Business formation
Form your business in Louisiana
Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Louisiana with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.
Forming an LLC in Louisiana costs $125 in state filing fees, which is above the national median: 32 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $95 and a nonprofit for $95. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.
Louisiana state filing fees
These are the one-time fees paid to the Louisiana Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.
| Entity type | State filing fee |
|---|---|
| LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run. | $125 |
| Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing. | $95 |
| NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3). | $95 |
Note: Fees rose on October 1, 2026 (Act 921).
Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Louisiana Secretary of State before filing.
What an LLC costs every year in Louisiana
Annual Report
$35
Each year on or before the anniversary of the date the LLC was organized The fee rose from $30 on October 1, 2026. The Secretary of State revokes an LLC that fails to file for three consecutive years, and the name is then blocked for three years.
State tax on the LLC
Louisiana repealed its corporation franchise tax for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2026. An LLC taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity pays no entity-level income tax; a partnership with nonresident partners must file a composite return unless an exception applies, due May 15 for calendar-year filers. An LLC taxed as a corporation pays corporate income tax at a flat 5.5 percent.
How long Louisiana takes
Louisiana does not publish a standard processing time. Expedited processing within 24 hours costs $35 and priority service, processed in 2 to 4 hours, costs $60, both on top of the filing fee.
What is different about Louisiana
- • Act 921 raised the LLC formation fee from $100 to $125 and the annual report fee from $30 to $35 on October 1, 2026.
- • On paper, the Articles of Organization must be notarized, and the registered agent signs an acceptance before a notary on the Initial Report filed with them.
- • Businesses in 14 parishes, including Orleans, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge, must file all available business documents online through geauxBIZ.
Guide reviewed October 2026 against the Louisiana Secretary of State and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.
What else you pay in year one
- Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Louisiana street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
- EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
- Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Louisiana. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
- Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.
Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.
Questions founders ask about Louisiana
- How much does an LLC cost per year in Louisiana?
- $35 for the annual report, due by the anniversary of the LLC's organization date. There is no state franchise tax for tax periods beginning in 2026 or later.
- How much does it cost to form an LLC in Louisiana?
- $125 for the Articles of Organization and Initial Report since October 1, 2026, up from $100. Paying by credit card adds a $5 convenience fee, and expedited service costs $35 or $60 more.
- Did Louisiana raise its LLC fees in 2026?
- Yes. Act 921 of the 2026 session raised the Articles of Organization fee from $100 to $125 and the annual report fee from $30 to $35, effective October 1, 2026.
- How much does it cost to start an LLC in Louisiana?
- The Louisiana state filing fee for an LLC is $125, paid once when you file the formation document. That is above the national median: 32 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
- Do I need a registered agent in Louisiana?
- Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Louisiana who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
- What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?
- The state fee goes to the Louisiana Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
- Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?
- Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.
Next step
Comparing states? Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, or see filing fees in every state.
Ready to form in Louisiana? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.