Forming an LLC in Louisiana
We prepare and file your Louisiana Articles of Organization and Initial Report for $199, plus the state's $125 filing fee. Every Louisiana LLC needs a registered agent; the first year of ours is included, then it's $99/year.
An LLC in Louisiana is established through one formation filing with the Secretary of State: the Articles of Organization, Form 365, accompanied by an Initial Report. The state's portion is $125 since Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Session took effect on October 1, 2026, and card payments add a statutory $5 convenience charge. The full sequence, the fee detail, and where our $199 service fits are set out below.
Start Your Louisiana LLC — $199
$199 flat: we handle the documentation, send it to Louisiana Secretary of State, wait for approval, and keep our name in your agent slot for year one at no charge.
The Louisiana LLC, Briefly Explained
The limited liability company pairs owner liability protection with simple default tax treatment. Small businesses across Louisiana default to the LLC structure for liability protection that doesn't come with corporate-level formality.
The Louisiana LLC Filing Fee: $125
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| Louisiana Secretary of State filing fee | $125, charged once |
| Registered agent (required for every Louisiana LLC) | Free for twelve months with our filing; $99/yr from year two |
| State annual report fee | $35/year |
Our filing fee is $199. State fees flow to the Louisiana Secretary of State: $125 for the Articles, presented as $130 whenever payment is made by card because of the statutory $5 convenience charge. That's the Act 921 rate in force since October 1, 2026. The agent service comes with the first year of our formation and renews at $99 annually.
A note on the annual report: $35, due each year by the organization anniversary. The initial report is bundled with the Articles at no separate charge.
Articles of Organization, Form 365
Louisiana's formation instrument is titled Articles of Organization-Louisiana Limited Liability Company and carries number 365 in the Secretary of State's forms catalog (official PDF). Formation authority comes from La. R.S. 12:1304(A), which directs that the articles be filed together with an initial report; the required contents appear at R.S. 12:1305.
Filing may be completed online through the geauxBIZ system or on paper by mail. Businesses in certain parishes have been required to file online since January 1, 2018. Paper submissions move more slowly, and expedited processing is available from the state at an additional charge.
Louisiana LLC Formation: The Official Steps
- Clear the name. Your chosen name needs an LLC suffix and needs to be clearly distinguishable from anything already on file. Run it through the Secretary of State's entity records before committing. Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted unless you hold the relevant authority.
- Appoint a registered agent. Every Louisiana LLC must have an agent on file at all times: a Louisiana resident or a qualifying company at a Louisiana municipal address, who signs a notarized acceptance. Anyone can see the listed address in the state's entity search. Ours can stand in, at no charge in year one when we do your formation, so your own information stays off the public listing.
- Submit Form 365 and the Initial Report. This is the actual formation step. Submit the Articles of Organization and the Initial Report to the Secretary of State with the $125 fee ($130 by card). The Articles state the name and purpose; the Initial Report covers the registered office, the agents and their notarized acceptances, and who the first members or managers are.
- Prepare an operating agreement. The state does not ask for one at filing time, but write it before the LLC opens for business. It should cover ownership, allocation of profits and losses, decision authority, and member changes. If no agreement exists, Louisiana's statutory defaults govern, and those defaults are not designed for your specific business.
- Obtain the federal EIN. The Employer Identification Number is the LLC's federal tax identifier; banks, payroll, and federal filings all require it. The IRS issues it free through its website in roughly ten minutes, so paying a third party for this step is unnecessary.
- Handle ongoing compliance. Keep the agent designation continuous at a physical Louisiana address, file the annual report through geauxBIZ before the anniversary deadline each year, maintain an absolute split between the LLC's finances and your own, and meet federal and state tax obligations. Neglecting these gives the state grounds to strip good standing and eventually terminate the entity.
Prefer to delegate? Our team prepares and submits the Louisiana filing for $199.
The Registered Agent Piece
The Louisiana agent requirement is unconditional: every limited liability company, every day, agent on file. The agent must:
- Have on file a brick-and-mortar address in Louisiana (a PO box won't satisfy the rule alone)
- Provide a notarized affidavit accepting the appointment
- Transmit everything that arrives, from lawsuits to tax notices to state correspondence, swiftly enough that deadlines stay intact
An owner who serves as agent personally accepts a tradeoff: the listed address then appears in the Secretary of State's publicly searchable records.
In Louisiana our agent product costs nothing for the first year of an LLC we form, then $99 a year. Our details go on the public listing in place of yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Louisiana?
The Secretary of State charges $125 for the formation filing since October 1, 2026, or $130 with the card convenience charge. Beyond formation, the annual report runs $35 each year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Louisiana?
There's no posted standard turnaround in Louisiana. Expedite is $35 for 24-hour handling or $60 to have it processed while you wait.
Does Louisiana require an annual report?
Yes. It is due by the organization anniversary each year, at $35.
Do I need a registered agent for my Louisiana LLC?
Yes. Louisiana requires a designated agent at a Louisiana physical address from formation onward. The rule applies continuously starting at formation.
Can I form an LLC in Louisiana if I live in another state?
Yes. Out-of-state owners can form Louisiana LLCs freely. The one state-specific item is the Louisiana agent, which our $99/year plan covers.
File Your Louisiana LLC With Our Help
Self-filing with the Secretary of State is fully available through geauxBIZ or the paper Form 365. The state fee is $100 at present and $125 from October 1, 2026. The agent requirement is the one thing you can't skip.
Sign up for our agent service and list us on your Louisiana LLC's filing. Bundled free for year one with our formation, renewing at $99 per year, the plan lists our Louisiana address, scans anything that arrives the same business day, and surfaces due-date reminders ahead of time.
Need just the registered agent piece? The registered agent option comes to $99/year on a stand-alone basis.
Questions about Louisiana LLC formation or how the agent role works? Visit our FAQ page or reach out any weekday.
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