Louisiana Foreign Corporation
To do business in Louisiana as a foreign corporation, you need to submit an Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana to the Louisiana Secretary of State. To do this, just follow our Registration Guide below, or—for an easier solution—hire us to register your foreign corporation in Louisiana for you.
Register A Foreign Corporation in Louisiana Now!
At just $149 plus state fees, we offer the lowest prices of any registration service in Louisiana.
Want to Register A Foreign Corporation Yourself?
No problem. You can simply hire us for our affordable $49/year registered agent service.
Why Hire a Registered Agent to Register Your Foreign Corporation in Louisiana?
We offer professional filing services and we’re based right here in Louisiana. Plus, we offer the most affordable prices in the state.
| State Fee (plus credit card processing fee): | $130 |
| One Year of Registered Agent Service: | $49 |
| Our Service Fee: | $100 |
| TOTAL: | $279 |
What is a Louisiana Foreign Corporation?
You might assume a foreign corporation is one that’s formed outside the U.S., but in terms of state filings a Foreign Corporation is any corporation formed outside the state of Louisiana. This includes corporations formed in another state.
Do I have to register as a foreign corporation in Louisiana?
If you formed a corporation outside the state of Louisiana and plan to transact business here, then yes you would need to register as a foreign corporation.
What does it mean to transact business in Louisiana?
“Transact business” is a legal term that is loosely defined (see: LA Rev Stat § 12:1343). In general, it pertains to any ongoing business transactions that involve the sale or manufacture of goods, or business operations. (Not sure whether your business is technically transacting business in LA? It might be a good idea to reach out to a business lawyer or accountant in Louisiana.)
How do I register as a foreign corporation in Louisiana?
The easiest way is to hire us—we’ll take care of everything for you! But if you want to complete the registration yourself, just follow our registration guide directly below.
Louisiana Foreign Corporation Registration Guide
Plan to file paperwork yourself? Here are 3 key steps you’ll need to take:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing
A certificate of good standing is a document that shows your corporation is all caught up on payments and filings in your home state. It must be authorized by a state official, which means you’ll have to get it from the office where you submitted your corporation’s formation documents. (Probably a secretary of state’s office.) Certificates of good standing usually cost somewhere between $0 and $50.
What if my corporation’s state of formation doesn’t issue a certificate of good standing?
In this case, your home state probably calls this document something else, like:
- certificate of existence
- certificate of authorization
- certificate of status
Whatever the name, you must contact your home state to obtain a document authorizing your company to do business there. That document is important for ensuring your company is fit to do business here.
2. Get a Louisiana Registered Agent
Just like regular corporations, foreign corporations are required to have a Louisiana registered agent. Your registered agent must have a physical presence here in Louisiana, and be available to receive important legal notifications on behalf of your corporation during normal business hours.
Need to find a fast and reliable registered agent? At just $49 a year, we’re also the best bargain in all of Louisiana!
3. Register with the SOS
To officially be approved to do business in Louisiana, you’ll have to file an Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana and pay the state’s filing fee of $125. It must include:
- Indication of whether your company is a nonprofit, or for-profit business
- Name of your corporation
- Any previous name(s) of your corporation
- Federal tax ID number
- Principal office address in your home state
- Principal business office address, if different
- Principal business establishment in Louisiana
- Registered office address in Louisiana
- Registered agent’s name and address in Louisiana
- Nature of the business you plan to conduct in Louisiana
- Names, addresses and signatures from your directors and officers
- Signature from your registered agent
Note that if you file your documents via paper, all signatures must be notarized.
How do I submit my foreign corporation application in Louisiana?
You can submit your application for authorization in one of four ways:
Online: geauxBIZ
Via Fax: (225) 932-5314
By Mail:
Louisiana Secretary of State
Commercial Division
P. O. Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
In person:
Louisiana Secretary of State
Commercial Division8585 Archives Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
What is geauxBIZ?
GeauxBIZ is Louisiana’s online filing system. It’s used for business filings for the Louisiana Secretary of State, as well as filings for the department of revenue and state workforce commission. You’ll use geauxBIZ if you file your paperwork online.
Can I expedite my foreign corporation filing in Louisiana?
Yes, there are three filing methods you can choose from:
- Routine: FREE
- Expedite: $30 (24-hour processing)
- Priority Expedite: $50 (2-4 hour processing)
Let Us Do the Heavy Lifting
Don’t want to have to file this yourself? Don’t worry, you don’t have to! When you hire us, we do everything to register your company as a foreign entity in Louisiana, including getting a certificate of good standing from your home state. All for just $149, plus state fees.