Your Louisiana annual report is an official document that businesses must submit to the Louisiana Secretary of State's Commercial Division each year. This annual filing confirms key details about your business, including its name, location, leadership, and registered agent. The Commercial Division uses annual reports to maintain an up-to-date business registry and verify that companies are still operating.

Filing your Louisiana annual report on time keeps your business in good standing with the state, which means you can renew licenses, maintain liability protection, and legally operate. If you miss the deadline, the state may mark your business as "not in good standing" and may eventually revoke your registration or administratively terminate your entity, preventing you from operating legally.

Louisiana corporations, LLCs, nonprofits, and partnerships must file a Louisiana annual report each year. This includes both domestic (in-state) and foreign entities registered in Louisiana, regardless of revenue or activity level. Even inactive businesses must continue to file until officially dissolved; per RS 12:1-1621, a dissolved corporation must continue filing annual reports until its existence is terminated. Any authorized representative, including officers, directors, members, managers, attorneys, or accountants, can complete the filing.

Certificates of good standing are not required for the annual report itself; they serve other purposes such as opening bank accounts, securing financing, or registering in additional states.

How to file a Louisiana annual report

Louisiana accepts both online and paper submissions, but online filing through the state's geauxBIZ portal is fastest and most convenient. Businesses located in 14 designated parishes, including East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, and Orleans, have been required to file online through geauxBIZ since January 1, 2018, per the SOS fee schedule page.

Online filing (recommended)

The geauxBIZ portal supports two login pathways. The primary method uses an account-based sign-in where you create an account and verify your email address. A legacy pathway allows filers who received a renewal notice to log in directly with their Charter Number and Renewal ID. Here is what you need to do using the current account-based workflow:

1. Sign in or create an account and verify your email address

2. On your dashboard, click "Getting Started"

3. Select "File an amendment, such as an annual report, with the Louisiana Secretary of State" and click Next

4. Enter your charter number and click Next

5. On your business details page, click "File Annual Report"

6. Review and update your business information as needed

7. Complete the signature step by typing your name in the signature box

8. Pay the filing fee ($30 for most entities, $10 for nonprofits)

9. Download your confirmation receipt

Paper filing

Download the appropriate annual report form from the Louisiana Secretary of State website. Mail your completed form with payment to the Commercial Division at P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125. Checks or money orders should be payable to "Louisiana Secretary of State."

Due dates and deadlines

Louisiana follows an anniversary-based system. Under the governing statutes, including RS 12:1308.1 for LLCs and RS 12:1-1621 for corporations, your annual report is due on or before the anniversary of your entity's formation or qualification date each year.

Key timing details:

• Filing window: The SOS filing instructions state that the geauxBIZ system opens for annual report submissions within 30 days of the renewal date. Filings made after the anniversary date are treated as delinquent under the applicable statutes.

• First report due: On or before the first anniversary of the entity's incorporation, organization, or qualification date.

• Processing time: Online filings provide immediate confirmation upon checkout. The SOS does not publish an official processing timeline for mail submissions; contact the Commercial Division at (225) 925-4704 for current estimates.

• Reminders: The state offers a free Electronic Notification System through geauxBIZ that can send updates by email or text. The SOS encourages business owners to subscribe to receive filing reminders and fraud-protection messages; see the SOS news page for current announcements.

Filing fees for Louisiana annual reports

Louisiana charges different fees based on your entity type and filing method. Filing costs $30 for corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, and $10 for nonprofits. These amounts are confirmed by both the SOS fee schedule and RS 49:222.

Payment methods and additional costs:

• Online credit card: $5 statutory convenience fee (confirmed by the SOS filing portal)

• Paper filing with check or money order: No additional fee

• Returned check penalty: $25

The SOS also offers expedited handling: $30 for 24-hour processing (available for pick-up or mail) and $50 for priority processing while you wait, per the SOS special handling instructions.

Louisiana does not charge separate late fees for missed annual reports. However, continued non-filing can result in revocation or administrative termination, which carries more serious financial consequences.

Required information for filing a Louisiana annual report

Before starting your filing, gather the following information. Requirements vary by entity type under the relevant statutes.

