Georgia Certificate of Formation: File & Cost (2026)

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

Georgia does not use a document called a "Certificate of Formation." You create a Georgia LLC by filing the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) - with a Transmittal Information Form - with the Georgia Secretary of State for a $100 fee filed online through eCorp ($110 by paper). You must also appoint a Georgia registered agent, and the LLC then owes a $50 annual registration due each April 1.

Quick Answer

Georgia's term: Articles of Organization (not "Certificate of Formation")
Form: Form CD 030 + Transmittal Form 231
Filing fee: $100 online via eCorp ($110 by paper), 2026
Agency: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Registered agent: Required - physical Georgia street address
Ongoing: $50 annual registration, due by April 1

Why Georgia Has No "Certificate of Formation"

If you are searching for a Georgia "Certificate of Formation," you have run into a naming difference between states. Certificate of Formation is the document that creates a limited liability company in states such as Texas, Delaware, Washington, New Jersey, Alabama, and Mississippi. Georgia uses a different name for the same legal act: the Articles of Organization. There is no separate Georgia form titled "Certificate of Formation," so if a bank, lender, or vendor asks for your Georgia LLC's formation document, the correct document to provide is your filed Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) as accepted by the Georgia Secretary of State.

Under the Georgia Limited Liability Company Act, an LLC is formed by filing Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State's acceptance of that filing. This guide explains exactly which form to file, what it costs in 2026, and what happens after you file. For the full walkthrough see how to form an LLC in Georgia and the national how to form an LLC hub.

Agency and Form: Georgia Secretary of State, Form CD 030

A Georgia LLC is created by filing Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. The template the state provides for a limited liability company is Form CD 030, and it is filed together with the Transmittal Information Form (Form 231), which supplies contact and payment details. When you file online, the eCorp system builds these documents for you from the fields you complete, so you usually do not download the paper templates unless you file by mail.

The Articles of Organization set out the LLC's name - which must contain an LLC designator such as "LLC," "L.L.C.," "limited liability company," or "limited company" and be distinguishable from existing Georgia entity names. The Transmittal Form collects the organizer's name and address, the registered agent and registered office, and the LLC's principal mailing address. Georgia does not require you to list members or managers in the public Articles, which keeps the filing relatively short. Learn what the document is at the national Articles of Organization explainer.

How to File the Georgia Formation Document, Step by Step

Filing is a five-step process centered on Form CD 030. Each step corresponds to a requirement of the Georgia Limited Liability Company Act or a federal tax rule.

Choose and check your LLC name. Select a name with an LLC designator that is distinguishable from names already on file. Search the Secretary of State's business database first, and confirm the name does not infringe a federal trademark. You may reserve a name for 30 days if you are not ready to file.
Appoint a Georgia registered agent. Every Georgia LLC must name a registered agent with a physical Georgia street address (not a P.O. box). The agent can be you, another individual resident, or a commercial service, and receives service of process and state mail.
File the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030). Submit the Articles and Transmittal Form 231 to the Georgia Secretary of State through eCorp and pay the $100 online filing fee ($110 by paper). Once the Corporations Division accepts the filing, your LLC legally exists.
Adopt an operating agreement. Georgia does not file or require an operating agreement, but one is strongly recommended to set ownership percentages, management, voting, and profit distribution - especially for a single-member LLC.
Get an EIN and register for Georgia taxes. Apply for a free federal EIN from the IRS, then register with the Georgia Department of Revenue for sales tax or withholding if your business needs it.

After the Secretary of State accepts your Articles, open a business bank account (banks generally ask for the accepted Articles and the EIN) and calendar your first annual registration.

Georgia LLC Filing Fees (2026)

The core cost of a Georgia LLC is the $100 online Articles of Organization fee. The table below lists the state fees most new LLCs encounter; amounts are effective for 2026 and are set by the state, not by any filing service. Confirm current amounts on the Secretary of State fee schedule before you file.

Item	Form	Fee (2026)	Agency
Articles of Organization - online	Form CD 030 + 231	$100	Secretary of State
Articles of Organization - paper	Form CD 030 + 231	$110	Secretary of State
Name reservation (30 days)	Online reservation	$25	Secretary of State
Annual registration	eCorp annual form	$50	Secretary of State
Certificate of Existence (good standing)	Online request	$10	Secretary of State
Federal EIN	IRS Form SS-4	$0 (free)	IRS

Expedited processing is available from the Corporations Division for an additional fee (for example, two-business-day, same-day, or one-hour service) if you need faster handling. For a full cost breakdown see how much a Georgia LLC costs and the national LLC cost guide.

Georgia Registered Agent Requirement

A Georgia registered agent is the person or entity your LLC designates to receive service of process, tax notices, and official state correspondence. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209, every Georgia LLC must appoint and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Georgia. You name the initial agent on the Transmittal Form when you file the Articles of Organization.

