The great state of Louisiana is located on the southeast coast of the U.S. and borders Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas. It’s a combination of unusual geography, a rich and vibrant culture and a growing economy, making it a very business-friendly state. It has the largest bulk cargo port in the world and is a center of tourism, agriculture and energy.
If you want to start your own business in Louisiana, one of the best ways to do so is by forming a Louisiana LLC. Limited liability companies (LLCs) are a business entity designed for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses. Louisiana LLCs give you many of the protections and advantages of larger corporations without all the rules, regulations and compliance issues common to larger business entities.
Briefly, the benefits of starting a Louisiana LLC include:
Learn more about the benefits of the LLC business structure here.
We’ve got lots of useful information on starting a business in LA. On this page you’ll find the basic steps for forming an LLC in Louisiana, with more in-depth content throughout the rest of our guide.
First, you need to gather basic information about your LLC, including the names and addresses of the managers or members. The LLC members are typically the people who own and run the business. They are also the ones who can take profits out of the business to pay themselves.
You will need a distinctive and original name for your Louisiana LLC that’s not used by any other business in LA. To find out if another company is using your chosen business name, carry out a Louisiana business entity name search on the LA Secretary of State website.
There are a few rules you’ll need to follow when choosing an LLC name. You can find out more in our guide to searching for and naming your Louisiana LLC.
Every Louisiana LLC must have a designated street address. That could be your home address (if you’re running the company from your residence), your company’s office building or any physical address of your preference. The address can be outside the state of Louisiana, but it cannot be a P.O. Box.
Every LA LLC must have a “Registered Agent.” This is an official position; the Registered Agent is someone who receives official legal and tax correspondence and has responsibility for filing reports with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
This position can be filled by you, another manager in the business or a dedicated Registered Agent service. Your LA Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Louisiana and must be present to receive important documents for your company during business hours.
At Incfile, all of our packages include a Louisiana Registered Agent service that is free for the first year and just $119 per year afterward. We also have a dashboard where you can log in and easily view any document your Registered Agent has received on your behalf.
You will need an EIN to identify your business to the IRS. You use this number when filing and paying taxes or when submitting payroll information and payments for your employees. You can obtain one directly from the IRS, or Incfile can get one for you as part of the Louisiana LLC business formation process.
Once you've gathered all the information for your LLC, you’re ready for your official State of Louisiana LLC filing. You’ll need to file a formal document with the LA Secretary of State. This document is known as your “Articles of Organization,” and filing the document creates your Louisiana LLC. Here’s what is typically included:
You can file your Louisiana LLC Articles of Organization online, mail in a form or have Incfile do it on your behalf. There is a fee to file and start an LLC in Louisiana. You only need to file your Articles of Organization once.
The LA Secretary of State has plenty of information on forming and running a business in Louisiana.
These are all the basic steps for forming an LLC in Louisiana. You’ll find other useful information below.
If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to Louisiana, you’ll need to form a foreign LLC.
More information on Louisiana filing and licensing requirements here <link to state subpage once published>
Want to know your next steps after creating a new LLC in Louisiana? We’ve got you covered. Here’s our guide to understanding your ongoing requirements, setting up new bank accounts, protecting your business name, getting accounting in place and more.
Detailed Information for Your Louisiana LLC
You’ll find plenty more insight and guidance on the other pages of this guide, including:
How to search the Louisiana business registry of the LA Secretary of State and find the right name. Includes information on naming rules, fictitious names, reserving a Louisiana LLC name and more.
How to appoint a Louisiana Registered Agent to your new LLC or change to a different Registered Agent. Includes information on Registered Agent rules and searching for Louisiana Registered Agents.
How to understand the various fees you’ll need to pay and the requirements you’ll need to meet for both federal and Louisiana rules. Includes details of Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), Louisiana and federal business licenses, Louisiana annual reports and more.
How to understand the various taxes you will need to pay to the federal and Louisiana government. Includes details of federal taxes like income and self-employment, and Louisiana taxes like sales tax and income tax.
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The state charges this amount to file a new business entity. This fee goes directly to the Secretary of State.
State Fee | State Filing Time | Expedited Filing Time |
$105 | 10 Business Days | 4 Business Days |
This report is mandatory and must be filed within the specified time frame in order for the entity to remain in good standing with the state. Failure to file this report can lead to the company being revoked or administratively dissolved.
Frequency: Annually
Due Date: Within 60 days immediately preceding first day of anniversary month.
Filing Fee: $25
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