How to Start an LLC in Louisiana (2026)
You form a Louisiana LLC by filing Articles of Organization (Form #365). You file it with the Louisiana Secretary of State's Commercial Division. The fee is $100.
Louisiana bundles this filing with a required Initial Report. Both documents need a notary's signature before the state will accept them.
This guide covers a new domestic LLC formed to do business inside Louisiana. It doesn't cover registering an out-of-state LLC to do business here. The Louisiana-Specific Rules section below covers that path instead.
Quick Summary
- Check your LLC name before you file. Louisiana rejects names that aren't distinguishable from ones already on record.
- A member can be your own registered agent, but the state needs a notarized affidavit. A home address then becomes public record.
- File your annual report on time every year. Miss it three years running and the state revokes your LLC's charter.
Louisiana LLC Requirements at a Glance
The table below lists what the Secretary of State currently requires to form and maintain a Louisiana LLC. Use it as a quick reference before you start filling out any forms.
| LLC requirement | State-specific answer |
|---|---|
| Filing document | Articles of Organization (Form #365, La. R.S. 12:1301 et seq.), filed together with the LLC Initial Report (Form #973). Official form PDF |
| Filing authority | Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division |
| State filing fee | $100 (rising to $125 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921) |
| Online filing | Yes, geauxBIZ |
| Processing time | Not published, except expedited service ($30/24-hr, $50 while-you-wait) |
| Registered agent | Louisiana resident or entity at a physical in-state address (notarized affidavit required) |
| Annual report | $30, due on or before the anniversary date of the LLC's organization each year (rising to $35 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921) |
| Publication required? | No publication requirement |
| State business tax | None for pass-through LLCs (the default). C-corp election owes franchise tax starting at $110 |
| Last verified | September 3, 2026 |
How to Start an LLC in Louisiana: 5 Steps
Forming a Louisiana LLC takes five steps, from picking a name to getting your EIN. Here's what each one involves.
Step 1: Choose and check your LLC name
Your name must include "limited liability company," "L.L.C." or "L.C." The name also has to be different from every name already on file with the Secretary of State.
Words like "bank," "insurance," "engineer" or "surveyor" trigger an extra approval step. The relevant board has to sign off before the state issues your certificate.
Run a preliminary check by phone or mail before you file. Reserve the name for $25 if you're not ready to file yet.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Louisiana requires your registered agent to sign a notarized affidavit accepting the role. The state won't take your filing without it [1]. The agent also needs a physical Louisiana street address. A P.O. box doesn't qualify.
A member or manager who lives in the state can serve as the agent for free. Some owners want to keep a home address off the public record. A registered agent service in Louisiana can stand in instead.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State
You'll file the Articles of Organization with the LLC Initial Report. You'll pay the state's fee in one transaction. Our how-to-start-an-LLC guide covers this same step for other states too. Here, it's adapted to Louisiana's exact form and fee.
The next section breaks the form down field by field. That section also covers the payment options and what the state sends back once your filing is approved.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Louisiana law doesn't make an operating agreement mandatory. Yours can be written or just spoken between members. If you write one, though, state law says to keep a copy at your registered office with your other records [2].
Step 5: Get an EIN
Getting an EIN costs nothing at irs.gov. The online application issues your number right away once the IRS approves it. You'll need one before registering for sales tax or withholding through geauxBIZ.
Filing the Articles of Organization in Louisiana: What to Expect
Here's exactly what happens when you file, field by field and dollar by dollar. Knowing this ahead of time keeps your paperwork from bouncing back.
1. What the form asks for
The Articles of Organization ask for your LLC's name and its purpose. They also ask how long it will exist and whether members or managers run it. For purpose, you can pick "any lawful activity" or spell out a narrower one.
The Initial Report adds more. That report lists your registered office address and your registered agent's name and address. Your first managers' or members' names and addresses are listed too. Louisiana requires a notary to witness every signature on both documents.
