Make your Georgia business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.
- Your business name checked before filing.
- Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
- Your formation documents together in an online account.
$0 service fee + $100 published online filing fee
Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Get the paperwork handled and your company underway
With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the Georgia formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.
Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.
What it costs to start a Georgia LLC
A Georgia LLC costs $100 to form online according to the georgia.gov “Register an LLC” instructions (updated June 2026), or $110 by mail or in person. The recurring SOS filing is an annual registration of about $60 (January 1–April 1; $25 late fee).
Start with georgia.gov — Register an LLC and the renew / annual registration page. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.
| Expense | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (online) | $100 | Primary path on georgia.gov (June 2026); pay by credit card |
| Articles of Organization (mail/in person) | $110 | With Articles + Transmittal Form 231 |
| Minimum formation total (online, published) | $100 | Confirm live eCorp checkout before paying |
| Annual registration | ~$60 | Each year Jan 1–Apr 1 (multi-year options available) |
| Annual registration late fee | $25 | If not filed/postmarked by April 1 |
| Mail annual registration add-on | +$10 | Noted on georgia.gov renew for mail |
| Expedite add-ons | +$100 / +$250 / +$1,000 | Optional faster processing tiers on georgia.gov |
Budget example: $100 online to form plus about $60 for the first annual registration equals roughly $160 across those two SOS filings (timing of the first registration should be confirmed on eCorp). That is not an all-in startup budget: permits, insurance, taxes, professional help, and subscriptions are separate.
Secondary commentary has claimed a $10 online service charge that would make online formation $110. The official georgia.gov how-to still publishes $100 online / $110 mail. This guide treats $100 as the primary published online amount—verify the total on the eCorp payment screen before you submit.
Choose the services you want with your filing
Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.
The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.
Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.
How to start your Georgia LLC
Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:
- Enter your business details. Choose Georgia, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
- Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
- Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.
Your Georgia filing checklist and required next steps
- Check the name. Search eCorp and include an LLC designator. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance. Optional name reservation is available in eCorp (confirm the current fee there).
- Gather addresses and agent details. Have the filer name/address, valid email, principal-office mailing address, Georgia registered-agent name and street address, and each organizer’s name and address ready.
- Decide who manages the company. Agree on ownership and management before banking. Ask your bank what documents it needs.
- Review and submit. Prefer eCorp online (~7 business days standard on georgia.gov) or mail (~15 business days) with Form 231. Pay $100 online or $110 mail/in person as published, plus any expedite tier you select.
- Confirm acceptance. Save the filed Articles, payment receipt, and entity details. A payment alone is not proof every detail was accepted correctly.
Check your proposed name in the Georgia business search.
How long does approval take?
georgia.gov lists roughly 7 business days for standard online filings and about 15 business days for mail, with optional expedite add-ons (+$100 for 2 business days, +$250 same business day before noon on a weekday, and +$1,000 one-hour for mail/in-person paths). A service’s preparation time is separate from Georgia’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; state review follows the service’s preparation.
If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for name conflicts and corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.
Can I file directly with Georgia?
Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the Georgia official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.
Choose your Georgia registered agent
You must select a Georgia registered agent (person or entity) with a physical Georgia street address for service of process. A member may serve if they provide a qualifying Georgia street address. The LLC registered office is the agent’s Georgia street address. See georgia.gov register guidance.
Consider whether you can reliably receive legal documents at that address during business hours. If your day is spent at customer sites or events, a commercial agent may be more practical. Compare delivery procedures and renewal costs before choosing.
Plan your address use before filing. Georgia business records are publicly searchable. The registered-agent address is one field; mailing and other required addresses are separate. Ask which address fields the agent service covers. Supply accurate information in every field.
Georgia LLC annual registration: what happens after formation?
The annual registration updates or confirms the state’s business record; it is not an income-tax return. An active LLC must register even when its information has not changed. File between January 1 and April 1 unless a multi-year registration already covers the year. See georgia.gov — Renew an LLC.
The indexed SOS annual-registration amount for LLCs is about $60 (online or paper on the SOS how-to fee table indexed during research). georgia.gov notes an additional $10 service charge for mail. Late filing after April 1 adds $25. Multi-year options (current year only, 2 years, or 3 years) are offered on the renew page—confirm the live eCorp total.
First-year timing: practice and common SOS guidance point to the calendar year after formation for the first annual registration, but georgia.gov renew does not spell that first-year rule in one explicit sentence. After formation, check eCorp for your entity’s due year rather than assuming a formation-year filing.
Continued failure can lead to administrative dissolution. If you buy compliance assistance, check that the registration was actually submitted. There is no separate SOS franchise tax on LLCs identified for this guide—local occupational tax certificates remain separate.
Starting near year-end? Confirm any delayed-effective options in eCorp if offered. Choose the date around your actual business start, then verify the first annual-registration year on the entity record.
Get your Georgia LLC filing underway
Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable Georgia charges detailed above.
Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Put your approved LLC to work
- Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Georgia’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
- Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
- Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
- Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
- Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.
Insurance guidance for your Georgia business
Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:
Continue with the Georgia business guide for the broader startup process.
Georgia LLC questions before you start
What is the cheapest way to form a Georgia LLC?
georgia.gov lists $100 to file Articles of Organization online by credit card, or $110 by mail/in person. You can file directly or use ZenBusiness Starter, which offers a $0 formation service fee. Confirm the live eCorp checkout total before paying. Optional expedite fees and later annual registration are additional.
Is the Georgia annual registration due when I form the LLC?
Usually no—the first annual registration is generally due the calendar year after formation, filed between January 1 and April 1. Confirm the due year on eCorp for your entity. The indexed SOS amount is about $60; mail may add $10.
Can I be my own Georgia registered agent?
Yes, if you provide a physical Georgia street address for service of process. The registered office is the agent’s Georgia street address. A P.O. box-only setup does not meet that street-address need.
Does forming an LLC give me a Georgia business license?
Formation creates the entity with the Secretary of State. Local occupational tax certificates, industry permits, and tax accounts are separate; check your county/city and industry before opening.
Can I get an EIN without buying a service?
Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then check eligibility for the IRS online application or use its alternative application instructions.
This guide is for creating a new Georgia LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Georgia’s foreign-qualification requirements before creating a second company.
Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.
