How to Start an LLC in Georgia

Starting an LLC in Georgia means choosing a business name, designating a registered agent, and filing the Articles of Organization with the Georgia Corporations Division. After these three core steps, you’ll need to complete a few other items to prepare to do business in the state.

Create a Georgia LLC in 5 steps:

1. Name Your Georgia LLC
2. Select a Georgia Registered Agent
3. File Georgia Articles of Organization
4. Additional Business Operations
5. File a BOI Report

Step 1: Name Your Georgia LLC

The first thing you need to do for your LLC’s formation is choose a name. This name will go on all of your business’s legal and financial paperwork. Keep these in mind when choosing a name:

What are Georgia’s business name requirements?

The name you choose for your business has to be unique in the state. It’s also limited to eighty characters, and is required to include “limited liability company” or “limited company”, as per O.C.G.A. § 14-11-207. You can abbreviate limited to “ltd.” and company to “co.”, as well as abbreviate either phrase to “L.L.C.”, “LLC”, “L.C.”, or “LC”.

Do I have to reserve my business name first?

No. Georgia offers an optional name reservation service before you file your formation papers. You can reserve your name online ($25), or by mail ($35), and you will receive a name reservation number via email within 7 business days to include in the filing paperwork.

Is my desired name available in Georgia?

Duplicate LLC names can’t exist in the same state. To confirm that your business name is available, check with Georgia’s Business Search through the Secretary of State.

Is my name already being used online?

Having a consistent business presence across all platforms is important for a brand. Before choosing a name, check to see if it’s in use on social media, or as a domain name. A business name that’s connected to another brand could dilute the power of your own brand.

You’ll also want to check to see if your name is trademarked. If it is, you could run into legal trouble down the road.

If you hire us to form your LLC, you can easily build your business’s all-around presence with three free months of a business website, email, and phone number—plus a free year of a domain name.

Step 2: Select a Registered Agent

LLCs in Georgia are required to appoint a state registered agent to receive legal mail on the behalf of the business. The registered agent then forwards said documents to the businesses in a timely manner.

Your Georgia registered agent can be an individual with a Georgia address or a business entity registered in the state. They must have a registered office in the state as well, where the agent can accept service of process in person—this can be a place of business, but it doesn’t have to be.

Georgia does require your registered agent to have a physical address, though. Your registered office can’t be listed as a PO box address.

Can I be my own registered agent in Georgia?

Yes. But, an entity cannot be its own registered agent. It’s important to note that registered agents are required to be present at their physical address during normal business hours, and that their information will be on public records. Hire Registered Agents Inc to be your registered agent, and you get to keep your personal information private.

Step 3: File Georgia Articles of Organization

Georgia has two formation papers that must be filed — the Articles of Organization, and the Transmittal Information Form. Online, you’ll fill out one form that combines these.

The information on these forms becomes public once you file. Expect to see the following items as you work through the forms:

1. LLC name

It’s as straightforward as it sounds. Remember to make sure your name is unique in Georgia and includes an identifier.

If you chose to reserve your name, be sure to fill out the “LLC Name Reservation Number” line found on the Transmittal Form—put in the number you were emailed after approval. Otherwise, you can ignore it.

2. Date of formation

You can choose when your Articles of Organization become effective—immediately, or at a specific date and time within 90 days of filing the form.

3. Information of the organizer

The ‘organizer’ is simply the person who is filing the paperwork. If you’re choosing to file by mail, you’ll see lines for the organizer’s information on both the Articles of Organization and the Transmittal Information Form. These can—but don’t have to be—two different people.

The organizer’s name, address, and contact information become public when you file with the state. Some people choose to hire a service like Registered Agents Inc to form their LLC for them, so their personal information as a member or manager of the LLC stays private.

4. Registered agent

This is the public point of contact for your company. You’ll list their name, physical Georgia address, and their email.

5. Your LLC’s principal mailing address

Unlike your registered office, this can be a PO box.

How much does it cost to get an LLC in Georgia?

If you file online, the fee is $100. If you file by mail, you’ll pay an additional $10 paper service charge.

When filing by mail, make sure to include both the Articles of Organization and the Transmittal Form with your fee.

Step 4: Additional Business Operations

Once you form your LLC, it’s smart to begin setting up other business operations.

• Secure an EIN. This is a federal tax ID that allows you to hire employees and open a business bank account, among many other business benefits.
• Create an operating agreement. The state of Georgia doesn’t require an operating agreement for LLCs, but drafting one for your business is smart. It outlines details on how the LLC will be run—the responsibilities of members and managers, the owners of the LLC and their financial contributions, and so on. When you hire us, we’ll provide a Georgia-specific operating agreement written by our attorneys for your use.
• File annual registration. Georgia requires all LLCs to file an annual registration (annual report) with the state between January 1 and April 1. We can file your annual report for free — the only cost is Georgia’s fee of $50.
• Apply for an occupation tax certificate. A business license isn’t mandatory in the formation of your LLC, but in order to do business in Georgia, you’ll likely need an occupation tax certificate (a business license).
  
  Georgia issues most licenses through the city or county, rather than the state. Determine what city or county your business’s principal address is located in, and apply for an occupation tax certificate and other industry-specific business licenses through their resources.

Step 5: File a BOI Report

All businesses are required to report beneficial ownership information (BOI). A BOI report is a filing with the federal government that includes information about who directly or indirectly owns or controls a company.

If your LLC was formed in 2024, your BOI must be filed within 90 days of “notice of formation.” Formation in 2025 and later will require the BOI to be filed within 30 days of the notice.

If you hire us to form your company or act as your registered agent, we can file a BOI report for you for $25 — you can also file it yourself online.