Lesson 7 of 15
Filing the LLC formation documents
This is the filing that creates the company. Most states now accept it online through the Secretary of State portal.
Information you will need
- The exact company name including its designator
- Principal business address
- Registered agent name and in-state street address
- Whether the LLC is member managed or manager managed
- Names of members or managers, where the state asks for them
- Organizer name and signature
- In some states, a business purpose statement or effective date
Member managed or manager managed
Member managed means the owners run the company day to day. Manager managed means the owners appoint one or more managers, who may or may not be owners, to run it. Choose deliberately, because banks and counterparties rely on this to see who can sign.
After approval
The state returns a stamped copy or certificate. Save it. You will need it to get an EIN comfortably, open a bank account, and prove existence to landlords, payment processors and other states.
Keep the approved filing, the EIN letter and the operating agreement together. Those three documents unlock nearly everything else.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose a future start date?
Many states allow a delayed effective date, which is often used to start on 1 January and avoid an extra year of reporting.
What if the state rejects the filing?
Rejections are usually name conflicts or a missing agent address. Fix the issue and refile; some states charge again.
Prefer to have someone handle the filing?
You can file directly with the state using the steps above. If you would rather have Gullia Filing prepare and file your formation documents, run the name check and act as your registered agent, we handle the process end to end.