2. Fee and payment methods
The filing fee is $100, covering the Articles and the Initial Report together. The Secretary of State takes checks or money orders payable to the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State also takes credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express, plus a $5 convenience fee). Cash works too if you're paying in person. Mailed cash isn't accepted.
3. Processing times
| Filing method | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Online | Not published for routine online filings |
| Not published for routine mailed filings | |
| In person | Processed while you wait for the $50 priority expedite fee, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Baton Rouge office |
| Expedited | $30/24-hr expedite (pickup or mail), $50 while-you-wait (in person), rising to $35 and $60 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921 |
| Current state estimate | Not published |
Louisiana doesn't publish a standard turnaround for routine online or mailed filings. It doesn't post a current backlog estimate either.
If you need a dated commitment, pay $30 for 24-hour service by mail or pickup. Or pay $50 for while-you-wait service in person. Both rise to $35 and $60 once Act 921's fee increase takes effect.
4. Where to file by mail or in person
Mail your documents to P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125. Or file in person at the Commercial Division, 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809.
Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Try to arrive by 4 p.m. so staff has time to process your filing before closing.
5. Common reasons filings are rejected
The Secretary of State's own filing checklist flags a short list of usual problems: a name that's wrong or too close to one on file, a missing signature or a document that needed notarizing but wasn't.
Other common trip-ups include a P.O. box listed where a street address is required, the wrong fee and a missing registered agent affidavit. A single missing signature sends the whole packet back.
6. What you receive when it is approved
Once your filing is accepted, the state issues a stamped Certificate of Organization. If you filed through geauxBIZ, you can download it from your account for 120 days after approval.
What It Costs to Start an LLC in Louisiana
Beyond the state filing fee, a few optional costs can add up depending on what you need. None of them are required just to form your LLC.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $100 (rising to $125 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921) |
| Name reservation | $25 for 60 days, with two 30-day extensions available on request |
| Registered agent | $0 when a member or manager who is a Louisiana resident serves as agent. The state does not publish a commercial registered-agent price |
| Certified copy | $15 each. Additional certificates are $20 each |
| Expedited filing | $30/24-hr expedite (pickup or mail), $50 while-you-wait (in person), rising to $35 and $60 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921 |
| Annual report | $30, due on or before the anniversary date of the LLC's organization each year (rising to $35 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921) |
| Other mandatory state fees | None beyond the $100 filing fee. Adding managers or members later, if you skipped them at formation, costs $25 (Form #366, Supplemental Initial Report) |
Name reservation, certified copies and expedited service are all optional. You only need to pay for a commercial registered agent if you'd rather not list your own address. Naming a member or manager instead costs nothing.
Louisiana-Specific Rules That Change the Process
1. Naming restrictions and restricted words
Add "engineer," "surveyor" or a variation to your name. The state then needs ten days' written notice to the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board. That notice has to happen before the state issues your certificate.
Include "bank," "trust," "savings" or "credit union" in your name. You'll need written approval from the Office of Financial Institutions, at least 14 days ahead of filing.
The word "insurance" is off-limits as well, unless you're an independent insurance agency or brokerage, under that same naming statute [3].
2. Professional and licensed occupations
Louisiana's LLC law doesn't carve out a separate professional-LLC entity. Its definition of "business" already covers professions licensed by a state board.
A consultant, contractor or another licensed professional forms the same LLC everyone else does. Your licensing board's own rules on ownership still apply on top of that.
3. Member vs. manager disclosure
Your Articles state whether members or managers run the LLC. Your Initial Report lists their names and addresses. Both become part of the public record the Secretary of State keeps on file.
4. State tax treatment
Most Louisiana LLCs are taxed as partnerships by default. They owe no state corporation franchise tax that way. Electing federal C-corporation status changes that.
Louisiana's Department of Revenue then applies its corporation franchise tax the same way it does for corporations. That tax starts at $110 [4].
