The Louisiana Secretary of State runs the state's business register through its Commercial Division, part of Business Services in Baton Rouge. The public record lives in the commercial search, and filings go through geauxBIZ, the state's online business filing system.
The first thing to know is that Louisiana changed its prices on October 1, 2026. Several fees went up, and figures printed before then are out of date. The second is that the annual report has no fixed statewide day: it follows each company's own anniversary.
Using the Louisiana commercial search
The commercial search finds companies by entity name and by the name of an officer or registered agent. A record shows the charter details, the entity status and the annual report status. That last field tells you quickly whether a company keeps up with its yearly filing.
| Official business search | coraweb.sos.la.gov/CommercialSearch/CommercialSearch.aspx (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, officer or owner name, registered agent (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | sos.la.gov/business-services/search-business-filings (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| What a result means | Preliminary. FAQ: "these are preliminary searches" and a more thorough review happens at filing. (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
The office describes these lookups as preliminary. Staff will also run a quick name check by phone, but the real answer comes when your filing is reviewed.
What Louisiana record statuses tell you
A Louisiana record often carries two labels: an entity status such as Active and an annual report status such as In Good Standing. Watch for "Not In Good Standing for failure to file Annual Report", which starts the road toward revocation.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | Entity status shown in the commercial search. No written definition found. |
| In Good Standing | Annual report status shown for entities current on filings. |
| Not In Good Standing for failure to file Annual Report | Annual report not filed. A Notice of Intent to Revoke follows and the entity has 30 days (60 for foreign) to file. |
| Revoked | Charter revoked after failure to file the annual report. Reinstatement needed; the name is unavailable to others for 3 years after revocation. |
Status wording from sos.la.gov, checked .
Revocation has a long tail. Once a charter is revoked, its name stays off limits to others for three years, and reinstatement means paying the higher reinstatement fees.
Louisiana business fees after October 1, 2026
Under the new schedule an LLC costs $125 to form and a Louisiana business corporation $95. Nonprofits also pay $95. A company from another state pays $185 to register as a foreign LLC, or $155 as a foreign corporation.
| Form an LLC | $125 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $95 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $95 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $185 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $25 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $35; corporation: $35 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $25 (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Priority 'while you wait' $60; 24 hour 'expedite' $35. Credit card convenience fee $5. (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Louisiana. State fees are separate.
There are two ways to speed things up. Priority service, done while you wait, costs $60. The 24 hour expedite costs $35. Card payments carry a $5 convenience fee on top of either.
The Louisiana annual report
Every LLC and corporation must file an annual report, including years with no changes. The fee is $35, and nonprofits pay $10. The due date is linked to the entity's filing anniversary, so look it up on your record rather than assuming a calendar date.
The fee, the due date, late penalties and the filing steps are in our Louisiana annual report guide.
The fee schedule shows no late fee as such. The cost of being late comes later: a Notice of Intent to Revoke gives a domestic company 30 days to file, a foreign company 60 days, and then the charter is revoked. For LLCs, articles are revoked after three straight years without a report. Our annual report guide helps you plan the filing.
Louisiana name rules and reservations
An LLC name has to include "limited liability company" or a form such as L.L.C. or L.C. A corporation uses a word like corporation, company or limited, or a short form such as Inc. or Corp. LLC names may not hint at a charity or nonprofit, and may not use "insurance" unless the company is an independent insurance agency or brokerage.
| Words that are limited | LLC names may not include words that falsely suggest a charitable or nonprofit nature, and may not contain "insurance" unless an independent insurance agency or brokerage (R.S. 12:1306). (legis.la.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Reservation fee | $25 (static.sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | sos.la.gov/business-services/forms-fee-schedule (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
Reserving a name costs $25. You can mail or fax the reservation form, or reserve through geauxBIZ.
Registered agent rules in Louisiana
Agent must have a physical address in Louisiana and can be almost anyone of legal age and a legal resident of Louisiana, such as an organizer, member, employee, attorney or accountant. Foreign businesses may need an agent service. (sos.la.gov, checked )
In practice that means an organizer, a member, an employee, your lawyer or your accountant can serve, as long as they have a Louisiana physical address. For the steps to replace one, see change registered agent.
Louisiana Certificate of Good Standing
The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Good Standing for $25. The same office also issues a Certificate of Existence and a Certificate of Registry, so read the request from your bank or the other state closely and order the right one.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Good Standing (also Certificate of Existence, Certificate of Registry) (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee | $25 (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Where to order | sos.la.gov/business-services/how-to-order (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
Trade names in Louisiana
Trade names, trademarks and service marks are registered with the Secretary of State ($95 on the 10/1/26 fee schedule). The FAQ also says trade names can be filed at the parish level with the local Clerk of Court. (static.sos.la.gov, checked )
Run a commercial search on the name first, and keep the receipt of your filing with your business records. If you only trade in one parish, ask the Clerk of Court there which route suits you.
Reaching the Louisiana Commercial Division
| Office | Louisiana Secretary of State (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Commercial Division (Business Services) (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Nancy Landry (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 225.922.2880 (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (walk-in filing at 8585 Archives Ave.) (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125 (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
| Contact page | sos.la.gov/business-services/contact-us (sos.la.gov, checked ) |
You can walk in to file at 8585 Archives Avenue in Baton Rouge on weekdays. If your call is about an annual report or a reinstatement, ring 225.932.5312 rather than the main number.
Sources
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/search-business-filings: office name, division, officeholder, mailing address, street address, phone, business search. Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/contact-us: contact page. Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/file-business-documents: hours. Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/media/dqbbham4/commercial-api-guide.pdf: search fields. Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/frequently-asked-questions: name check, search disclaimer, registered agent rule, status terms. Checked .
- legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=76253: restricted words. Checked .
- static.sos.la.gov/shared/fee_changes_2026.pdf: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, report fee, expedite fees, assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/forms-fee-schedule: name reservation form. Checked .
- www.sos.la.gov/business-services/how-to-order: good standing certificate, certificate fee, certificate ordering. Checked .