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Georgia . 2026 filing guide

Georgia Secretary of State filings, deadlines, and how to do them right.

Annual reports, business search, registered agent changes, reinstatement, dissolution, tax registration. Every Georgia filing explained, plus the business environment, regulatory bodies, and a year-round compliance calendar. Verified against the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division as of June 2026.

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Verified against Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division on Jun 12, 2026
Agency
Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Branded as Georgia Corporations Division
Phone
404-656-2817
Mon-Fri 8am-5:30pm ET
Annual due
April 1
$25 penalty after May 1
Processing
5-7 business days
Online filings
Georgia business environment

Why founders choose Georgia (and what to know first)

Atlanta metro is the major southeastern US business hub. Major Fortune 500 concentration. No franchise tax. Reasonable filing fees. Strong logistics and entertainment industries.

Economy
~$700B economy
Registered entities
~1.2 million active entities
New formations / year
~200,000 annually
Key industries
Logistics (port of Savannah), film + TV production, agriculture, technology (Atlanta), aerospace, telecommunications (Coca-Cola, Delta, Home Depot HQ)
Georgia tax profile

Tax obligations at a glance

Tax type Where Georgia stands
State income tax5.39% flat (2024)
Corporate income tax5.39%
Sales tax4% state + 1-5% local
Franchise taxNone

Tax obligations depend on entity type, where you operate, and where revenue is sourced. Consult a licensed CPA for entity-specific advice. File.Business connects you with vetted CPAs in Georgia on request.

Beyond the SoS

Other Georgia agencies your business will touch

The Secretary of State handles formation and corporate filings. These agencies handle the rest of your Georgia compliance.

Georgia Dept of Revenue
877-423-6711

State income tax, sales tax, corporate income tax

Georgia Dept of Labor
404-232-3001

Unemployment insurance, employer reporting

Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner
404-656-2070

Insurance regulation

State Board of Workers Compensation
404-656-3818

Workers comp

Georgia Secretary of State Professional Licensing
404-424-9966

Professional licensing

Georgia Dept of Public Health
404-657-2700

Food, restaurant, healthcare permits

Georgia compliance calendar

Year-round filings every Georgia business should know

Recurring federal and state deadlines that affect Georgia businesses. Our Compliance Calendar tracks these and 200+ others against your entity.

WhenWhat is due
April 1Georgia annual filing deadline
Jan 31W-2 and 1099 deadlines (federal, applies to all state employers)
Mar 15Form 1065 and 1120-S deadline (pass-through entities)
Apr 15Form 1040 + Q1 federal estimated tax
Jun 15Q2 federal estimated tax
Sep 15Q3 federal estimated tax. Extended 1120-S / 1065
Oct 15Extended 1040 / 1120 deadline
Dec 31Year-end. BOI updates due within 30 days of beneficial-owner changes (FinCEN).
View full Georgia compliance calendar →
How-to . LLC formation

How to form an LLC in Georgia: step by step

Each step explained with what Georgia requires. File.Business handles all of this for $0 service fee plus the $100 state fee.

1
Pick a name

Search the state business name database to confirm the name is distinguishable. Must include LLC, L.L.C., or Limited Liability Company.

2
Choose a registered agent

State street address required (no P.O. Box). The agent must accept the appointment and be available during business hours.

3
File the Articles of Organization

Submit to the Secretary of State with the state filing fee. Online filing is the fastest channel.

4
Draft the operating agreement

Not filed with the state but legally important. Defines members, contributions, distributions, and manager rules.

5
Apply for an EIN

IRS Form SS-4. Online if a member has an SSN; mail/fax if all members are non-US.

6
Open a business bank account

Most banks require: Articles, EIN letter, operating agreement, and beneficial-owner ID.

7
Register for state tax accounts

Department of Revenue for sales tax, withholding accounts if hiring employees.

Start your Georgia LLC →

Ready to file your Georgia paperwork the easy way?

Five minutes per filing. State fee passed through at cost. Audit trail and deadline tracking included.

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Disclosure. File.Business is a private business filing and compliance service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division or any Secretary of State office. You may file directly with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Information on this page is for general guidance only and is not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Filing fees and deadlines verified against the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division as of June 2026 and may change. For entity-specific guidance, consult a licensed Georgia attorney or CPA.

File.Business is a private business filing and compliance service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with any Secretary of State office. You may file directly with the appropriate state agency. SOC 2 Type II audited. 220,000+ businesses formed since 2017.