few business days to a few weeks; expedited filing is available in many states.
Do I need a registered agent in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia requires every LLC to have a registered agent with a physical address in the state to receive legal and state mail. Incofile can serve as your Georgia registered agent so you stay compliant and keep your address private.
Can I start an LLC in Georgia if I live in another state or country?
Yes. You do not need to live in Georgia to form an LLC there. Incofile can act as your registered agent and provide a business address, so you can form and run your Georgia LLC from anywhere.
Does Georgia require an LLC to publish a notice in a newspaper?
No. Georgia requires a newspaper notice for corporations, not for LLCs. Your Georgia LLC is complete once the Articles of Organization are approved.
When is my first Georgia annual registration due?
In the calendar year after your LLC is approved, any time between 1 January and 1 April. An LLC approved in October 2026 files its first registration between 1 January and 1 April 2027.
Can I get my Georgia LLC approved the same day?
Yes. Georgia offers expedited processing for an extra state fee: two business days ($120), same day ($275) or one hour ($1,200). Choose the speed you need when you place your order and we will file it that way.
Do I need a Georgia business licence?
There is no state-level general business licence, but almost every Georgia city and county requires a local occupational tax certificate. Some professions (contractors, cosmetology, real estate, healthcare) also need a state professional licence.
How much does a Georgia LLC cost per year?
The only yearly state fee is the $60 annual registration ($50 plus a $10 service charge, filed online between 1 January and 1 April). If you use a registered agent service, add its yearly fee, plus any renewal for your local occupational tax certificate.
Can I be my own registered agent in Georgia?
Yes, if you have a physical street address in Georgia and are available there during business hours. That address becomes public record. Many owners use a registered agent service instead for privacy, or because they live outside Georgia.
Does Georgia require an operating agreement?
No. Georgia does not require you to write or file an operating agreement, but it is strongly recommended: banks often ask for one, and it sets out ownership and decision-making so the state’s default rules do not apply.
How do I file an LLC in Georgia online?
Georgia LLCs are filed online through the Secretary of State’s eCorp portal. You create an account, complete the Articles of Organization, and pay the $110 fee ($100 plus a $10 service charge). Incofile prepares and submits this filing for you and sends your approved documents to your dashboard.
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