In brief
To form an LLC in Georgia, file the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) with the Georgia Secretary of State and pay the $110 state fee[2]. A registered agent in Georgia is named on the filing.
Mainstay Filing does the Georgia filing for $199 a year; the state's $110 is added at cost[1].
- State filing fee
- $110
- Form
- Form CD 030
- Filed with
- Georgia Secretary of State
- Registered Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Yearly, $60
- Other states’ fees
- 26 lower, 21 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
How the filing works in Georgia
Only step three goes to the state. The others are preparation or follow-up, but each one is something Georgia LLC owners run into in the first year.
- Search the register. Before filing, look the name up on the Georgia Secretary of State site[3]. A name too close to an existing Georgia entity will be rejected.
- Line up the registered agent. The filing lists who receives legal papers for the company. Georgia allows A Georgia resident, a Georgia corporation or LLC, or a corporation or LLC from another state with authority to do business in Georgia. An entity cannot be its own agent.[4]
- Submit Form CD 030 and pay $110. The Georgia Secretary of State reviews the filing; the LLC exists once it is accepted[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Banks and payroll providers ask for it. The application is made to the IRS, separately from the Georgia filing, and the IRS charges nothing.
- Calendar the first Annual Registration. It is filed every year with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division for $60[5]. It is due April 1[6].
Georgia formation costs
Georgia's $110 filing fee is above the 50-state median of $100: 26 states charge less and 21 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $110 | [2] sos.ga.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Registration | $60 every year | [5] sos.ga.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $249 first year elsewhere | 6 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $236 | None |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 yearly |
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 yearly |
| South Carolina | $110 | None |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
What gets filed: Form CD 030
Georgia calls its formation filing the Articles of Organization, numbered CD 030. The Georgia Secretary of State accepts it[7].
Acceptance puts the company on the Georgia register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the registered agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
Two ways to file
Mainstay Filing prepares and submits the Form CD 030 for $199 a year plus the $110 state fee, which it passes through at cost[1]. The same yearly price covers its service as registered agent, the EIN application and the Annual Registration each time it is due, and it does not rise at renewal.
Owners can submit the Georgia filing themselves at sos.ga.gov. The fee is $110 whoever files.
New business filings in Georgia
Georgia logged 254,582 business applications in 2025 by the Census Bureau's count, 22.52 for every 1,000 residents. From January through Sep 2026 there were 224,142, against 193,077 in the same months of 2025.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than Georgia LLC formations.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Georgia?
The state fee is $110 for the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030)[2]. After that, the Annual Registration costs $60 every year.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in Georgia?
Yes. The formation filing names one. An owner who lives in Georgia can serve personally, as an individual, if the address and hours rules are met. What Georgia does not allow is the company listing itself.
Can someone else handle the Georgia filing?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Georgia LLCs for $199 a year plus the $110 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Registration, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Georgia?
The Georgia Secretary of State. Its website: sos.ga.gov/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division fee schedule Rev. 8/2025, effective September 6, 2025 (Articles of Organization $100 + $10 service charge, online and paper; georgia.gov still shows the older $100 online / $110 mail split, the newer SOS schedule is used). sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/Reference%20-%20Filing%20Fees_0.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Georgia Secretary of State. sos.ga.gov/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209 (domestic LLC); § 14-11-703 (foreign LLC). sos.ga.gov/page/business-division-faq. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Georgia Secretary of State fee schedule Rev. 8/2025 and annual registration guide (annual registration $50 + $10 service charge = $60, online and paper, effective September 6, 2025). sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-file-annual-registration. Updated October 29, 2026.
- O.C.G.A. § 14-11-1103. law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-14/chapter-11/article-11/section-14-11-1103/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- O.C.G.A. § 14-11-203 (formation by filing articles of organization); § 14-11-204 (contents of articles). sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/corp-filing_procedure-limited_liability_company.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.