How to Start an LLC in Georgia (2026)
Forming an LLC in Georgia costs $110 whether you file online or on paper, and keeping it registered costs $60 a year. This guide walks you through each step in order, from choosing a name to opening a business bank account.
In This Article
- Overview
- Quick Facts
- Introduction
- What Georgia charges an LLC
- Choose a Name for Your Georgia LLC
- Choose a Registered Agent in Georgia
- File Your Articles of Organization with Georgia
- Get an EIN for Your Georgia LLC
- Create an Operating Agreement for Your Georgia LLC
- Open a Business Bank Account for Your Georgia LLC
- Federal BOI Reporting
- Top 3 LLC Services
- FAQ
- Next Steps
What You'll Learn in This Guide
Note
Georgia LLC formation costs $110 in state fees. Most founders complete the process in 7-10 business days, either DIY or through a formation service starting at $0.
Georgia LLC Quick Facts
Last Verified: Oct 2026- Filing Fee (Online)
- $110
- Processing Time
- 7-10 business days
- Expedited Available
- Yes (2 business days / $120)
- Annual Registration
- $60 (annual)*
- State Income Tax
- Yes
- Sales Tax Rate
- 4%
- Filed With
- Georgia Secretary of State,…**
- Last Verified
- October 29, 2026
* Annual Registration: $60, due Between January 1 and April 1 each year
** Filed With: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
What You Need to Know About Forming an LLC in Georgia
An LLC is a business structure that separates your personal money from your business debts. If the business owes money or gets sued, your personal bank account and home are generally protected.
Forming an LLC in Georgia costs $110. That is a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge. It is the same online or on paper. Keeping the LLC registered costs $60 a year. It is due between January 1 and April 1. The first payment is due the year after you form. You may see older figures, like $100 to file and $50 a year. Those leave out the $10 service charge.
The steps are to pick a name, choose a registered agent, file your paperwork, get a federal tax number, write an operating agreement, and open a business bank account. The state takes about 7 to 10 business days to process an online filing. Paper takes about 15 business days.
What Georgia charges an LLC
Georgia charges $110 to form an LLC and $60 a year to keep it registered, and the same $110 applies online or on paper.
| Filing | State fee | Condition | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) | $110 | $100 fee plus $10 service charge, online or paper | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Registration, January 1 to April 1 | $60 | From the year after formation, $50 fee plus $10 service charge | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Late annual registration penalty | $25 | Added when the registration is filed late | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Name reservation | $35 | Optional, holds the name for 30 days | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Expedited review, two business days | $120 | On top of the filing fee | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Expedited review, same day | $275 | On top of the filing fee, received by noon on a business day | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Expedited review, one hour | $1,200 | On top of the filing fee, business days 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Certificate of existence | $20 | $10 fee plus $10 service charge | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
| Reinstatement after administrative dissolution | $260 | $250 fee plus $10 service charge | Georgia Corporations Division filing fees | October 29, 2026 |
We read the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division filing fee schedule effective September 6, 2025 and its Business Division FAQ on October 29, 2026.
What changes your spend is whether you pay for expedited review, from $120 for two business days to $1,200 for one hour, and whether you hire a commercial registered agent. Georgia has no franchise tax and no publication requirement, so the two fees above are the fixed state costs.
Cite as Eliot Reynolds, StartupOwl, How to Start an LLC in Georgia (2026), checked October 29, 2026, https://startupowl.com/start/georgia-llc#data
Choose a Name for Your Georgia LLC
Your LLC needs a name before anything else. Georgia's business search is free, so check that your name is available before you pay for anything.
Before you file, your LLC name has to be different from any name already on record in Georgia. You can check this yourself for free using the state's business search tool. If the name is too close to one already taken, the state will not accept it.
Search available names →Georgia LLC Naming Requirements
Optional Name Reservation
- You can reserve your LLC name for 30 days before filing
- The reservation fee is $35
- This is optional but helpful if you're not ready to file immediately
Pro Tip
You can check name availability for free before you file. Reserving the name costs $35 and holds it for 30 days.
Choose a Registered Agent in Georgia
Georgia requires every LLC to have a registered agent. The agent must have a street address in Georgia, not a P.O. box.
The registered agent is the person or company that receives lawsuits and official state mail for your LLC. The agent must have a street address in Georgia. A P.O. box or mail drop will not work. You pick your agent when you file.
Your Three Options for Registered Agent
- Yourself, if you're a Georgia resident with a physical address you're comfortable making public
- A trusted person you know who lives in Georgia and is reliably available during business hours
- A commercial registered agent service, which charges a yearly fee that varies by provider
State Specific
In Georgia, your registered agent can be a person who lives in the state or a business. The agent must have a street address in Georgia, not a P.O. box. An owner can serve as the agent.
