How Much Does an LLC Cost In Georgia? Fees & Taxes in GA
Due to limited liability, good taxation options, flexibility in ownership, and fewer legal issues, an LLC is often the most popular business structure to set up in the U.S. Thus, if you're wondering how much an LLC costs in Georgia, you are in the right place.
This article will provide answers to the following questions:
- How much does an LLC cost in Georgia for local entrepreneurs?
- What taxes and annual fees do business owners need to pay?
- What additional services you may need and how much do they cost?
Additionally, from this article, you will learn the cheapest way for local business owners to start an LLC in Georgia, as well as how much it costs to open a foreign LLC in the state.
You can also familiarize yourself with the process of LLC formation in more detail by reading "How to Start an LLC in Georgia."
How Much Does an LLC Cost in Georgia?
This section of the article will tell you about the main costs related to the process of LLC formation in the state of Georgia, as well as what additional fees you may need to pay after your LLC is officially established.
Georgia LLC Online Filing Fee
To register an LLC in Georgia, you will need to complete and file the Articles of Organization form with the Georgia Corporations Division. You can do this online or by mail. This step is considered the main in the entire process.
Along with submitting Form CD 030 (Articles of Organization) to the Georgia Secretary of State, you will also need to pay the state filing fee of $100 (online) or $110 (by mail).
Mail to:
Corporations Division,
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE,
Suite 313 West Tower,
Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
Note that paper filings must also include a Transmittal Information form.
Your Articles of Organization may be submitted by you, as the owner, as well as any other authorized person or entity. Note that if the organizer is a third-party service, you will have to pay for the service provided.
Therefore, the cheapest way to set up an LLC in Georgia is to file on your own.
- Georgia LLC online filing fee: $100;
- Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover;
- Processing time: 5-7 business days.
If you want your registration documents to be processed faster, you can choose the expedited processing service. Thus, to get the result within 2 days, you will need to pay an additional $100 fee (or $250 for the same-day expedited processing service).
Your Articles of Organization may also be filed by paper. For this, you will need to submit the required documents to the Secretary of State’s office and pay a $10.00 service charge for filing by paper.
In addition to online registration, you can also register your LLC by mail. This option will take longer (about 15 days) and will cost you $110. You can also choose a one-hour expedited processing service to get your documents reviewed as fast as possible. The service costs $1000.00.
Annual LLC Fee Georgia: Annual Registration Fee
Under Georgia law, once your Articles of Organization are approved by the Secretary of State, you must re-register your LLC in one year. This is essentially the same annual report with your company information but with a different name.
- Georgia LLC annual registration fee: $50 (online filing) or $60 (paper filing);
- Due time: from January 1st to April 1st;
- Filing method: online or on paper.
Note that the Secretary of State's website now offers the option of filing annual registrations in advance for a period of up to 3 calendar years. The fee is then calculated by the number of years selected.
It's extremely important to understand that you must file your annual registration on time. Otherwise, your LLC will be dissolved and you will have to pay $250 to reinstate it.
Through filing the annual registration, business owners can also make changes (if any) regarding their company. There is an additional fee of $20 for the service. You will find more details on Georgia LLC's annual registration filings here.
LLC Fees in Georgia: Registered Agent
If you want to become an LLC owner in Georgia, you must appoint and maintain a registered agent. Know that you can be your own RA or appoint someone you trust for the role (the person must be of legal age with a physical street address in the state).
However, appointing a commercial RA is the best way to go.
The main benefit of being your own RA for the LLC is the cost savings. After all, you don't have to pay anything for your own paperwork. It's also an undeniable advantage to have all the paperwork go straight to you. However, there are some serious reasons to consider:
- If you're working from home, there's a risk of getting a subpoena in front of your clients or business partners;
- Georgia requires RAs to be available at the office address during normal business hours to accept and sign important legal/tax documents;
- Your registered agent’s name and address will be part of the public record on the Secretary of State’s website;
- If you change your office address or move out of the state, you will need to file additional documents with the Secretary of State.
Read "Best Registered Agent Services in Georgia 2022 " to find the best RA service for your LLC in Georgia.
The cost of having a registered agent in the state of Georgia can range from $49 to $200.
Remember that if you decide to become your own resident agent, it is required that you have a physical address in the state. The same goes for any of your friends, colleagues, or family members if you choose one of them as a registered agent for the LLC.
Registered Office
A registered office is the physical address of your appointed registered agent, where all your mail and correspondence from the state and business letters will be sent. The address, as well as the RA's name, must be indicated in your Articles of Organization.
