Start A Corporation In Louisiana

Your corporation is a legal entity formed under state law, and your corporation’s legal name is the name you’ll use on state formation documents. That doesn’t mean that you are stuck with your corporation’s legal name forever. You can file for a DBA name, which is short for “doing business as.” Businesses use DBAs or trade names to better brand their business, or to organize their business under a name that makes more sense to the customer.

Louisiana requires that you register your DBA with the Secretary of State. You can file online at Louisiana’s business portal, or you can complete the Application for Registration of Trade Name. It costs $75 to register your trade name (DBA) with the state.

Thinking about using a trade name? Learn How to Get a Louisiana DBA.

Yes, you can be your own registered agent. Just remember that acting as your own registered agent means listing your name and address on the public record. You’ll also be required to maintain regular business hours so that you can accept any service of process in person. If this sounds like something you can handle, go right ahead. But if you want to be able to go on vacation or keep your address or phone number off public record, a registered agent is your best bet.

Yes. It costs $25 to change your registered agent in Louisiana. You’ll need to file a “Notice of Change of Registered Office and/or Change of Registered Agent” with the Louisiana Secretary of State.

Learn more about each Articles of Incorporation requirement below. Note that the information you provide becomes part of the public record—permanently. Some of this information is only required when filing on a paper form, other parts are necessary when filing online through geauxBIZ.

• Paper Filings: Louisiana’s paper articles must be notarized. Additionally, those in the following counties CAN’T file with paper forms and must file online: Ascension, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Terrebonne.
• Online Filings: When you file online, geauxBIZ (the state’s online filing system) tries to combine tax registration and Workforce Commission registration together with your business registration. If you opt to complete the other registrations along with your incorporation, you will need your EIN and additional tax info.

Not every county in Louisiana allows for you to submit your paperwork online. When in doubt, call your local municipality to confirm how to submit your articles.

Better yet, skip this confusing filing process entirely and hire us to incorporate your Louisiana business. We provide a free business address to list whenever possible throughout the filing to better keep your personal address private.

Mail:
Louisiana Secretary of State
Commercial Division
P. O. Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125

In-person:
Louisiana Secretary of State
8585 Archives Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Online:
GeauxBIZ

It depends on your registration process. When filing online with geauxBIZ, you will be told you need an EIN before applying. This is because geauxBIZ handles formation and tax registration simultaneously for new corporations. If you reserve your corporation name ahead of filing Articles of Incorporation, you can get your EIN in advance of filing on geauxBIZ. However, if you decline to register for taxes during the formation process, you won’t need your EIN. Also, if you are located in a parish that allows paper filing, you can wait on getting your EIN until after formation.

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

You’ll need to include identifying information for each beneficial owner and (for corporations formed in 2024 or later) your company applicant. You’ll also need to provide some information about the corporation itself.

Beneficial owner and company applicant information:

• Full legal name
• Birth date
• Residential or business street address
• Personal identification document (such as a driver’s license or passport), including the ID number

Company information:

• Legal business name
• Any DBAs or assumed business names
• Physical business address
• State of incorporation
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Maybe. You will be required to update your BOI Report any time the information provided in the report changes, such as if your corporation changes owners or gets a new CEO. You have 30 days after the change occurs to file your updated report through BOSS.

No. Unlike the information on your Louisiana Articles of Incorporation, your BOI Report won’t become public record. The information on this report will only be accessible to government agencies, law enforcement, and financial institutions that need to confirm customer identity.

Yes, there are 23 classes of exemption from the BOI Report. Exemptions include (but aren’t limited to):

• Large operating companies
• Most financial companies, such as banks and credit unions
• Investment companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• Insurance companies registered with a state or federal agency
• Public utilities companies registered with a state or federal agency
• Tax-exempt entities

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Louisiana bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. For example, Louisiana bylaws cannot limit the right of shareholders to inspect and copy corporate records as granted by the statute.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Louisiana corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

No. Unlike LLCs, corporations do not file initial reports—although they used to. The statute with this requirement was repealed in 2015, and the state-provided paper articles have been updated so that they no longer include an initial report section.

The annual report has a flat fee of $30, but you’ll also need to add a $5 convenience fee when filing online.

The annual report is due on your Louisiana corporation’s anniversary.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders for your Louisiana Annual Report filings. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we can complete and submit your annual report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

Louisiana corporations have two more major taxes to contend with: a corporate net income tax and a corporation franchise tax.

The corporate income tax rate varies based on the amount of net income:

4%: $0 to $25,000
5%: $25,001 to $50,000
6%: $50,001 to $100,000
7%: $100,001 to $200,000
8%: over $200,000

The corporation franchise tax is required for any corporation organized under the laws of Louisiana, qualified to do business in the state, exercising a corporate charter in the state, or owning corporate property the state. The franchise tax is $1.50 for every $1,000 of capital employed in Louisiana (up to $300,000); and $3 for every $1,000 in capital exceeding $300,000.

Note that an initial return is required for the corporate franchise tax. This return is due by the 15th day of the third month after your corporation becomes liable for the tax. The initial corporation franchise tax is $110.

The Louisiana sales tax is 4.45%. City, parish and specialty sales taxes can be added on as well, making the average total sales tax 8.936%.

Yes, if you conduct business in Louisiana, you’re required to register with the Louisiana Department of Revenue. You can register via geauxBIZ or by filing a Louisiana Business Registration Application. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.