Starting a Business in Georgia

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Business Entity Formation

Business entities are formed by registration with the Georgia Secretary of State.

Limited Liability Company

Filing a Domestic LLC (for profit company, first registered in Georgia) is a $100 initial filing fee, $30 annual fee, and may be submitted online. Expedited service is available for an additional fee. Filings are usually completed within 5 to 7 business days. Expedited service is available for an additional $100 fee. Georgia corporations file the first annual registration within 90 days of the date of incorporation, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter. Limited liability companies, limited partnerships and foreign corporations file the first registration between January 1 and April 1 of the year following the initial filing, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter.

Filing a Foreign LLC (for profit company, first registered elsewhere) is a $225 initial filing fee, $30 annual fee, and may be submitted online. Expedited service is available for an additional fee. Filings are usually completed within 5 to 7 business days. Expedited service is available for an additional $100 fee.Georgia corporations file the first registration within 90 days of the date of incorporation, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter. Limited liability companies, limited partnerships and foreign corporations file the first registration between January 1 and April 1 of the year following the initial filing, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter.

Corporation

Filing a Domestic Corporation (for profit company, first registered in Georgia) is a $100 initial filing fee, $30 annual fee, and may be submitted online. Expedited service is available for an additional fee. Filings are usually completed within 5 to 7 business days. Expedited service is available for an additional $100 fee. Georgia corporations file the first registration within 90 days of the date of incorporation, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter. Limited liability companies, limited partnerships and foreign corporations file the first registration between January 1 and April 1 of the year following the initial filing, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter.

Filing a Foreign Corporation (for profit company, first registered elsewhere) is a $225 initial filing fee, $30 annual fee, and may be submitted online. Expedited service is available for an additional fee. Filings are usually completed within 5 to 7 business days. Expedited service is available for an additional $100 fee.Georgia corporations file the first registration within 90 days of the date of incorporation, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter. Limited liability companies, limited partnerships and foreign corporations file the first registration between January 1 and April 1 of the year following the initial filing, and between January 1 and April 1 each year thereafter.

Sole Proprietor

A sole proprietor business does not require registration with the state.

DBA (Doing Business As) or Fictitious Business Name

Georgia allows individuals and businesses to register a fictitious business name. This process is administered at the County level. For more information on DBAs in Georgia visit this website.

Business Licenses

Business licenses in Georgia are issued through the City or County. For more information on business licenses in Georgia visit their website.

Professional Licenses

There are a number of professions that require a state license in Georgia. For more information on professional licenses, visit this website. The Professional Licensing Boards Division provides administrative support services to 36 professional licensing boards that issue 197 types of licenses to more than 400,000 Georgians in various professions.

State Income Tax

Georgia does have a state income tax for individuals. Georgia does have a state income tax for corporations. Visit this website for more information on business income taxes in Georgia.

Georgia does have a franchise tax for corporations. The Georgia franchise tax is called the net worth tax. It ranges from $10 to $5,000 based on the valuation of the company.

State Sales Tax

Georgia does have a state sales tax. Visit this website for more information on sales taxes in Georgia. Apply for an Georgia sales tax permit here.

Employer Assistance

The state of Georgia administers labor and employment issues through the Georgia Department of Labor.

Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment insurance information for employers in Georgia is available at this website.

Unemployment insurance information for workers in Georgia is available at this location.

Workers' Compensation

Information for employers in Georgia regarding Worker's Compensation is available from the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation website. Every employer, individual, firm, association, or corporation, regularly employing three or more persons, part-time or full-time, shall provide workers' compensation insurance coverage. Exempted officers of corporations or exempted members of limited liability companies shall not reduce the number of employees for this purpose.

Occupational Health & Safety

Georgia provides Occupational Health & Safety support through Georgia Tech OSHA Consultation Program. Visit their website. The OSHA 21D Consultation Program provides a free, confidential, on-site consultation service for small companies (fewer than 500 employees) in Georgia that need assistance in occupational safety and health. Employers have the option to choose several different types of assistance.

Resources for Starting a Business in Georgia