Georgia does not use the phrase annual report on its filing. The form is an annual registration, and it goes to the Corporations Division of the Georgia Secretary of State once a year. The window opens January 1 and closes April 1. The Georgia office guide covers the rest of the office.
This page walks through who files, what it costs, and how to file online or on paper. Georgia has no state franchise tax collected by the Secretary of State, so the registration fee is the main yearly cost on this side.
Who must file an annual registration in Georgia?
Every Georgia LLC, corporation and nonprofit corporation files one each year it is in business. Foreign entities registered in Georgia file too. The first filing depends on the entity. An LLC files the year after it forms, and a corporation files within 90 days of forming.
Failing to file can bring a civil suit, or administrative dissolution or revocation by the Secretary of State.
| Fee | LLC: $50; corporation: $50; nonprofit: $30 (georgia.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| When it is due | File between January 1 and April 1 each year; failure leads to administrative dissolution (georgia.gov, checked ) |
| If you file late | $25 (georgia.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | ecorp.sos.ga.gov (ecorp.sos.ga.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | 7 business days online; 15 business days by mail; in person varies (georgia.gov, checked ) |
What is the deadline, worked through?
The registration is due between January 1 and April 1. Take an LLC formed in June. It does not file that year, and its first window opens the next January 1. If that April 1 passes with nothing filed, the company is out of compliance.
Mail needs more care than online. Your envelope must be postmarked by April 1 to avoid the $25 late fee, and the extra $10 service charge applies on top of the fee. An LLC mailing its form pays $60 in all.
How to file online or by mail
There are three ways to file, and the right one depends on two questions. Do you need to change business information, and are you current on past fees?
- One Click Registration needs no login. It works only if nothing has changed and you owe nothing from earlier years. Pick the option for annual registration with no changes and follow the steps.
- Online Services uses your eCorp account. Choose annual registration with changes. It lets you update details and keep a history of filings and receipts.
- Paper. Search for the business, print the form, fill it in and mail it with payment to the Corporations Division in Atlanta. Online filers get an email receipt. Paper filers wait 3 to 4 weeks for the updated registration.
Whichever route you take, have the business name or control number ready, plus a card, check, certified bank check or money order.
Should you pay for more than one year?
Georgia now offers a multi-year option. You can register for the current year only, for two consecutive years, or for three. Paying ahead means one fewer April 1 to remember. The deadline stays April 1 unless a multi-year registration already covers the year.
What happens after a missed registration?
The Secretary of State sends a Notice of Administrative Dissolution, and the company has 60 days to respond. After dissolution, you can apply for reinstatement within five years. The fee is $260.
The status words tell you where a company stands.
Every status word Georgia uses is explained in our Georgia office guide.
An Admin Dissolved company cannot show good standing. Fix the registration first, then order a Certificate of Existence. Our certificate of good standing guide covers that step.
Checking that it was filed
Search the business in eCorp and read its status. Active/Compliance means the filing is in. If you filed online, your confirmation email carries a receipt.
You can ask our private filing service to prepare the filing. State fees are separate, and you can file with the Secretary of State yourself.
Sources
- georgia.gov/register-corporation: report fee. Checked .
- georgia.gov/register-llc: report due date, processing time. Checked .
- georgia.gov/renew-llc: late penalty. Checked .
- ecorp.sos.ga.gov/Home/UseFulLinks: online filing. Checked .