Georgia LLC Fees: Cost to Form a Foreign LLC
If you’re expanding your business to Georgia, you will need to form a foreign LLC in the state. The online registration process for such LLCs in Georgia is slightly different from the one for domestic limited liability companies and goes as follows:
- Choose a registered agent for your company;
- Register online by applying for a certificate of authority;
- Create a user account on the Secretary of State's website;
- Click "create of register a business";
- Choose "I am registering a foreign business...";
- Fill out the necessary information about your LLC;
- Pay the filing fee (nonrefundable).
Also, to register a foreign LLC in Georgia online, consider the information below.
- Processing time: 7 business days;
- Filing fee: $225;
- Filing method: online or on paper.
You can also register a foreign LLC by mail by downloading and completing an Application for Certificate of Authority CD 241.
- Processing time: 14 business days;
- Filing fee: $235 ($225 + $10 paper filing service charge);
- Filing method: online or on paper.
Paper applications must be completed and mailed to the following address:
Office of Secretary of State
Corporations Division
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 313 West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Note that in Georgia, LLC prices for expedited Secretary of State services are the same as those for domestic LLCs.
That said, you can speed up the processing time by paying an additional fee of $100 (processing in 2 business days) or $250 (processing in the same business day).
Georgia LLC Cost: Corporate Income Tax & Net Worth Tax
If you choose to be taxed as a C or S Corporation, your LLC will be subject to both corporate income tax and net worth tax in the state.
The former LLC tax rate is 6% of Georgia taxable income (payable by the LLC (for C corp status) or by its members (for S corp status). The net worth tax is also assessed if the net worth of the LLC is more than $100,000.
For more detailed information on the tax, visit the Department of Revenue's website or consult with your accountant to determine the proper tax amount to pay.
Business License Renewal Fee
Georgia does not require you to obtain a business license at the state level. However, a business license may still be required at the county/city level.
That said, you will need to contact your local government to determine if you need to obtain a business license.
For more detailed information on the tax, visit the Department of Revenue's website or consult with your accountant to determine the proper tax amount to pay.
Other LLC Filing Costs
There are a few other crucial costs to keep in mind when setting up an LLC. Thus, let's see what you may want to add to your list of calculations.
LLC Name Reservation
Before filing the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State, you might want to reserve your approved business name for the LLC.
This could be relevant when you're not ready to start an LLC at the moment (for any reason) but still would like to reserve the chosen name so that no one else could use it for business purposes in the state.
- Georgia LLC name reservation fee: $25 (online filing) or $35 (paper filing);
- Duration period: 30 days;
- Name renewal price: $25/$35;
- Reservation methods: online or by mail.
Note that you will need to follow all the rules and requirements for choosing a legal business name, including checking for similar business names of existing businesses in the state.
Otherwise, if your chosen moniker is already taken and you apply for a reservation, not only will the application be rejected, but you will also lose money.
Moreover, simply reserving a business name for your LLC does not entitle you to conduct business in the state. You can only use the legal name for business purposes after you have your Articles of Organization approved by the Secretary of State.
Foreign LLC Name Registration
If you want to register a foreign LLC in Georgia, but your legal name is already taken, you need to pick up another name option and register it with the state.
You can find out if your LLC name is available by visiting the Business Search page on the Secretary of State's website.
Trade Name Registration
You may have any reason to file a trade name, also known as a "doing business as" (DBA) name. This could be launching a new product line or needing a more convenient name for marketing purposes.
However, when filing a DBA, know that such an assumed name won't get you any legal protection - if you need it, then you should register a trademark instead.
Georgia state LLC filing fees for DBAs vary. Since the DBA is registered at the county level, the cost can range from $10 to $200.
- Reservation period: depends on the county/city
To legally conduct business under a fictitious name, you will need to file your DBA with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where your business is located.
Also, some cities in Georgia may require businesses to publish a trade name registration notice in the newspaper.
Just like your official business name, your DBA must also be unique and distinguishable. Therefore, it's recommended that you do your name search on the Secretary of State's website before applying for registration.
Certified Document Copies
If you need a certified copy of your Articles of Organization, you should contact the Secretary of State's office. The latter will process your request and send you the required copy within a few days.
We recommend that you apply for certified copies through the Secretary of State's online system since applications made online are processed much faster.
- Certified copies (online requests): $10 (up to 25 pages) more than 50 pages - $0.10 per page. $20 for paper copies;
- Turnaround time: instant.
Paper copies can be issued within 48 hours. If you need them faster, you can order the expedited processing service for an additional $50.
Certificate of Existence
To obtain your certificate of existence (also referred to as a Certificate of Good Standing) in Georgia, business owners will need to make sure their LLC is compliant and up-to-date with state requirements, including all the necessary business licenses, permits, taxes, etc.
You can request the document from the Secretary of State online. The fee is $10.
We recommend obtaining a certificate of existence now so that you can provide it quickly if needed, e.g. to purchase a business insurance policy, apply for a business loan, open a business bank account, or register to run your business in another state.