File Your Articles of Organization with Georgia
You file two documents with the Secretary of State: the Articles of Organization and the Transmittal Information Form. They go together, and you can file online.
To form your LLC in Georgia, you file two documents with the Secretary of State. They are the Articles of Organization and the Transmittal Information Form. The cost is $110, whether you file online or by mail.
File Online
File by Mail
Georgia usually takes 7 to 10 business days to approve an online filing. Paper filings take about 15 business days. Wait times run longer in late December through January, and in late March, late June, and late September. If you need the LLC by a certain date, such as for a lease or a loan, you can pay for faster review. Two business days costs an extra $120. Same day costs $275. One hour costs $1,200. Most people skip this. Your LLC exists once the state approves it.
Pro Tip
File online. The state takes 7 to 10 business days. Paper filing takes 15. Online is the faster route.
Recommended: Northwest Registered Agent
$39 + state fee. Includes registered agent, business address, domain, website, email, and phone. No upsells.
Get an EIN for Your Georgia LLC
An EIN is the federal tax ID your Georgia LLC needs to open a bank account, hire people, and pay federal taxes. Getting one is free at irs.gov.
The EIN is the federal tax number your bank will ask for. It costs nothing. Apply on the IRS site, and you get it right away if approved. Finish in one sitting. The form times out after 15 minutes of idle time. Have your personal details ready before you start.
Apply for your EIN on IRS.gov →Create an Operating Agreement for Your Georgia LLC
Georgia does not require an operating agreement, and you do not file one with the state. Still, it is worth having one to set out how your LLC will run.
An operating agreement is the written set of rules for owning and running your LLC. Georgia does not ask for one, but a bank may. You will also need it before adding a partner or investor, and it helps keep your LLC separate from you, even with one owner.
Key Sections to Include
State Specific
Without an operating agreement, Georgia's default rules control how the LLC runs. Those rules decide member rights, how profits split, and what happens if the LLC dissolves.
Open a Business Bank Account for Your Georgia LLC
A separate bank account for your LLC keeps business money apart from personal money.
If you pay business costs from your personal account, a court may decide your LLC is not a separate business. That is called piercing the corporate veil. When that happens, your home and personal accounts are no longer protected from business debts. A separate bank account keeps your money apart and your protection in place.
What to Bring When Opening the Account
- Your approved Georgia articles of organization
- Your EIN confirmation letter from the IRS
- A valid government-issued photo ID
- Your operating agreement (some banks require this)
- An initial deposit (amount varies by bank)
Pro Tip
Compare the initial deposit each bank asks for, since it varies. Bring the items from the checklist.
Federal BOI Reporting
No. FinCEN exempted every company formed in the United States from beneficial ownership reporting in an interim final rule published 26 March 2025 and applied from 21 March 2025, then made that exemption permanent in a final rule published 11 August 2026 and effective 14 August 2026. Only entities formed under foreign law and registered to do business in a US state still report.
Top 3 LLC Formation Services
We've independently reviewed the top LLC formation services in Georgia. Here's how they compare.
| Feature | Northwest Registered Agent Best Overall | ZenBusiness Best for LLC Formation | Tailor Brands Best for Branding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $39 + state fees | $0 + state fees | $0 + state fees |
| Formation Speed | Same-day only on the $199 package | 7-10 days, 1 day on Pro | 1-14 business days |
| Support | Lifetime Corporate Guides | Phone, chat, Velo AI 24/7 | Phone, Chat, Email |
| States Covered | 50 states | 50 states | 50 states |
| In Business Since | 1998 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Get Started → | Get Started → | Get Started → |
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Do Next
Once your Georgia LLC is approved, take these steps to set your business up for success.
Get an EIN
Free from the IRS in minutes, required before opening a bank account or hiring anyone.
Open a Business Bank Account
Keep personal and business finances separate from day one. Bring your EIN, Articles of Organization, and a government ID.
Create an Operating Agreement
Even if Georgia does not require one, an operating agreement protects your liability shield and defines how the LLC is managed.
File Your Annual Registration
Set a calendar reminder now. Missing your Annual Registration deadline can result in late fees or administrative dissolution.
Paying contractors
Georgia is in the IRS forwarding program, so an e-filed 1099-NEC can reach the state. Check the Georgia floor before you skip a form under $2,000.
Ready To File?
Start your Georgia LLC with Northwest Registered Agent. $39 + state fee includes registered agent, business address, domain, and more.
More Georgia Guides
About the Author
Editor, StartupOwl
Eliot leads StartupOwl's state data research. He maintains the site's fifty state records of LLC filing fees, annual costs, processing times, and small business grant programs, checking each figure against the state office that publishes it and logging the date it was verified. Based in New Jersey, he has spent his working life in and around small businesses, and he writes for the founder who wants the real number rather than the advertised one. Every figure under his byline traces to a named source, and when a state proves a number wrong, the correction is published, not buried.
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