Start an LLC in Georgia
To form a Georgia LLC, you need to file Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division for $110. We’ve got a free tool to help you get started on your paperwork right now.
Or, hire Northwest to get your Articles filed with Privacy by Default® for just $39. Our filing service includes a year of registered agent service, use of our business address, and all the tools you need to create a strong business identity.
How to Form a Georgia LLC
Starting a Limited Liability Company (LLC) requires sharing personal information with the government, banks, landlords, vendors, and of course, customers. We help you preserve your privacy and take control of your intellectual property from day one. Quickly and easily start building your business identity with a free domain name, web hosting, phone line, email address, and brand protection, all included with our LLC formation service.
Ready to start filing on your own right now? Fill out your Georgia Articles of Organization using our free tool. Save your progress, download, or print whenever you want.
1. Name Your LLC
The name you choose for your LLC will appear on every contract, filing, invoice, and piece of correspondence your business produces, and it also shows up on your social media profiles, professional email address, and company website. That makes it both a legal decision and a long-term branding one.
Start with the big picture:
- Run a business name search to confirm your desired name is unique
- Search available domain names to find your business a home online
- Take a look at the USPTO database to make sure you aren’t infringing on any active trademarks
Legally, your business name needs to be distinguishable from other registered business names in Georgia and include an identifier like LLC or limited liability company. Your name can’t include terms like insurance or university without approval.
2. Register your Domain Name
Once you’ve settled on a business name, you’ll want to find a matching or complementary domain name. Your domain name is your address on the internet, and the foundation of your website, social media profiles, and business email.
Registering a domain name early in your business journey can ensure you:
- Create consistent branding across communication channels from the start
- Build credibility with a custom domain name that matches your business name
- Make it easier for customers to find your business online
You can also register additional domains that are similar to your primary domain (for example, alternative spellings or common misspellings) to prevent copycats and protect your intellectual property online.
3. Appoint a Georgia Registered Agent
State law requires all Georgia LLCs to appoint a registered agent. Registered agents accept legal mail and service of process on behalf of a business. Your Georgia registered agent may be an individual or a registered agent company like Northwest, and must:
- Have a physical address (no P.O. Boxes) in Georgia
- Accept legal notices for your business and get them to you fast
- Maintain regular business hours on weekdays to be available to accept service of process
Note: You can be your own registered agent in Georgia if you don’t mind having your name and address on public documents and being available to accept service of process every weekday, 9 AM to 5 PM. But many business owners choose to hire a registered agent service like Northwest instead.
4. Submit Georgia Articles of Organization
In Georgia, you can file your LLC formation docs online, by mail, or in person, but the process varies by filing method. When you file using paper forms, you’ll submit both Articles of Organization and a Transmittal Form. Online filers submit a single, longer form.
Important: With the exception of your LLC’s business email address, all the information on these forms becomes part of Georgia’s public record, making you a potential target for spam and scams. To keep your info private, hire Northwest as your registered agent. You can list our business address and info on state docs instead of your own wherever possible.
Georgia LLC Articles of Organization
- Company name: Must include an indicator like LLC or Limited.
- Effective date: The date your Articles of Organization become effective, either when filed with the Secretary of State, or a date within 90 days of your filing date.
- Signature: The dated signature of the organizer, member, manager, or attorney-in-fact of the LLC filing the document.
Georgia LLC Transmittal Form
- Primary email address: The email address where the Corporations Division can send your LLC’s Certificate of Approval.
- Name reservation number: If you’ve previously submitted a Name Reservation Request, list its identification number. Otherwise, leave this blank.
- Filer’s address, email and phone number: Contact information for the person who files the Articles of Organization.
- LLC’s principal office mailing address: This address may be a P.O. Box.
- Registered agent: Whoever you designate to receive legal notices for your business.
- Registered office address: A physical street address in Georgia.
- Registered agent email address: The email address your registered agent can be reached at.
- Organizer info: Name and physical address of each organizer responsible for filing LLC paperwork with the state.
Georgia LLC Online Application
All of the information on the Articles of Organization and Transmittal Form, plus:
- Name approval document: If your LLC’s name includes restricted words like credit union or college, attach an approval letter from the relevant agency. Most LLC names don’t need approval and can leave this blank.
- Business purpose: Choose an NAICS Code that fits your business, or enter unknown or any legal purpose if you’d rather not specify.
- Optional provisions: Add or attach any additional information you want included (like member and manager details).
