Louisiana LLC Registration

You can complete your Louisiana LLC registration in just 3 simple steps: name your business, appoint a Louisiana registered agent, and file your formation paperwork with the Louisiana Secretary of State ($100 state filing fee; $105 online). However, navigating all the paperwork and state statutes can be confusing. No worries. Geaux Registered Agent LLC is here to help.

We put together this step-by-step guide for registering your LLC in Louisiana, including a free online form that saves your progress as you go. Or, if you want to skip the paperwork and get all the benefits of our Geaux LLC formation package, you can hire us to handle everything for you. We’ll file your formation paperwork, serve as your registered agent, and provide web-based tools for establishing your online business presence today.

The bottom line? Just $100 plus the state fees to get everything you need to succeed beyond just registration.

Start a Louisiana LLC

Although our goal is to make Louisiana LLC filing requirements as effortless as possible (by doing them for you), we understand you may want to file the formation paperwork yourself. So consider the steps below as your “starting a Louisiana LLC checklist.”

1. Name Your LLC
2. Appoint A Registered Agent
3. File Your LLC Articles of Organization
4. File Your Initial Report
5. File Your Beneficial Ownership Information Report

Name Your Louisiana LLC

First, you must give your Louisiana LLC a name. However, Louisiana has strict business naming rules you must follow.

• You must include a business identifier, such as “LLC” or “L.C.”
• Your name must be distinguishable from other Louisiana business names that are on file with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
• You must get approval from the appropriate board if you want to use words like “engineer,” “bank,” or “trustee” in your business name.
• Your name can’t falsely suggest that you’re a charity or nonprofit—unless you are a charity or nonprofit.

If you have a business name already in mind, you can check to see if it’s available by searching the Louisiana Business Database.

Appoint A Louisiana Registered Agent

Louisiana requires all LLCs to have a registered agent. A registered agent is an individual or company that accepts your business’s legal mail. For that reason, your registered agent must be available during standard business hours and be a Louisiana resident with an in-state street address (not a P.O. Box).

You can be your own registered agent, but you’ll have to list your business address (which, in some cases is your home address) on the public record. Fortunately, by hiring us to form your Louisiana LLC, we’ll be your registered agent and list our business address instead of yours. We don’t believe owning a business should mean sacrificing your privacy. And if you want to form your LLC on your own but still need a registered agent, we provide affordable local registered agent services right here in Lafayette!

File Your Louisiana LLC Articles of Organization

The most important step to forming a Louisiana LLC is filing the Articles of Organization-Louisiana Limited Liability Company ($100) and Initial Report with the Louisiana Secretary of State. You can start filling out your form using our free online form below.

You can save your progress as you go. If you don’t quite have the time to finish, you can come back any time to wrap everything up. You also always have the option to skip the paperwork and have us file your formation documents for you.

To fill out the Articles of Organization, you’ll need to include:

• Transmittal Information (paper only): This form requires information, such as the name and address of the person filing. You’ll also include your payment information.
• Tax information (online only): When you file online, you have the option of registering with the state tax and unemployment departments.
• Ownership information (online only): The online form requires indicating how your business will be classified with the IRS for tax purposes. A multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership, and a single-member LLC is a sole-proprietor.
• The state and parish where your LLC will operate.
• The name of your LLC.
• Business purpose: You can check “engaging in any lawful activity” or provide a more specific purpose.
• Duration of your LLC: Unless you plan on closing your LLC on a specific date, you can leave this section blank.
• Additional provisions: You may include additional provisions, such as a detailed business purpose or member/manager information.
• Organizer signature: This is the person who is filing your Articles of Organization.
• Signature and notary number of your notary (paper only): Louisiana requires all paper forms to be notarized.

You can submit your Articles of Organization to the Louisiana Secretary of State online, by fax, or mail. However, the state encourages you to submit the formation documents online via the geauxBIZ website because some parishes don’t allow paper filings.

It costs $100 to submit the Articles of Organization. If you submit your document online, there’s a $5 credit card professing fee, bringing your total to $105.

File Your Louisiana Initial Report

Louisiana requires all LLCs to file an Initial Report along with the Articles of Organization (The Initial Report is attached to the Articles of Organization). To fill out the Initial Report, you must include:

• Your LLC’s name
• Business address for your LLC
• The name and physical address of your registered agent
• The names and physical address of each initial member/manager
• Signature of the person who filed your Articles of Organization
• The notary’s signature and notary number (paper only)

There is no additional fee for filing the Initial Report. However, it must be submitted along with your Articles of Organization.

File Your Beneficial Ownership Information Report

Under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), most US businesses are required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report. As of January 1, 2024, new businesses have to file a BOI report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN. This report is due within 30 days of formation and includes general information about your business, as well as personal information about the company’s beneficial owners and company applicants. Only for companies formed in 2024, FinCEN will accept reports up to 90 days after formation. The deadline resumes to the original 30 days for companies formed in 2025 or later.

