Louisiana’s economy runs on energy, ports, tourism, food and a large community of small and family businesses. Its LLC process is online through geauxBIZ, and recent changes matter: from October 1, 2026, the filing fee rose to $125 and the annual report to $35. Louisiana also has a few civil-law quirks, such as parishes instead of counties and a notarized agent affidavit, that make it different from other states.
What a Louisiana LLC costs
Table of Contents
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization and Initial Report | $125 ($130 online) from October 1, 2026 | At formation |
| Annual report | $35 from October 1, 2026 | By your LLC’s anniversary, each year |
| Trade name registration (if using a DBA) | State fee | When registering |
| Sales tax registration | State and parish | Before your first taxable sale |
Before October 1, 2026, the filing fee was $100 and the annual report $30, so many guides still show the older amounts.
Step 1: Choose your LLC name
The name must include "limited liability company", "LLC", "L.L.C.", "L.C." or a similar form, and be distinguishable from other names on file with the Secretary of State. Search the state’s business filings, then check federal trademarks, domains and social handles with our business name checklist.
To trade under another name, register a trade name with the Secretary of State.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every Louisiana LLC needs a registered agent with a physical Louisiana address. Louisiana requires the agent to sign an affidavit of acknowledgment and acceptance, which must be notarized. If you file online, geauxBIZ explains how the agent’s acceptance is handled; if you file on paper, plan for a notary.
Step 3: File Articles of Organization and the Initial Report
Louisiana LLCs file two documents together:
- Articles of Organization, with the LLC’s name and basic information.
- An Initial Report, listing the registered office and agent and the names and addresses of the managers or members.
File online through geauxBIZ, the state’s business portal, or by mail, and pay the filing fee. Online filings are generally processed quickly; expedited options are available.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Louisiana doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement, but every LLC should have one, setting out ownership, management, profit sharing and what happens when members join or leave. Louisiana’s civil-law tradition affects some rules on property and succession, so consider a Louisiana attorney for multi-member LLCs.
Step 5: Get an EIN and open a bank account
Apply for a free EIN from the IRS online, then open a business bank account using your filed documents and EIN. See choosing a business bank account.
Step 6: Register for state and parish taxes
Louisiana’s sales tax system has two layers:
- State sales tax, registered with the Louisiana Department of Revenue. The state rate rose to 5% in 2025.
- Parish and city sales taxes, which are generally administered and collected by local collectors in each parish, not by the state. If you sell in several parishes, you may file with several local collectors. Remote sellers can use a centralized commission for some local taxes.
Register for employer withholding with the Department of Revenue if you hire, and for unemployment insurance with the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
Working with parish sales tax in practice
Parish-level collection is the part of Louisiana compliance that takes new sellers by surprise. A few practical tips:
- Find your local collector. Each parish has a sales tax collector, often the sheriff’s office or a parish tax agency. Your parish government can tell you who it is.
- Register before you sell. You’ll typically need both a state account and a local account for each parish where you have a location or make taxable sales.
- Track where each sale happens, especially for mobile businesses, events and deliveries, since rates and collectors vary.
- Online sellers shipping into Louisiana from out of state may be able to use the state’s remote seller commission for local taxes, but businesses with a physical presence usually file locally.
If you sell across many parishes, an accountant or sales tax service familiar with Louisiana can save a lot of time.
Step 7: Get local and professional licenses
- Parish and municipal occupational licenses are required in many areas and often renewed yearly.
- Contractors need licenses from the state contractors licensing board for commercial work of $50,000 or more and residential work of $75,000 or more, and residential home improvement contractors register for jobs between $7,500 and $75,000.
- Many professions are licensed by state boards.
Step 8: File your annual report by your anniversary
Every Louisiana LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State on or before the anniversary of its formation, confirming its agent, office and managers or members. From October 1, 2026, the fee is $35. The state sends a reminder, but you’re responsible for filing; LLCs that don’t file can be revoked.
How a Louisiana LLC is taxed
By default, LLC profits pass through to the owners, who pay federal income tax, self-employment tax and Louisiana personal income tax, which became a flat 3% in 2025 as part of a major tax overhaul. Multi-member LLCs taxed as partnerships file a Louisiana partnership return. LLCs electing C corporation status pay Louisiana corporate income tax. Ask a tax professional which option suits you.
Hiring your first employee in Louisiana
Beyond the federal steps in our first employee guide, Louisiana employers generally:
- Register for withholding with the Department of Revenue and unemployment insurance with the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
- Carry workers’ compensation insurance, which Louisiana requires for employers with employees.
- Report new hires to the state.
Your Louisiana LLC compliance calendar
| Deadline | Filing | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Your anniversary, yearly | Annual report ($35) | Secretary of State |
| Monthly, quarterly or yearly | State sales tax returns | Department of Revenue |
| As assigned by each parish | Parish and city sales tax returns | Local collectors |
| Usually yearly | Occupational license renewals | Parish and city |
| Quarterly | Unemployment insurance reports, if you have employees | Louisiana Workforce Commission |
Example: state costs for your first two years
For a single-member LLC filing online:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization and Initial Report | $130 | — |
| Annual report | — | $35 |
| State total | $130 | $35 |
Add notary costs, occupational licenses, sales tax registrations and professional licenses. Use our startup cost calculator to plan.
Louisiana rules for common types of business
Food businesses. Restaurants, food trucks and caterers are permitted by the state health department. Louisiana’s cottage food law lets some home cooks sell certain foods directly to consumers within sales limits. See our cottage food business guide.
Tourism and short-term rentals. New Orleans and other cities regulate short-term rentals tightly, with permits and local occupancy taxes.
Childcare. Early learning centers are licensed by the state education department. See our home daycare guide.
Louisiana compared with nearby states
| State | Filing fee | Recurring state report |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $125 ($130 online) | $35 yearly |
| Texas | $300 | Public Information Report, no fee |
| Mississippi | Low filing fee | Free yearly report |
| Arkansas | Low filing fee | Yearly franchise tax |
See our Texas guide if you work across the Sabine River.
Mistakes to avoid
- Budgeting the old $100 fee instead of the current $125 or $130.
- Forgetting the notarized agent affidavit on paper filings.
- Registering only with the state for sales tax when parishes collect their own.
- Missing your anniversary-date annual report.
- Contracting above Louisiana’s licensing thresholds without a license.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Louisiana’s fees change? A 2026 law (Act 921) raised several Secretary of State fees from October 1, 2026.
What’s the Initial Report? A document filed with your Articles listing your registered office, agent and managers or members. Louisiana requires it at formation.
Do I deal with counties or parishes? Parishes. Louisiana’s local governments are organized by parish, and many taxes and licenses are handled at that level.
Can I be my own registered agent? Yes, with a physical Louisiana address, and you’ll still sign the agent acceptance.
Is my LLC’s information public? Yes. The Initial Report and annual reports list managers or members, and they appear in the Secretary of State’s records.
Next steps
Read the Start a Business A–Z guide, see how to price your product or service, and plan with the break-even calculator.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change; check the Louisiana Secretary of State and Department of Revenue before you file.
Sources
- Jupid, LLC cost by state 2026 (Louisiana Act 921 fee changes)
- Jupid, How to start an LLC in Louisiana (2026)
- Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
- Louisiana Department of Revenue
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.
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