How to file GA LLC Articles of Organization
Regardless of how you file, the filing fee is $110.
Paper filings
Mail or deliver to:
Georgia Secretary of State
Corporations Division
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 313 West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Processing Time:
Within 15 business days of receipt
Online filings
Apply at:
Georgia Corporations Division
Processing Time:
Within 7-10 business days of receipt
5. Create an Operating Agreement
An operating agreement is an internal document that helps govern your Georgia LLC’s operations. It’s where members decide on the LLC’s rules for things like voting, transferring membership interest, and what conditions will dissolve the business.
While Georgia LLCs aren’t required to have an operating agreement, adopting one is highly recommended. Without an operating agreement, your business must follow Georgia’s default LLC operation laws, which may not always work in your favor. An operating agreement is also usually necessary for opening a business bank account.
Not sure where to start? Use our free Georgia LLC operating agreement template.
6. Get an EIN
An EIN is like a Social Security number for your business, which the IRS can use to identify your LLC on tax filings.
Multi-member LLCs, all LLCs with employees, and all LLCs taxed as C corps or S corps are required to have an EIN. If you own a single-member LLC and don’t have employees, you can file taxes with your Social Security number, but it’s still a good idea to get an EIN. Using an EIN can help protect your SSN from getting exposed to fraudsters, and it’s often required to open a business bank account and apply for loans & licenses.
You can apply for an EIN for free from the IRS, or simply hire Northwest to obtain your EIN.
7. Open a Business Bank Account
In most cases, your Georgia limited liability company will need its own bank account to keep its funds separate from those of members and help maintain its limited liability status. To open a bank account, you’ll need an operating agreement, EIN, and an LLC Resolution to Open a Bank Account.
Once the LLC has a business bank account, you can fund it. Members make an initial contribution (usually money, but sometimes property or services) that determines their membership interest, or percentage of LLC ownership.
8. File Your Georgia Annual Registration
Each year by April 1, your Georgia LLC needs to submit an Annual Registration to Georgia’s Corporations Division. Your Georgia Annual Registration updates the state about changes to your LLC’s registered agent and address information. You also have the option of filing multi-year registration for two or three years at once.
Filing on time is important. Late filings are charged a $25 late fee and, if you’re more than 60 days late, your LLC is at risk of being administratively dissolved by the state. If your LLC is dissolved, you’ll have to file for reinstatement before you can start doing business again.
Tip: Worried you’ll forget? Keep things simple. We include enrollment in Annual Filing Renewal Service with LLC formation to help ensure that your LLC stays in good standing.
9. Pay Your Taxes
By default, Georgia LLCs are pass-through entities like sole proprietorships and general partnerships. This means that LLC profits pass through the business to its members. The LLC itself does not pay income taxes on those profits, but LLC members pay personal income tax on their earnings.
Check out our page on Georgia taxes to learn more.
Federal taxes
- For LLCs filing under default status, members report their portion of the LLC’s profits on their own tax returns, where it becomes subject to the 15.3% federal self-employment tax rate.
- LLCs filing as C corps pay the 21% federal corporate income tax, and members also pay personal income tax on their individual earnings.
- LLCs filing as S corps avoid the federal corporate income tax, and the LLC can distributions to members that aren’t subject to the federal self-employment tax. Members will pay personal income tax on their salary, which is subject to standard payroll taxes.
State & local taxes
- As with federal taxes, if you’re filing under default status, your LLC won’t pay taxes as an entity, but your LLC’s members will pay personal income tax on their individual profits. Georgia’s income tax rate is 4.99%.
- LLCs that sell tangible goods, digital goods, or taxable services must also collect and pay both state and local sales tax. The state sales tax rate is 4%. Local tax varies by county and city.
- Depending on your business and where you’re located, you may need to pay additional state and local taxes, such as property tax, employer withholding tax, or unemployment insurance tax.
Georgia LLC FAQs
Choosing a professional registered agent in Georgia helps ensure you never miss important legal documents or tax notices. A registered agent also helps your LLC stay compliant by preventing missed filing deadlines that could lead to penalties or even a legal suspension of your business operations.
At Northwest, one of our main goals is to help LLC owners live more privately. Beyond compliance, professional agents (like Northwest) will list their business address on all of your Georgia LLC filings. This keeps your private information off of public record and away from the prying eyes of scammers and robocallers.
Start Your Georgia LLC
We'll get it done for $39 + state fees. A year of registered agent service included.