5. Foreign LLC registration
An LLC formed in another state registers to do business here by filing an Application of Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form #972). The fee is $150. It rises to $185 once Act 921 takes effect.
Its name has to meet the same rules as a Louisiana LLC's. If that name isn't available, the out-of-state LLC can add a distinguishing word to use here.
6. Annual reports, reinstatement and licensing
Your registered agent gets 30 days' written notice under state law. That happens before the state acts on a missed annual report [5].
You can reinstate within three years of revocation. File a reinstatement application, your current annual report and the required fee.
Louisiana has no general state business license. The state also doesn't require LLCs to publish a formation notice in a newspaper. Your parish or city, instead of the state, sets whatever license rules apply to your business.
What to Do After Your Louisiana LLC Is Approved
Once your LLC is approved, open a business bank account. You'll need your stamped Certificate of Organization and your EIN to do it.
Check whether your parish or city requires a local occupational license for what you do. Louisiana doesn't issue one statewide.
If you'll sell taxable goods or services, register for a sales tax account with the Department of Revenue. Use the same geauxBIZ portal you used to form your LLC.
Keep your Articles of Organization, any written operating agreement, tax returns and financial statements at your registered office. Do this in case a member asks to see them.
From there, staying compliant means filing your annual report every year. Keep your registered agent's information current with the Secretary of State, too.
| Compliance item | Deadline, fee and department |
|---|---|
| Initial report | Filed with the Articles at no extra fee (Form #973). Adding managers or members later costs $25 (La. R.S. 12:1305(E)) |
| Annual or biennial report | $30, due on or before the anniversary date of the LLC's organization each year (rising to $35 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921) |
| State tax registration | Sales tax, withholding and other Dept. of Revenue tax accounts are registered through the shared geauxBIZ portal |
| Renewal deadline | Not applicable. Louisiana has no general state business license, and local occupational licenses, where required, are issued by the parish or municipality |
| Late fee | None published. The statutory consequence of missing three consecutive annual reports is revocation of the articles of organization, reversible by reinstatement within three years |
| Responsible state department | Secretary of State, Commercial Division (filings); Department of Revenue (tax accounts) |
FAQs
Is an Annual Report Required for a Louisiana LLC?
Yes, an annual report is required for a Louisiana LLC, due on or before your formation anniversary each year. The fee is $30, and geauxBIZ is the online filing option.
Can a Nonresident Form an LLC in Louisiana?
Yes, a nonresident can form an LLC in Louisiana. State law doesn't require members or organizers to live here. Your registered agent's Louisiana address becomes part of the public record once you file.
Does Louisiana Require LLCs to Publish a Notice?
No, Louisiana doesn't require LLCs to publish a notice of formation. Louisiana's LLC Act itself has no publication section. That's unlike states that require newspaper notices before a filing counts as complete.
Does the Owner's Name Become Public When You Form an LLC in Louisiana?
Yes, the owner's name becomes public when you form an LLC in Louisiana. The Initial Report lists whoever manages the company by name and address. Using a registered agent service doesn't hide that information.
How Long Does Louisiana LLC Approval Take?
Louisiana LLC approval takes as long as you're willing to pay for. Paying $30 buys a 24-hour decision, and $50 buys while-you-wait service in person, both rising to $35 and $60 under Act 921's pending fee increase.
What Happens If I Miss the Louisiana Annual Report Deadline?
Missing the Louisiana annual report deadline once does nothing on its own. A third straight missed year gets your charter revoked. Reinstating it costs $75 plus $30 for each overdue annual report.
References:
- https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=76255
- https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=76270
- https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=76253
- https://revenue.louisiana.gov/tax-education-and-faqs/faqs/corporation-income-franchise-taxes/how-are-limited-liability-companies-llcs-taxed-for-louisiana-income-and-franchise-tax-purposes/
- https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=76257
