How to Form an LLC in Georgia (2026 Guide)

Step 1Pick a name Georgia will accept

Under the Secretary of State’s rules, the name must contain “limited liability company,” “limited company,” or one of the abbreviations LLC, L.L.C., LC or L.C. “Limited” may be shortened to “Ltd.” and “Company” to “Co.” The name can’t be longer than 80 characters, can’t include “DBA,” and can’t contain words suggesting a different type of entity, such as “Incorporated” or “Limited Partnership.”

The name must also be distinguishable from names already on the Secretary of State’s records. Differences such as the entity ending, articles like “the,” plurals or punctuation generally aren’t enough, so “The Auto Store, LLC” would be refused if “The Auto Store, Inc.” exists. Check your idea with the Georgia Business Search.

Some words need written approval from another agency first: insurance-related terms such as insurance, surety or indemnity (Insurance Commissioner), banking terms such as bank, banc or trust (Department of Banking and Finance), and college or university (Postsecondary Education Commission).

If you aren’t ready to file, you can reserve a name for 30 days for $35. A reservation is optional and doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the name, so most people simply file the Articles once the name checks out.

Step 2Name a registered agent in Georgia

Every Georgia LLC must continuously keep a registered agent and registered office in the state. The agent receives lawsuits and official notices for the business. It can be:

• an individual who lives in Georgia (you can name yourself),
• a Georgia corporation or LLC, or
• an out-of-state corporation or LLC that is authorized to do business in Georgia.

The registered office must be a Georgia street address; a post office box or mail drop isn’t allowed. Your LLC can’t serve as its own agent. The agent’s written consent doesn’t have to be filed. If you later change agents, you report it on an annual registration or an amended annual registration.

Step 3File the Articles of Organization

The Articles are short. According to the Secretary of State, you’ll provide:

• the LLC’s name (or a name reservation number),
• the name and address of the person filing, plus an email address,
• the mailing address of the principal office,
• the name and address of the registered agent,
• the name and address of each organizer, and
• any optional provisions you want to include.

Georgia doesn’t ask you to list members or managers in the Articles. You can file three ways, and the fee is $110 each way:

• Online through eCorp, where the system generates the Articles for you. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. This is the quickest route, at roughly 7 business days.
• Online upload of Articles you prepared yourself, generally reviewed in about 10 to 14 business days.
• By mail with Form CD 030, Transmittal Form 231 and a check or money order, generally about 15 business days from receipt.

Processing slows down in late December through January and around quarter-ends. If you need the LLC quickly, the Corporations Division offers paid expedited review on top of the filing fee: $120 for two business days, $275 for same-day service (the request must arrive by noon on a business day), or $1,200 for one-hour service (offered for mail and in-person filings). Fees are non-refundable.

Step 4File your annual registration every spring

Georgia calls its yearly report the Annual Registration. Your first one is due between January 1 and April 1 of the year after the calendar year you formed the LLC. After that, it’s due in the same window every year. It is also how you report a change of registered agent or registered office. The fee is $60, and you can pay up to three years at once if you’d rather not repeat it each spring.

If you file late, the Secretary of State adds a $25 late fee. If you don’t file at all, the state can administratively dissolve the LLC. Before that happens it sends a notice to your principal office or registered agent, and you have 60 days from that notice to respond. A dissolved LLC may only carry on business needed to wind up its affairs. Reinstatement is possible within five years of dissolution, for a fee of $260.