Start a Business in Georgia
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LLC, C-Corp, or S-Corp?
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This guide on starting your business in Georgia provides step-by-step instructions on the paperwork to file formation documents, obtain tax IDs, and set up company records.
Step-By-Step Startup
Below is an overview of the paperwork, cost, and time to form each of the most popular business structures. Simply click on the link for your desired structure to view detailed step-by-step instructions.
- If you have not decided whether you want to form an LLC, corporation, or other business structure, click here.
- If wish to form your business in a different state than Georgia, click here.
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Georgia Limited Liability Company Click for step-by-step instructions |
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Georgia Corporation Click for step-by-step instructions |
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Georgia Nonprofit Click for step-by-step instructions |
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Top 5 Tips on Registering a Business in Georgia
- Unlike many states, the Georgia Secretary of State does not provide fill-in-the-blank documents to help you create your LLC or corporation. Instead, you will need to look at their "filing procedures" document, especially the sample filing, to create your own document from scratch. This can be hassle and is error-prone, and is a great reason to hire a filing service such as us. Nevertheless, should you desire to do this yourself, this guide will direct you how to go about it.
- Georgia corporations must file notice of publication no later than the next business day after filing the articles of incorporation. For this reason, you should locate the appropriate legal organ in your county and prepare publication notice in advance of submitting incorporation.
- If you file your formation documents by mail, remember to include the required cover letter (GA Transmittal Form 231) and two copies of your filing (one original and one copy).
- Remember to include a corporate suffix in your business name (such as "LLC" or "Inc"). Georgia permits a short list of suffixes depending on your chosen business structure.
- Georgia offers a consolidated tax registration application, which greatly simplifies the process of obtaining the appropriate tax accounts for your business. It is called CRF-002 and can be filed online.
