Louisiana lesson 3 of 6
File the Articles of Organization through geauxBIZ
The Articles of Organization creates a Louisiana LLC and is most commonly filed through geauxBIZ, the Secretary of State's online portal. The current filing fee is $100. Effective October 1, 2026, Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session raises that fee to $125, so check your filing date against the fee schedule before you pay.
What the filing asks for
The Articles of Organization cover the LLC's name, its registered agent's name and Louisiana address, the duration of the LLC if not perpetual, and whether it will be member-managed or manager-managed. Louisiana also asks for an initial report at the time of formation, listing the registered agent, registered office and each organizer, which is filed together with the Articles rather than as a separate later step.
- A general purpose statement is normally sufficient without listing every activity
- Members are not required to be listed individually if the LLC will be manager-managed
- geauxBIZ walks the initial report and Articles filing through in the same session
Filing routes and turnaround
geauxBIZ is the fastest route and is the Secretary of State's recommended path. Some parishes still accept paper filings for certain business documents, but Louisiana has been moving business filings online, and expedited processing is available for an additional fee if you need faster turnaround; check the current standard and expedited timelines and fees on the Secretary of State's fee schedule.
After approval
Louisiana does not require an operating agreement to be filed with the state, but adopting one internally is what actually governs ownership, voting and distributions rather than relying on the default rules in Louisiana's LLC statute. Keep your certified filing and entity number, since the Department of Revenue and your bank will both reference it.
Key takeaways
- File the Articles of Organization and initial report together through geauxBIZ.
- Confirm the current fee on the Secretary of State's schedule, since it is set to change October 1, 2026.
- An operating agreement is not filed with the state but is worth adopting internally.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to live in Louisiana to form a Louisiana LLC?
No. There is no residency requirement for members or managers. Only the registered agent must meet Louisiana's residency or authorization requirements.
What is Louisiana's initial report?
It is filed together with the Articles of Organization and lists the registered agent, registered office and organizer information, rather than being a separate filing due later.
Official sources
Or let us file your Louisiana LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization, act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team