Starting an LLC Georgia comes with both benefits and responsibilities. Georgia, like most states, requires LLC owners to file an annual report with the Secretary of State each year, called a Georgia Annual Registration.
What is an annual report?
The LLC annual report is a required document that confirms or updates your LLC’s key details on file with the state, such as its addresses and registered agent. It doesn’t ask for operational or financial information.
You must file the annual report, termed annual registration in Georgia, and keep your LLC in good standing to continue operating a business. The Georgia LLC annual fee is currently $60 ($50 + $10 service charge).
What to include in your Georgia annual registration
Georgia requires all LLC owners to provide the information listed below in the annual registration report. Be sure to update any details that have changed since you submitted your annual report last year.
- Legal name of your LLC, not including any DBA names
- Name of your registered agent, who receives legal documents for your LLC, and the registered office street address and county
- Mailing address of your LLC’s principal office
- Any other information the Secretary of State requests, such as an email address
- State reference number for your LLC
How to file an annual report in Georgia
You are ready to file your annual registration with the Secretary of State once you have gathered the above information. Georgia provides several annual registration filing options to make it as convenient as possible for LLC owners.
Annual registration due date in Georgia
The Secretary of State’s office must receive your annual registration by April 1 each year. You can also choose to file the annual report any time after January 1 of the current calendar year. However, you cannot submit your report any earlier, or the state will not apply it to the correct year. Your first annual registration is due in the calendar year after you form your LLC.
How to file your annual report online
If nothing has changed in your annual registration from last year to this year, you can file quickly online through the Secretary of State’s eCorp system. The online fee is $60 ($50 + $10 service charge), and the state only accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover for payment.
The online option allows you to choose whether you want to submit a report for the current calendar year only. If you do not expect any changes in the next few years, you can choose to submit a report for the next two years or the next three years at the same time. Unfortunately you do not save any money by choosing multiple years and it still works out to $60 for each year. You will need to complete online registration if you are using the system for the first time.
How to file your annual report by mail
Should you prefer to mail the form, you can download and print it. The fee is $60 whether you file online or by mail, so you will need to make your check or money order payable to the Georgia Secretary of State in the amount of $60. Here is the address to mail your completed form and fee:
- Office of the Secretary of State
- Corporations Division
- 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SE
- Suite 313, West Tower
- Atlanta, GA 30334
Fill in all requested information
Submitting an incomplete form will result in processing delays, and the state could consider your LLC out of compliance. You have the option of outsourcing your annual report filing responsibilities to a company that offers annual compliance as part of its services.
Consider using an annual report compliance service
Using a compliance service offers you valuable peace of mind because you know your representatives stay on top of deadlines and filing requirements. The compliance service will submit proof of filing your LLC’s annual report and can even prepare the report for you.
What happens if you do not file your annual registration or miss the deadline?
Forgetting to file an annual registration or trying to complete it at the last minute and not submitting it on time are common problems among busy LLC owners. However, the Georgia Secretary of State expects a timely, accurate report each year and will assess penalties if this does not happen.
Late fees and fines
Georgia imposes a $25 late penalty on LLCs that do not submit an annual registration by the April 1 deadline. If you still haven’t filed within 60 days after April 1, the Secretary of State may begin administrative dissolution proceedings and will send you a notice. You then have 60 days to fix the problem.
Penalties
When you do not file your LLC’s annual registration or fail to submit it on time, you run the risk of losing your good standing status with the state. Banks may not allow you to open or maintain a business checking or savings account. You could also run into trouble when applying for credit on behalf of your business.
Here is what you must do to get your business back into good standing in Georgia once you have missed an annual registration filing deadline:
- File a reinstatement form
- Submit the annual registration
- Pay a late fee and an additional fee for reinstatement ($260 total reinstatement fee: $250 + $10 service charge)
Dissolution
If you do not file the annual registration within 60 days of missing the deadline, Georgia can begin administratively dissolving your LLC. The Secretary of State sends a notice first, and you have 60 days from that notice to file and correct the problem. If your LLC is dissolved, you can apply for reinstatement within 5 years ($260: $250 + $10 service charge). Reinstatement relates back to the date of dissolution, so your LLC continues as if it had not been dissolved. If you would rather close the business on your own terms, see how to dissolve a Georgia LLC voluntarily.
Conclusion
While preparing and submitting a Georgia LLC annual registration may seem cumbersome, the state requires it for legitimate reasons. The annual registration helps maintain the accuracy of information about your LLC, including current contact information. Other common examples include changing the registered agent or updating your principal office address.
Your LLC’s annual report is also beneficial for members and managers to track internal progress. Seeing the growth and changes in print can be encouraging and provides motivation when the LLC is not moving in the direction you would like.
FAQ
Yes. Every Georgia LLC must file an annual report with the Secretary of State to stay compliant and in good standing.
The annual registration is due by April 1 each year. You can file anytime between January 1 and April 1.
The fee is $60 ($50 filing fee + $10 service charge), whether you file online or by mail.
You’ll need your LLC’s legal name, registered agent and registered office information, and principal office mailing address, plus any other information the Secretary of State requests, such as an email address.
Late filings incur a $25 penalty. If you still haven’t filed within 60 days, the state can begin administrative dissolution of your LLC after notice and a 60-day cure period.