Georgia LLC Cost

The minimum Georgia LLC cost is $100, which covers the processing fee for filing your LLC formation documents, known as the Articles of Organization.

However, the total cost of forming a Georgia LLC can vary depending on your specific needs and preferences.

In our Georgia LLC Cost article, we break down everything you need to know about the costs associated with starting and maintaining an LLC in the state.

More than 84% of our readers form their LLC through a professional service to save time and avoid mistakes.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

How Much Does a Georgia LLC Cost 

In the table below, we’ve summarized the primary requirements for forming a Georgia limited liability company (LLC) and their associated fees.

	LLC Cost Summary
Requirement	Fee
Articles of Organization	$100-$235
Registered Agent	$0-$125+
LLC Name	$0-$225+

Georgia LLC Filing Fee ($100-$235)

In Georgia, all LLCs must submit their Articles of Organization to the Secretary of State to be registered.

If you choose to file the Articles of Organization yourself, you’ll be required to pay one of the following filing fees:

• Domestic Entities (i.e., LLCs based within Georgia): $100
• Foreign Entities (i.e., LLCs operating from outside of Georgia): $225

Note that paper filings will also carry an additional $10 processing fee.

On top of this, if you decide to use an LLC formation service, the cost will be higher, as it will include a small service fee in addition to Georgia's state filing fee.

The cost of these LLC formation services can vary significantly, often starting as low as $29 and increasing if you choose to include any additional services in the package you buy.

Have a look at our in-depth review of the best and most affordable LLC Formation Services in 2024.

Georgia Registered Agent ($0-$130+)

When completing your business’s Articles of Organization, you’ll need to appoint a registered agent. This is an individual or business entity that you assign to receive tax, legal, and governmental correspondence on behalf of your Georgia LLC.

While you can serve as your own registered agent at no extra cost, it’s often recommended to hire a professional service to avoid any potential penalties or legal issues that may arise from being non-compliant with state regulations.

The cost of these professional registered agent services typically starts at around $130+ per year, though some premium LLC formation services offer free registered agent services for the first year.

Georgia LLC Name ($0-$225+)

While registering a name has no cost, there are two potential expenses to be aware of when deciding upon a name for your LLC.

Reserving Your Name

If you have found an available name for your business but are not ready to form an LLC right away, you can submit a Name Reservation Request to the Georgia Secretary of State to safeguard it for future use.

Filing this request costs $35 for paper submissions and $25 for online filings made through the Georgia Corporations Division website. 

You’ll be prompted to include a ranked list of your top three preferred business names on the name reservation request — if one of your preferred names is available, it will be reserved for 30 days.

After this period has passed, you’ll need to either renew the reservation (by paying the $25 or $35 fee again) or proceed to register your LLC under this name before it becomes available for someone else to use.

Note: Before submitting your reservation, we recommend you to check if your desired business names are available by conducting a Georgia Business Entity Search.

You will also need to conduct a quick domain search in order to ensure that your name will be available as a URL (for your business website).

Doing Business As (DBA) Name

If you plan to operate your Georgia business under a name different from its legal name, you must obtain a Doing Business As (DBA) name, also known as a Trade Name in Georgia.

To register a DBA, you must file the specific application form used in your county with the Clerk of the Superior Court and pay the required fee. While this fee varies between different counties, it typically falls somewhere in the range of $150 and $200.

For example, this fee is $168 in Gwinnett County, $172 in Fulton County, and $170 in DeKalb County.

After successfully registering a DBA for your business, you’ll also be required to publish this registration in a local newspaper for two consecutive weeks — which is another cost to bear in mind.

Optional Georgia LLC Formation Costs

In addition to the standard fees, there are several other potential costs that your LLC may encounter depending on its specific circumstances:

Georgia LLC Operating Agreement

While not mandatory, it’s advisable for LLCs to draft an operating agreement.

This document outlines the roles and responsibilities of each of your LLC’s members and/or managers, which help to ensure the smooth running of operations and prevent future business disputes.

You can draft this document yourself at no cost or hire an online service or business attorney, which typically costs a few hundred dollars.

Note: This document does not need to be filed with the Georgia Secretary of State as it is purely internal.

Expedited Georgia LLC Filing

The Georgia Secretary of State typically processes documents within seven business days of receipt. However, if you need faster processing, you can pay extra for one of the following expedited services:

• Two business days: $100
• Same day: $250
• One hour: $1,000 (if delivered between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.)

These fees apply regardless of whether you're filing as a domestic or foreign business entity.

Local Business Licenses

Depending on your LLC’s location and industry, you may need to obtain local-level licenses and permits to operate legally.

For example, home-based businesses in Athens must obtain a home occupation license for $20, while businesses in Atlanta need to pay a $75 license fee. By contrast, a food truck license costs $130 in Macon and $145 in Atlanta.

Because these costs clearly vary widely, it’s best to contact your local county for more specific details.

Note: The Superior Court Clerks Directory website provides contact details for each county.

Certificate of Existence

In Georgia, a Certificate of Existence is a document that’s often required to open a business bank account or by lenders in order to verify that your LLC is properly registered and legally authorized to conduct business in the state.

You can request this certificate online by paying a $10 fee, or by mail or in person for a $20 fee. If the standard two-day processing is too slow, you can also opt to pay a further $50 on top of these fees for same-day processing.

Certified Copies of Business Documents

When opening a business bank account or obtaining financing, you may be asked to provide certified copies of your LLC’s business documents.

Certified copies of your Georgia Articles of Organization cost $30 and generally take seven days to process.

Ongoing Costs to Maintain a Georgia LLC

In addition to the initial formation costs, maintaining an LLC in Georgia can involve several ongoing expenses each year. 

Annual Registration

By April 1 each year, your Georgia LLC must submit an Annual Registration to the Secretary of State’s Georgia Corporations Division, which costs $50 if filed online, or $60 if submitted by mail.

We recommend filing your annual report online through the Georgia Corporation Division website as it’s far quicker and also provides detailed filing instructions.

Note: A $25 late fee will be charged if you miss the April 1 deadline, which may result in your business being administratively dissolved if your LLC still remains non-compliant.

Registered Agent Maintenance

If you use a professional registered agent service, you’ll need to pay an annual fee typically ranging from $125 to $300 for their services. The exact fee that you’ll be expected to pay will ultimately vary depending on the provider and features you opt for.

While not mandatory, we highly recommend using a professional registered agent service.

Ready to Get Started?

Have a look at our LLC Georgia Guide (DIY Approach)

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Georgia LLC vs Other States

Georgia’s initial setup and maintenance costs for LLCs is moderate compared to other states, with a filing fee of $100 and an annual registration fee of either $50 or $60. 

Regardless, you should keep in mind that the best state to form your LLC in will be where you plan to primarily operate your business. 

This will ensure that you do not need to pay registration and maintenance fees twice, as you’ll only need to adhere to one state’s regulations.