How to Start an LLC in Louisiana
Form your Louisiana 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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Louisiana LLC filing fee & timeline
To form an LLC in Louisiana you file your Articles of Organization with the state and pay the state filing fee of $125. Incofile adds a flat, one-time service fee on top — no monthly charges — and your total is always shown before you pay.
Most Louisiana LLC filings are prepared and submitted within one business day. State approval time depends on Louisiana'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 Louisiana
Louisiana LLCs are filed online through geauxBIZ for $125 (the fee rose from $100 on 1 October 2026), with a $35 annual report due on your anniversary. Louisiana’s tax profile is simple: a flat 3% personal income tax and no franchise tax from 2026.
Louisiana LLC at a glance
| State filing fee | $125 (from 1 October 2026; previously $100) |
|---|---|
| Document filed | Articles of Organization, with an initial report |
| Expedited options | $35 within 24 hours · $60 while you wait (state fees) |
| Annual report | $35 per year, due on or before your anniversary date |
| Late penalty | No late fee; articles revoked after three consecutive years without a report |
| Name reservation (optional) | $25, holds the name for 120 days, not renewable |
| State income tax | Flat 3% personal income tax; corporation franchise tax repealed from 2026 |
| Registered agent | Required; must have a Louisiana municipal address and sign a notarised acceptance |
State figures checked against the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, September 2026. State fees are set by Louisiana and can change; the exact total is shown before you pay.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Louisiana?
| Cost | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (state filing fee) | $125 | Required, one time |
| Registered agent | Registered agent with a Louisiana street address who signs a notarised acceptance | Required, ongoing |
| Annual report | $35 per year | Required every year by your anniversary date |
| EIN from the IRS | Free from the IRS | Needed for a bank account and taxes |
| Name reservation | $25 for 120 days (not renewable) | Optional |
| Expedited processing | $35 (within 24 hours) · $60 (while you wait) | 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 Louisiana — 4 steps
Choose your package
Pick the Incofile package that fits your goals. Your Louisiana 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 Louisiana
We confirm your name is available and file your Articles of Organization with the Louisiana state office.
Get your documents
Your approved Louisiana LLC documents land in your dashboard, with reminders for your annual report and other deadlines.
How to start an LLC in Louisiana: step by step
Here is exactly what forming a Louisiana 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 existing Louisiana businesses. Check it with our free business name search.
Appoint a registered agent
Name a registered agent with a physical municipal address in Louisiana (not a PO box only). Louisiana requires each agent to sign a notarised affidavit accepting the appointment, filed with your initial report. Incofile can act as your agent.
File the Articles of Organization and initial report
File online through geauxBIZ with the Secretary of State and pay $125, together with the initial report naming your registered office and agent. Expedited handling costs $35 (24 hours) or $60 (while you wait).
Create an operating agreement
Louisiana does not require you to file an operating agreement, but it 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. The IRS issues it free; non-US owners without an SSN apply by phone, fax or mail, and our Gold package handles it for you.
Register for taxes and local licences
Register with the Louisiana Department of Revenue through LaTAP for sales tax (5% state rate) and withholding if needed. Parish sales taxes are registered and filed locally, and most parishes and cities require an occupational licence.
File your annual report each year
File the $35 annual report on or before your anniversary date every year. Three consecutive missed reports lead to revocation of the articles.
What you need to form an LLC in Louisiana
- A business name that is available and meets Louisiana's naming rules (it must include “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company”).
- A registered agent with a physical address in Louisiana — Incofile can be your agent.
- Articles of Organization filed with the Louisiana 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 — Louisiana'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. Louisiana 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.
Louisiana LLC naming rules
The name must contain “Limited Liability Company” or an abbreviation such as “LLC” or “L.L.C.” and must be distinguishable from every other entity on the Louisiana register. Check availability with our free business name search.
Keeping your Louisiana LLC compliant
Annual report
Every Louisiana LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State on or before its formation anniversary, starting on the first anniversary. The fee is $35. There is no late fee, but an LLC that misses three consecutive reports has its articles revoked after a 30-day notice.
Registered agent
The agent must have a physical Louisiana address (not a PO box only) and must sign a notarised affidavit of acceptance filed with the initial report. Incofile can act as your Louisiana registered agent.
Taxes
Louisiana taxes owners’ share of LLC profit at a flat 3%. The corporation franchise tax was repealed for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026, and an LLC only pays the 5.5% corporate income tax if it elects corporate treatment.
Licences
Louisiana has no general state business licence, but most parishes and cities require an occupational licence. Register with the Department of Revenue through LaTAP for state sales tax, and with your parish for local sales tax.
Incofile clients get every Louisiana deadline tracked in their dashboard with email reminders — see registered agent service.
Official Louisiana resources
Louisiana LLC — frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Louisiana?
Incofile charges a flat, one-time formation fee (Silver, Gold or Platinum) plus the Louisiana state filing fee of $125. There are no monthly charges, and the total is shown before you pay.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Louisiana?
We prepare and submit your Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana 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 Louisiana registered agent so you stay compliant and keep your address private.
Can I start an LLC in Louisiana if I live in another state or country?
Yes. You do not need to live in Louisiana to form an LLC there. Incofile can act as your registered agent and provide a business address, so you can form and run your Louisiana LLC from anywhere.
How much does a Louisiana LLC cost per year?
The state annual report is $35, due on your anniversary date. Add a registered agent service if you use one and your parish occupational licence.
Did the Louisiana LLC filing fee change?
Yes. Under Act 921 of 2026 the Articles of Organization fee rose from $100 to $125 on 1 October 2026, and the annual report from $30 to $35.
Does my Louisiana registered agent have to sign anything?
Yes. Louisiana requires a notarised affidavit of acknowledgment and acceptance signed by each registered agent, filed with the LLC’s initial report.
What is the Louisiana income tax rate?
A flat 3% on individual income for tax periods beginning on or after 1 January 2025, which covers each owner’s share of LLC profit.
Ready to launch your Louisiana LLC?
Most orders are prepared and submitted within one business day.
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