How To Start An LLC In Louisiana (2024 Guide)

Prior to filing your LLC forms, there are a few items you will want and need to take care of. Some are required, while others will help your new business to thrive. These steps are discussed in the following sections.

Step 1: Determine Whether You’ll File Online or Paper Forms

Business owners in the following parishes must file available business documents online through the state’s geauxBIZ portal: Ascension, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Terrebonne. Business owners in other parishes have the option to file either online or by paper.

Online filings are done through geauxBIZ, Louisiana’s one-stop portal for a variety of state business registrations. The steps for filing differ based on whether you choose to file online or want to go with a paper filing (we’ll cover both options below).

Step 2: Choose a Name for Your LLC

Selecting the right name for your Louisiana LLC isn’t just a creative endeavor or all about branding: It’s a critical step that involves meeting state regulations, ensuring availability and even looking ahead to establishing your online presence.

Louisiana LLC Naming Rules

When choosing a name for your Louisiana LLC, you’ll need to meet certain requirements:

• No “doing business as.” You can’t use the phrase “doing business as” (or its abbreviation, “d/b/a” in your LLC name.
• No revoked names. Names of revoked LLCs are off-limits for three years from the date of revocation.
• No implication of a charitable nature. LLC names cannot include wording that implies the company has a charitable or nonprofit nature.
• No governmental affiliation. Your LLC name can’t suggest affiliation with a government agency (at any level of government: parish, state or federal).
• Legality. You can’t use a name that implies your LLC has been formed for unlawful purposes or for a purpose that’s contrary to its articles of organization.
• Includes “LLC.” Your LLC name must include one of the following: Limited Liability Company, LLC, L.L.C., L.C. or LC.

You’ll also need to make sure the name you choose isn’t already being used or reserved by another business—if it is, your paperwork will be rejected, even if you’ve met all of the naming rules listed above.

Here’s how to make sure the name you’ve chosen is available before you start your paperwork:

• Online search: this is the fastest way to see if your name is available. Go to the business entity filing search page on the Secretary of State’s website and enter the name you want for your LLC. The search results will show you if the name is already in use.
• By phone: call 225-925-4704 to do a preliminary check.
• By fax: fax 225-932-5314 for a preliminary check.
• By mail: send a preliminary check request by mail to P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.

You should also do a trademark search to make sure you aren’t using a trademarked term in your name.

Reserving Your LLC Name

If you plan to file your LLC formation documents in paper form and want to make sure your business name remains available, you have the option to submit a form to reserve the name for 120 days for a standard filing fee of $25 (or $30 for 24-hour expedited service and $50 for two- to four-hour priority processing). Be sure to make checks or money orders payable to the “Secretary of State,” and send completed documents to the Commercial Division, P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125.

Walk-in service for paper filing is also available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 8585 Archives Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (located in the building behind the Louisiana State Archives). The fee options are the same as those noted above, but if you opt for the $50 priority processing, your papers will be processed while you wait.

If you plan to file your LLC formation documents using the state’s online geauxBIZ portal, you are required to file a name reservation. The fee for this is $25, but you also need to pay a $5 electronic commerce fee.

Buy a Web Domain (Optional)

If you do not already have one, it’s a good idea to take the time to buy a web domain name that matches (or is a close match to) your company name. You may even want to search for domain names at the same time as you’re choosing your LLC name, to make sure an appropriate domain name is available.

While it can be difficult to purchase a domain name with a .com extension that matches your chosen LLC name, there are now many different domain extensions available. Domain registration is inexpensive and it ensures you’ll have the URL you want when you get ready to set up a company website.

Step 3: Assign a Registered Agent

By law, your LLC requires a registered agent. Agents receive any legal or official documents, such as annual renewal forms, on behalf of your company. You or an LLC member can be appointed to the role, provided you are a Louisiana resident who is at least 18 and has a physical Louisiana address.

You can also hire a company that’s registered in Louisiana to provide registered agent services. The price range is between $49 and $300 on average.