The agent must have a physical Georgia street address - a post office box alone does not satisfy the registered office requirement - and must be available during normal business hours. You may act as your own registered agent, name a manager or member, or hire a commercial registered agent service. If your agent changes, you update the information through eCorp. Failing to maintain a registered agent can lead the Secretary of State to administratively dissolve the LLC. See Georgia registered agent requirements and do I need a registered agent for detail.

Certificate of Formation vs. Certificate of Existence

Because of the naming overlap, people sometimes confuse three different Georgia documents. It helps to separate them clearly:

Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) - the document you file to create the LLC. This is Georgia's equivalent of another state's "Certificate of Formation."
Certificate of Existence - a certificate the Secretary of State issues after formation to confirm the LLC exists and is current on its annual registration. Banks and lenders often request this as proof of "good standing." It is not the formation document.
Certificate of Formation - not a Georgia document at all; it is the term other states use for their formation filing.

So if you filed in Georgia and someone asks for your "Certificate of Formation," give them your accepted Articles of Organization; if they want proof you are active, order a Certificate of Existence through eCorp.

After Formation: EIN, Taxes, and Annual Registration

A federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is issued free by the IRS and is used to open a bank account, hire employees, and file taxes. By default the IRS treats a single-member LLC as a disregarded entity and a multi-member LLC as a partnership; either can elect corporate or S-corporation treatment by filing the appropriate IRS form, such as Form 2553. Georgia has a state income tax that follows federal classification, so most LLC income flows to the members' returns.

Every Georgia LLC must file an annual registration with the Secretary of State between January 1 and April 1 each year and pay the $50 fee; the first one is due by April 1 of the year after the LLC is formed. Missing the April 1 deadline adds a $25 late fee, and continued non-filing leads to administrative dissolution. See Georgia annual report for the full timeline, and business tax and how to file business taxes for federal filing.

Business Licenses and Sales Tax

Georgia has no single statewide general business license. Instead, most businesses need a local occupational tax certificate (often called a "business license") from the city or county where they operate, plus any professional or regulated-industry license that applies. If your LLC sells taxable goods or certain services, you must register for a sales and use tax number with the Georgia Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center before making sales; registration is free. See business license in Georgia and the national business license overview for what applies to your activity.

Penalties and Administrative Dissolution

Missing Georgia requirements has real consequences. If an LLC fails to file its annual registration, the Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the entity after notice, which strips it of the right to operate under its name and can expose owners to risk on contracts signed after dissolution. Reinstatement generally requires filing the delinquent registrations, paying the fees and late penalties, and submitting a reinstatement application.

Separately, if the LLC does not maintain a registered agent and registered office, that is an independent ground for administrative dissolution. Keeping your registered agent current and your annual registration filed on time is the simplest way to avoid these outcomes. When you are ready to close the business properly, see how to dissolve an LLC in Georgia rather than letting it lapse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Georgia use a Certificate of Formation?

No. Georgia does not issue or require a document called a Certificate of Formation. You create a Georgia LLC by filing the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) with the Georgia Secretary of State. "Certificate of Formation" is the term used in states like Texas and Delaware.

How much does it cost to form a Georgia LLC?

The state filing fee for the Articles of Organization is $100 online through eCorp, or $110 by paper. The EIN is free, and the annual registration is $50. See Georgia LLC cost.

What form creates a Georgia LLC?

Form CD 030, the Articles of Organization, filed with the Transmittal Information Form (Form 231). Submit both to the Georgia Secretary of State online through eCorp or by mail.

Does a Georgia LLC need a registered agent?

Yes. Every Georgia LLC must appoint and continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical Georgia street address, as required by O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209. See Georgia registered agent.

What is the difference between a Certificate of Formation and a Certificate of Existence?

A Certificate of Formation is another state's name for the LLC-creating document. A Certificate of Existence is a separate certificate Georgia issues after formation to prove your LLC exists and is current.

When is the Georgia annual registration due?

Between January 1 and April 1 each year, with the first due by April 1 of the year after formation. The fee is $50, and a $25 late fee applies after April 1. See Georgia annual report.

Sources

Georgia Secretary of State - How to Register a Domestic Entity (Articles of Organization, Form CD 030, Transmittal Form 231).
Georgia Secretary of State - Business Division FAQ (LLC formation, registered agent, name rules).
Georgia Secretary of State - Corporations Division Filing Fees ($100 online / $110 paper Articles of Organization).
Georgia Secretary of State - Filing Procedure - Limited Liability Company.
Georgia Secretary of State - Instructions for Form CD 030 (Articles of Organization).
Georgia Secretary of State - How to File Annual Registration ($50 fee; January 1–April 1 window; $25 late fee).
Georgia Secretary of State - eCorp online filing system.
Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) - § 14-11-204, Articles of Organization.
Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) - § 14-11-207, Name requirements.
Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) - § 14-11-209, Registered agent and registered office.
Georgia Department of Revenue - Business Taxes (state income and sales tax).
Georgia Department of Revenue - Sales & Use Tax registration (Georgia Tax Center, no fee).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the Georgia Secretary of State and Georgia Department of Revenue before acting.