How Much Does an LLC Cost in Louisiana (All the Fees)

Published by Jon Morgan | Co-Founder & Chief Editor

Last updated: August 22, 2026

FACT CHECKED by Aran Quinn, CPA, Esq., LL.M

Methodology
We meticulously research and verify the information presented in our articles. By consulting reliable sources and ensuring factual accuracy, we are committed to providing readers with well-informed, trustworthy content.

Forming an LLC in Louisiana costs $100 to file the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State's Commercial Division. That fee rises to $125 on October 1, 2026, under a statewide fee increase called Act 921. File before that date to save $25.

After formation, a Louisiana LLC pays a $30 annual report each year. Optional or situational costs may also apply, like a registered agent, business licenses, and state taxes. The breakdown below covers each charge in order. It starts with the one-time formation fee, then the recurring and optional costs after it.

Quick Summary

One-Time Costs to Form a Louisiana LLC

These are the fees you pay once, when the LLC comes into existence. The same fee categories show up in every state. Louisiana adds one wrinkle: a fee increase landing partway through the year.

1. LLC Formation Filing Fee ($100, Rising to $125 on October 1, 2026 - Mandatory)

The Articles of Organization is the document that creates your Louisiana LLC on the state's books. You file it with the Louisiana Secretary of State, Form #365, for $100 [1]. That fee rises to $125 once Act 921's fee schedule takes effect on October 1, 2026 [2].

Louisiana doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround time for routine (non-expedited) processing. If you want it faster, the state offers two paid options: a 24-hour expedite for $30, or a while-you-wait priority expedite for $50. Both come on top of the base filing fee.

Those add-ons rise to $35 and $60 the same October date. The full walkthrough lives in how to start an LLC in Louisiana.

Filings go through geauxBIZ, the state's online filing portal. You need to create an account before filing anything, whether it's the initial Articles of Organization or a later annual report.

2. Name Reservation ($25 - Optional)

Reserving your LLC's name before you file holds it so another business can't register it first. It costs $25 through the Secretary of State. This fee stays the same after October 1, 2026.

Most founders skip this step, since filing the Articles of Organization directly locks the name in. It's mainly useful if you're not ready to file yet but want to guard the name in the meantime.

3. DBA / Trade Name Registration ($75, Rising to $95 on October 1, 2026 - Optional)

Registering a trade name, or "doing business as" name, tells the public your LLC operates under a name different from the one on file with the state. This is a Secretary of State filing, Form #309. It costs $75.

That fee rises to $95 on October 1, 2026. Register one if your LLC does business under a brand name that doesn't match its legal name.

Recurring Costs to Keep a Louisiana LLC in Good Standing

Formation is a single payment. Staying in good standing afterward means a different set of dates and fees that don't stop once the LLC exists.

1. Annual Report ($30, Rising to $35 on October 1, 2026 - Mandatory)

Louisiana LLCs file an annual report with the Secretary of State every year. It's due on the anniversary of formation. The fee is $30 currently, rising to $35 once the October 2026 fee schedule takes effect. You can file it through geauxBIZ along with your other annual filings.

2. Registered Agent Service ($0 Self / $80 to $300 Annually - Optional)

Every Louisiana LLC needs a registered agent with a physical address in the state. This agent receives legal notices and state mail on the company's behalf. You can serve as your own agent for $0. Or you can appoint a member of the LLC who lives in the state.

Hiring a Louisiana registered agent service instead usually runs $80 to $300 a year. The trade-off is privacy. The agent's address becomes the public record instead of your own home or office address.

3. State Taxes (Varies by Business Activity - Mandatory if Applicable)

A Louisiana LLC taxed as a pass-through entity doesn't pay its own state tax by default. Its members instead owe Louisiana income tax on their share of the profit. An LLC that elects corporate tax treatment pays under Louisiana's corporate tax rules instead.

If your LLC sells taxable goods or services, you also need to register to collect Louisiana sales tax. You then remit it on a regular schedule. Rates and registration steps depend on what you sell and where. Check the Louisiana Department of Revenue's current guidance before you set prices.

4. Business Licenses and Permits (Varies - Mandatory if Applicable)

No single state business license covers every Louisiana LLC. Specific industries need their own licenses or permits instead. Rules are often set at the parish or city level on top of anything the state requires.

A contractor, a restaurant, and a home-based consultant each answer to different licensing bodies. Check with your parish or city government, plus any state board that covers your profession, before you open for business.

5. Workers' Compensation Insurance (Mandatory if You Have Employees)

Louisiana law requires most employers, including LLCs, to carry workers' compensation coverage once they have employees. You can buy a policy from a private insurer. Or you can apply to self-insure if your LLC qualifies.

Premiums depend on your industry and claims history. Get a quote from a licensed carrier rather than budgeting off a generic number. A single-member LLC with no employees generally isn't required to carry this coverage.

Optional Costs Worth Knowing About

Nothing below is required to keep a Louisiana LLC in good standing. Each one solves a real problem when it comes up.

1. Certificate of Good Standing ($20 - Optional but Recommended)

A Certificate of Good Standing confirms your LLC is registered and current with the state. The Secretary of State issues it as an "additional certificate." It costs $20, and that fee doesn't change under the October 2026 update.

If you want it faster than routine processing, the same expedite tiers apply here too. That's $30/$50 today, rising to $35/$60 in October, same as any other Secretary of State filing.

Lenders, landlords, and other states' filing offices often ask for one before doing business with you. That comes up most when you open a bank account or register to operate somewhere else.

2. Certified Copies of Documents ($15, Rising to $25 on October 1, 2026 - Optional but Recommended)

Certified copies of your formation paperwork cost $15 currently, rising to $25 on October 1, 2026. Each one is a file-stamped duplicate proving your filing matches the state's own records. Banks, lenders, and out-of-state agencies commonly ask for one when you're opening accounts or expanding.

3. Operating Agreement ($0 Template / $100 to $1,000+ Attorney - Optional)

Louisiana doesn't require an LLC to file an operating agreement with the state. But skipping one leaves ownership shares, management, and exit terms unsettled if a dispute comes up. This is the internal document that spells out how the LLC runs.

Drafting one yourself with a free template (linked in the table above) costs nothing. A custom version from an attorney runs $100 to $1,000 or more. The price scales with how much detail the agreement needs. That expense pays off once the LLC has multiple owners with different interests to balance.

4. EIN ($0 - Optional, but Recommended)

An EIN costs nothing from the IRS. Banks, payroll firms, and the IRS all use it to identify your business. You'll need one to open a bank account, hire staff, or apply for some loans. Some formation services charge extra for this step, even though it's free to do yourself at IRS.gov.

FAQs

References:

1. https://www.sos.la.gov/business-services/forms-fee-schedule
2. https://static.sos.la.gov/shared/fee_changes_2026.pdf