Step 4: Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Many businesses require a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), which can be obtained for free at the IRS website. Single-member LLCs, however, don’t need EINs, as their owners can use their Social Security numbers (SSNs) instead.

Even if your LLC doesn’t need an EIN, it’s still a good idea to get one. In addition to the extra privacy and security of using an EIN on various business forms, most banks require LLCs to have an EIN to open a business bank account.

Step 5: Submit Your Louisiana LLC Documents

To finalize the formation of your Louisiana LLC, you need to complete and submit the Articles of Organization (Form 365). This form also includes your LLC’s Initial Report—you must complete this as well and file it with the Articles of Organization.

What To Include in Your Louisiana Articles of Organization

The Articles of Organization serve as the legal blueprint for your LLC. At a minimum, you’ll need to include:

• Your LLC’s name
• Its business purpose
• Its duration (which can be perpetual)

Depending on the needs of your LLC, you can include any other necessary provisions. You need to have the document signed before a notary.

Where To Submit the Articles of Organization

For paper filings, submit your Articles of Organization and Initial Report by mail to:

Commercial Division
PO Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125

If you’re filing online via geauxBIZ, you’ll convert your name reservation to an LLC filing via the portal.

What To Include in the Initial Report

Your filing won’t be valid without your LLC’s Initial Report, which can also be found in Form 365. You need to include the following information:

• Your LLC’s name
• The location and address of your registered office
• The full name and address of your registered agent(s)
• The names and addresses of your first managers or members

The Initial Report must be signed by each person who signed the articles of organization. It also includes an Agent’s Affidavit and Acknowledgement of Acceptance, which must be signed by your registered agent before a notary.

If you haven’t selected your first managers or members at the time you file your Articles of Organization and Initial Report, you need to complete and file a Supplemental Initial Report (Form 366) once they’ve been selected.

Foreign or Out-of-State Entities

If your LLC is a foreign or out-of-state entity, you need to file an Application for Authority to Transact Business in Louisiana (Form 972) and include certificates of existence and good standing from the jurisdiction your LLC was formed in.

Even after you successfully form an LLC, there is still more to do. The following sections feature steps to take once you establish your Louisiana business.

Correct Any Filing Errors

Even if you double-check your information before filing, mistakes still happen. If you find errors following your LLC formation, you must take care of them immediately. The amendment process costs $100.

Complete an LLC Operating Agreement

Creating an operating agreement for your LLC is a great way to showcase your sincere, long-term intentions for the business. Though not legally required in Louisiana, these agreements are still important as they lay a solid future foundation for your business.

Operating agreements explain details such as the purpose of the business, its day-to-day operations and member financial obligations. They also help avoid confusion and clear up potential conflict by offering clear, inarguable details about how the LLC will operate.

Keep Records Updated

If the information you have on file changes, you will need to file updated information. For example:

• Change of registered office or agent (Form 983)
• Change of members or managers (Form 983A)
• Selection of first members or managers (if not in Initial Report) (Form 366)

Each of these updates costs a $25 filing fee.

You need to pay the following filing fees to start your LLC in Louisiana:

• Domestic LLCs: $100
• Foreign or out-of-state LLCs: $150

If you’re filing online, you will be charged $75 to convert your name reservation to an LLC filing. This takes into account the $25 fee you’ve already paid to reserve your name through geauxBIX. You will also be charged a $5 electronic commerce fee.

Expedited options are also available. For paper filing only, you can get 24-hour processing for $30. You can also pay $50 for priority processing:

• Paper filing by mail: two to four hours
• Paper filing in-person: while you wait
• Online filing: three hours

You may also incur additional costs for any business licenses you require, so while they aren’t part of the costs of the LLC formation process, you may need to budget extra for these costs if your business requires specific licenses. If you opt to file online through the geauxBIZ portal, you will be provided a business license checklist that outlines potential licenses you might need along with details on where to apply for them.