Where business registration happens
Corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships in Georgia are formed by filing with the Georgia Secretary of State's Corporations Division, through its online eCorp portal.
Before you start
Have these ready before you begin your filing:
- Your confirmed, available business name (see our How to Choose a Business Name guide).
- Your chosen business structure (see our Business Structure guide if you haven't decided yet).
- A registered agent — a person or service authorized to receive legal documents on your business's behalf.
- Your business address.
If you don't have a commercial address yet or want to keep your home address private, a registered agent service can provide an address for this purpose — a low-cost option many new owners aren't aware of.
After you're registered
Once your entity is registered with the Secretary of State, you'll still need to separately:
- Get a federal EIN from the IRS (free, and required before most tax registrations).
- Register for Georgia state tax accounts — see our Georgia Business Tax Registration Guide.
- Register as an employer if you're hiring — see our Georgia Employer Registration Guide.
- Obtain your individual professional license(s) and any facility/salon license, separately from business entity registration.
Registering your business entity does not automatically register you for taxes or give you a professional license. These are separate processes with separate agencies — completing one doesn't mean the others are done.
Keeping your entity in good standing
Georgia requires an annual registration filing to keep your LLC or corporation in good standing. Missing this can result in administrative dissolution — mark your renewal date and don't treat registration as a one-time task.
Frequently asked questions
How long does registration take? Online filings are often processed relatively quickly, but exact timelines vary — check current processing times on the Secretary of State's site rather than assuming a fixed number of days.
Do I need a lawyer to register my business? It's not required — many owners complete this themselves through the online portal — but a brief consultation is worth considering if your ownership structure is more complex than a single owner.