If your business was formed before January 1, 2024 you’re still required to file a BOI report, but you do not need to include information about your company applicants. You have until January 1, 2025 to file.

Whether you’re reporting on a new business or an established one, the report is free to file and you can do so through FinCEN’s secure portal on their website. The information on the report will not be publicly available.

You will need to report the following information about your LLC:

• The company’s legal name
• Any DBAs or trade names
• A tax ID (can be a FEIN, SSN, or ITIN)
• Jurisdiction of formation
• Current street address of the principal place of business

FinCEN also wants information about each of the LLC’s beneficial owners and company applicants.

Beneficial Owners have what FinCEN refers to as “substantial control” over the company. This applies to anyone who owns or controls 25% of the company, controls other entities that have influence within the company, or plays a major role like a member. You are required to list everyone who meets these requirements.

Company Applicants are people who had a hand in the original formation of the company. You can list a maximum of two people here: the person who ordered the filing that created your business and, if different, the person who completed the filing. For example, if you had a registered agent file your formation paperwork, you would list yourself as the person who ordered the filing and the registered agent as the applicant who completed the filing.

FinCEN wants the following information about each of your beneficial owners and company applicants:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Residential address
• Copy of identification

Accepted forms of identification include a state-issued driver’s license, a state, local or tribe-issued ID, a US passport or, if none of the other forms of ID are available, a foreign passport. The copy (photograph) of the ID needs to show the ID number, jurisdiction, and ID photo.

It’s not fun, but the BOI report is a mandatory federal filing. When you hire us, you can have our experienced local filers stay on top of your BOI report filing for just $9.

Why Hire Geaux Registered Agent LLC

When you hire us to form your Louisiana LLC, we’ll do all the grunt work for you. Plus, you’ll get professional registered agent service, a business domain, lifetime access to our team of business experts, and a free operating agreement template you can customize to fit your specific needs.

We also guarantee never to over charge you or surprise you with hidden fees. The $254 you’ll pay for our Louisiana LLC formation package includes our filing fee, the state filing fee, our Louisiana Business Presence package, and one year of registered agent service. After the first year, you’ll only pay $49 a year for our Louisiana registered agent service. That’s it!

Our Louisiana LLC Package

Hiring us to form your Louisiana LLC makes things simple and hassle-free. In fact, all you need to do is order your Geaux LLC Formation Package, and we’ll take care of the rest.

• After you order, we’ll file your Articles of Organization with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
• Once the state approves your paperwork, we’ll upload everything into your secure online account.
• We’ll provide a full year of professional Louisiana registered agent service.
• We’ll give you what you need to for your entire online business presence. Choose your business domain and get a website, email, SSL for website security, and phone service.
• At the end of the year, you can renew your registered agent service for just $49 a year.
• We offer trade name (DBA) service for $125 plus state fees after completing your purchase. Simply add “Trade Name Service” inside your client portal.

Louisiana LLC FAQs

How Long Does It Take to Form A Louisiana LLC?

It depends on how quickly you want things to get done. Standard processing typically takes 5-7 business days. However, you can pay for expedited processing—$30 for 24 hours or $50 for 2-4 hours.

Can I Reserve My Louisiana LLC’s Business Name?

Yes, you can reserve your Louisiana LLC’s business name by filing a Reservation of Limited Liability Company Name form ($25) with the Secretary of State. In fact, the Louisiana Secretary of State encourages people to reserve their business name prior to filing the Articles of Organization. The state also suggests getting an EIN (free from the IRS) prior to filing as well. Why you ask? Well, when you file your Articles of Organization online, you’ll have the option of registering with the state tax and unemployment departments as well. So, having your name reserved and your EIN before forming your Louisiana LLC can help you get everything you need all at once.

Does My Business Need a Trade Name (DBA)?

Lots of Louisiana companies operate under a trade name (also called a DBA) because it allows for branding and franchising opportunities. If you’re interested in registering a trade name, select our Trade Name Service inside your client portal after you sign up for our business formation service. We will register your company’s trade name for $125 plus state fees.

Do I Need A Business License to Start A Louisiana LLC?

You may need a business license or permit that’s specific to your Louisiana LLC’s service or product. For example, you’ll need to be licensed by the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine if you want to offer veterinarian services. Local parishes where you operate may also require a local license. You can create a geauxBIZ account to learn which license(s) are needed for your particular business.

How Are Louisiana LLCs Taxed?

Unless your LLC elects C-corporation taxation, your Louisiana LLC will be taxed as a pass-through entity by default. In other words, business profits are passed through to you (the owner), and you’ll report those profits on your personal income taxes. You’ll also pay federal self-employment taxes at 15.3% and Louisiana’s sales and use tax at 8.45%.

Do I Need to File A Louisiana Annual Report?

Yes, your Louisiana LLC must file an annual report ($30) every year. Your report will be due on your anniversary date. What does that mean? Let’s say you formed your Louisiana LLC on April 25th, 2022. In this case, your first annual report will be due on April 25th, 2023.