Georgia LLCs are formed by filing Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Corporations Division, usually online through eCorp. The total cost is $110 (a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge), the same online or on paper, under the fee schedule that took effect September 6, 2025. You’ll also need a registered agent at a Georgia street address, and from the year after formation you’ll file a $60 annual registration between January 1 and April 1.
Georgia’s process is straightforward, and the yearly upkeep is predictable: one filing, one fixed deadline, one fee. The steps below cover everything from the name search to licenses.
Updated October 2026.
Go to:
Best LLC Formation Services in Georgia (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming an LLC in Georgia, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Georgia registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | GA Registered Agent.org | Georgia registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Georgia Registered Agent.co | Georgia registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Georgia. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. GA Registered Agent.org
GA Registered Agent.org is a Georgia registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Georgia Registered Agent.co
Georgia Registered Agent.co is a Georgia registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Georgia LLC at a glance
| Item | Georgia (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division |
| Online portal | eCorp |
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (optional template CD 030) |
| Filing fee | $110 total ($100 + $10 service charge), online or paper |
| Paper filings | Must include Transmittal Information Form CD 231 |
| Annual registration | $60 total; due January 1 to April 1, starting the year after formation |
| Late annual registration | $25 late fee |
| Registered agent | Required; Georgia street address, no P.O. boxes or mail drops |
| Publication | Not required |
Fees are from the Secretary of State’s filing fee schedule effective September 6, 2025. If you want to compare state fees and service costs, see Mainstay Filing’s Georgia LLC cost page.
Step 1: Choose a Georgia LLC name
Use “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC” or “L.L.C.” (or another accepted form) in your name, and choose one that’s distinguishable from names already on the Corporations Division’s records.
Run some ideas through the namechk business name generator, then check availability with the business search in eCorp. Our Georgia business name search guide covers how to read the search results.
Also check:
- Federal trademarks in the USPTO database
- Domain and social handle availability with namechk
- Trade names: if you’ll operate under a name other than the LLC’s, Georgia trade name registration is handled at the county level, not by the Secretary of State
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every Georgia LLC needs a registered agent and registered office. According to the Secretary of State’s Business Division FAQ, the agent can be a Georgia resident, a domestic corporation or LLC, or a foreign corporation or LLC authorized to do business in Georgia. The LLC can’t be its own agent.
The registered office must be a Georgia street address that matches the agent’s business office. P.O. boxes and mail drops aren’t allowed, and the agent has to actually be at that address.
You can name yourself if you live in Georgia and can reliably accept legal papers during business hours. Otherwise, a professional agent is the safer choice. Mainstay Filing includes a year of registered agent service with its formation package, and our Georgia registered agent guide covers the requirements. Georgia has no standalone change-of-agent form; you change agents on the annual registration or an amended annual registration ($30).
Step 3: File Articles of Organization
The Corporations Division says LLCs are formed by filing articles of organization that include the information required by O.C.G.A. section 14-11-204. Online, eCorp walks you through the required fields. On paper, you can use the optional CD 030 template or draft your own articles, and you must include the Transmittal Information Form (CD 231).
Expect to provide:
- The LLC’s name
- The principal office mailing address
- The registered agent’s name and Georgia street address
- The organizer’s name and address
The total fee is $110 whether you file online or on paper. Before September 6, 2025, online filings cost $105, so older guides may show that figure. Double-check the agent’s street address before you submit, since a P.O. box or mail drop will get the filing rejected.
Step 4: Draft an operating agreement
Georgia doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement, but it’s the document that controls how your LLC works: ownership, contributions, management, voting, profit distributions and exits.
Multi-member LLCs need one to avoid relying on Georgia’s default rules. For a single-member LLC, a signed agreement helps show that the business is separate from its owner.
Step 5: Get an EIN and register for Georgia taxes
Apply for an EIN from the IRS for free. You’ll need it to open a business bank account and hire employees.
If you’ll sell taxable goods, register with the Georgia Department of Revenue for sales and use tax through its online tax center; employers also register for withholding and with the Georgia Department of Labor for unemployment insurance.
FinCEN’s beneficial ownership page states that U.S.-formed companies are exempt from BOI reporting under the final rule effective August 2026.
Step 6: File the annual registration by April 1
Georgia calls its yearly filing an annual registration. Under O.C.G.A. section 14-11-1103, it’s due between January 1 and April 1 each year, beginning the year after the LLC is formed. An LLC formed in 2026 files its first annual registration between January 1 and April 1, 2027.
The total fee is $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge), and you can prepay up to three years at once. File through eCorp; the Secretary of State’s annual registration guide explains the steps. Filing after April 1 adds a $25 late fee, and an LLC that stays delinquent can be administratively dissolved.
Step 7: Get local business licenses
Georgia doesn’t issue a general statewide business license. Most cities and counties require a business license or occupation tax certificate, and many professions need a state license. Check with your city or county government before you open.
How much does a Georgia LLC cost?
| Item | Total fee (effective September 6, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $110 |
| Annual registration | $60 per year |
| Late annual registration | +$25 |
| Amended annual registration (e.g., agent change) | $30 |
Local business licenses and occupation taxes vary by city and county.
Georgia LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Georgia?
Filing Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State costs $110 in total, a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, whether you file online or on paper. That’s under the fee schedule effective September 6, 2025. The annual registration that follows each year costs $60.
When is the Georgia LLC annual registration due?
Georgia LLCs file their annual registration between January 1 and April 1 each year, starting the year after formation, under O.C.G.A. section 14-11-1103. The total fee is $60, you can prepay up to three years, and filing after April 1 adds a $25 late fee.
Who can be a registered agent in Georgia?
A Georgia registered agent can be a Georgia resident, a domestic corporation or LLC, or a foreign corporation or LLC authorized to do business in Georgia, according to the Secretary of State’s FAQ. The LLC can’t be its own agent, and the registered office must be a Georgia street address, not a P.O. box.
How do I change my registered agent in Georgia?
Georgia doesn’t have a standalone change-of-agent form. You update the registered agent on your annual registration, or by filing an amended annual registration, which costs $30 in total under the current fee schedule. Both can be filed online through eCorp or on paper.
Where do I register a trade name in Georgia?
Georgia trade names are registered at the county level, not with the Secretary of State. If your LLC will operate under a name different from its legal name, file the trade name registration in the county where the business operates, in addition to forming the LLC with the Corporations Division.
Does Georgia require newspaper publication for a new LLC?
No. Georgia doesn’t require a new LLC to publish notice of its formation in a newspaper. Once the Corporations Division files the Articles of Organization, the LLC exists. What remains is an operating agreement, an EIN, Georgia tax registrations, local business licenses and the yearly annual registration by April 1.
Do I need a transmittal form to file Georgia Articles of Organization?
Only for paper filings. When you mail Articles of Organization, Georgia requires the Transmittal Information Form CD 231 with the filing. Online filings through eCorp don’t need it. The fee is $110 either way, and you can draft your own articles or use the optional CD 030 template.
CHK_ YOUR NAME RIGHT NOW
Use our engine to quickly check your content right now!
Disclosure: We may earn a commission from services recommended on this page.
