How Long Does It Take To Form an LLC in Louisiana? (Guide)

Forming a Louisiana LLC offers excellent perks, including limited profit-sharing restrictions, flexible tax obligations, easy management, and limited liability protection.

While you and your LLC members may wish to access these advantages quicker, it's crucial to understand how long it takes the Louisiana Secretary of State to receive, examine, and approve your LLC registration forms.

Working with our qualified LLC experts, who have more than fifteen years of experience in the field, we examined the Louisiana SOS website to determine all LLC processing alternatives and response times available.

Here's a summary of everything you need to know.

Quick Summary

How Long Does It Take To Form an LLC in Louisiana?

It takes 2-3 weeks to form an LLC in Louisiana.

This is the standard processing time for mail submissions. Online filings take 3-5 business days to be processed.

The Louisiana Department also offers other filing methods, including fax and in-person filing.

As we'll see in the subsequent sections, each filing method has different processing times, and you can still pay an additional fee for expedited processing.

Louisiana LLC Processing Time

Louisiana limited liability company processing time represents how long the SOS takes to approve your application after they receive the necessary documents.

The SOS offers four filing methods: Online, mail, fax, in-person, and expedited [1].

Here's a detailed description of each filing method.

1. Online Filings

Online LLC filings in Louisiana are available on the geauxBIZ website.

You need an email and password to create an account to access the LLC registration documents.

Fill out your LLC details on the Articles of Formation form and upload the PDF.

For non-expedited processing, the SOS will process online filings within 3-5 business days.

However, you can pay an additional fee and have your paper approved in 4-6 hours.

The available payment options for online LLC filing include Master Card, Visa, American Express, and Discover.

Note that if you use any of these payment methods, you'll be subject to an additional $5 statutory convenience charge.

2. Mail Fillings

You can mail your articles of organization to the Secretary of State's office and pay a filing fee of $100.

Fill out the registration forms online, download them, and print them with black ink.

The time for your LLC to get approved by SOS is about 2-3 weeks to review and approve LLC mail applications, but you can pay extra state fees to expedite the processing.

For convenient processing, ensure you include your LLC's correct and updated details; otherwise, the SOS will reject your registration.

The available payment options for mail LLC submissions include checks and money orders.

All these are payable to the Louisiana Secretary of State, and cash is unacceptable.

3. Fax Filings

For commercial Louisiana LLC entities, the Commercial Division accepts fax filings.

All faxed original registration papers must adhere to all applicable laws, including signing requirements.

When faxing your LLC documents, ensure you include the following:

• A cover sheet or letter
• LLC name
• Incorporator's name and phone number
• Postal address

Ensure that you also fax the registration papers according to specified instructions, failure to which the Commercial Division can reject your application.

LLC owners can request expedited processing for faxed documents if they want them processed faster.

4. In-person Filings

The Secretary of State provides walk-in services to LLC owners in Louisiana.

Regular processing of hand-delivered LLC papers is 3-5 business days.

However, the registration documents can be handled while you wait for a $50 expedited cost.

Note that all expedited costs must be paid in addition to the regular filing fee.

If you can't download the form online, you can get physical forms in the Secretary of State's office and complete your details there. Other LLC publications collected by the Secretary of State are also available in the office.

If you decide to use the regular processing time, the SOS requires you to leave an address or a contact number to be notified when the processing is finished.

The walk-in customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The SOS advises LLC owners to try and submit their papers by 4 p.m. to give the staff ample time to process the filing.

You can pay the processing fee for in-person filing using cash or a credit card.

Check our article to learn more about the cost to start an LLC in Louisiana.

5. Expedited Filings

The SOS offers an option that accelerates the LLC filing of formation paperwork and the issue of certified copies and certifications.

Expedited service indicates that the documents are handled ahead of other papers received that day.

The SOS offers two expedited processing options for Louisiana LLCs:

• $50 for same-day expedited processing (4-6 hours)
• $30 for a 24-hour processing

Steps To Start an LLC in Louisiana

Follow these seven steps to start an LLC in Louisiana.

• Step 1: Look up a Louisiana LLC and find a business name that meets all the SOS LLC naming guidelines.
• Step 2: Name a Louisiana registered agent service responsible for contacting the Secretary of State and handling all correspondence for your LLC.
• Step 3: File your articles of organization containing all the details of your LLC, along with the state fee.
• Step 4: Once your application is evaluated, your registered agent service will receive a stamped copy of your registration documents from the Louisiana SOS.
• Step 5: Create an LLC operating agreement to guide your management, how it operates, and how members share profits and losses.
• Step 6: Acquire an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS to file federal and state taxes, hire employees, and open a business bank account.
• Step 7: Obtain the necessary state and municipal LLC business licenses and permits.

FAQs

Should You Hire an LLC Service in Louisiana?

Forming a Louisiana LLC provides a variety of advantages, but the procedure may be taxing for new business owners.

This is why using the best Louisiana LLC formation services is a smart move if you are a startup entity in the Louisiana department.

While these authentic LLC formation services will not establish your company faster, they'll help you navigate the red tape of legal paper filing and handle every step per Louisiana business law.

In addition to easy LLC filing, you get complimentary registered agent services and in-house customer care to respond to all your issues throughout your business term.