• Business identification: Charter number and renewal ID (if using the legacy login pathway)

• Address information: Principal office street address (P.O. boxes alone are insufficient per the SOS sample form) and mailing address if different

• Personnel details: Names, titles, and addresses of all current officers, directors, or managers. Corporations must also report the total number of issued shares by class and series per RS 12:1-1621. Nonprofits must include term expiration dates for directors and officers per RS 12:205.1.

• Registered agent information: Registered agent name and Louisiana address, which must be a physical street address, not a P.O. box alone. Learn more about what a registered agent does.

• Foreign LLCs: Must also provide the registered office address in the home jurisdiction and the principal business office address outside Louisiana, per RS 12:1350.1. See details on foreign LLC registration in Louisiana.

Consequences of not filing a Louisiana annual report

Louisiana takes a graduated approach to enforcement, and the timelines differ significantly between entity types. There are no separate late fees, but the consequences of inaction escalate over time.

LLC enforcement timeline

Under RS 12:1308.2, the enforcement process for LLCs follows these stages:

• Upon delinquency: The entity loses good standing. Under the statute, an LLC that fails to file may be barred from engaging in commercial business with the state, and existing state contracts may be declared null and void.

• After 3 consecutive years of non-filing: The Secretary of State sends written notice to the LLC's last registered office before initiating revocation, with a 30-day window before revocation takes effect.

• Upon revocation: Articles of organization are revoked. The entity's name remains unavailable to other entities for 3 years under the same statute.

Corporation enforcement timeline

Corporations face a faster enforcement timeline. Per Jefferson Parish Bar CLE, after 90 days of non-filing, the Secretary of State provides 30 days written notice and then may terminate the corporation under RS 12:1-1442. This makes corporation compliance more time-sensitive than LLC compliance for firms managing mixed entity portfolios.

Long-term consequences of dissolution or revocation include loss of liability protections for owners and officers, loss of exclusivity to the business name, and complications with contracts, banking relationships, and licensing.

Reinstatement requirements

To reinstate your business, complete the following steps, as outlined on the SOS reinstatement form SS1444:

• File Articles of Reinstatement (Form SS1444) with the Secretary of State

• File the most current annual report simultaneously (prior annual report forms are not required, only the fees for each missed year)

• Pay the standard $30 filing fee for each missed annual report, plus the $75 reinstatement fee

• Obtain notarization of the signature (must be sworn before a Notary Public)

• Select a new business name if the original name was taken during the period of dissolution or revocation

For corporations, reinstatement must be filed within 5 years of the effective date of termination per RS 12:1-1444. For LLCs, the reinstatement window is 3 years from the date of revocation per RS 12:1308.2(C)(1).

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FAQs about Louisiana's annual report

Can I make changes during the annual report filing process?

Yes. The online workflow includes an edit page where you can update officer information, addresses, and registered agent details at no additional charge. The SOS cautions that certain edits may require subsequent submission of change documents with additional fees.

Can I file before the 30-day window opens?

No. The SOS filing instructions confirm that the geauxBIZ system opens for filing within the 30 days before your anniversary date. Outside that window, the system will not accept the filing.

What happens if I discover errors after filing?

Contact the Commercial Division at (225) 925-4704. Corrections may require filing a certificate of correction, which is included in the combined amendments/mergers/dissolutions/corrections fee category and varies by entity type: $75 for domestic corporations, $100 for domestic LLCs, and $125 for foreign corporations. Foreign LLCs fall in a higher category; consult the current SOS fee schedule for the exact figure.

Who is authorized to file on behalf of my business?

Officers, directors, members, or managers can file your Louisiana annual report. The person filing must have the authority to act on behalf of the entity. For reinstatement filings, an officer or director must sign per Form SS1444, and the signature must be notarized.

What is the difference in enforcement between LLCs and corporations?

LLCs face revocation eligibility after 3 consecutive years of non-filing under RS 12:1308.2, while corporations may face administrative termination after just 90 days of non-filing followed by a 30-day written notice period under RS 12:1-1442. Both entity types are marked "not in good standing" immediately upon any delinquency.