Foreign LLC certificate of authority

Georgia Foreign LLC Certificate of Authority: Form CD 241

An LLC formed in another state registers with Georgia on Form CD 241, Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company. The $235 filing fee goes to Georgia; our $199 covers preparing and filing it plus the first year of Georgia registered agent service, for $434 at checkout. Georgia does not ask for a home-state certificate with this filing.

Our service$199

Georgia state fee$235

Total$434

Choose your home state

Georgia LLC certificate of authority at a glance

Filing: Form CD 241, Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee: $235 filing fee
Total with us: $434, first year of Georgia registered agent service included
Online processing: about 7 business days
Home-state certificate: Not required
Georgia yearly filing: Annual Registration, $60, every year
Filed with: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division

What Form CD 241 asks for

For Form CD 241, Georgia needs:

The exact name of your LLC as formed
The state it was formed in and its date of formation
A Georgia registered agent with a street address there; we fill in ours
A principal office address

LLC into Georgia, by home state

Every home state pays the same $434 at checkout for Georgia.

Formed in	Home-state certificate	First year
Alabama	Not needed	$434
Alaska	Not needed	$434
Arizona	Not needed	$434
Arkansas	Not needed	$434
California	Not needed	$434
Colorado	Not needed	$434
Connecticut	Not needed	$434
Delaware	Not needed	$434
Florida	Not needed	$434
Hawaii	Not needed	$434
Idaho	Not needed	$434
Illinois	Not needed	$434
Indiana	Not needed	$434
Iowa	Not needed	$434
Kansas	Not needed	$434
Kentucky	Not needed	$434
Louisiana	Not needed	$434
Maine	Not needed	$434
Maryland	Not needed	$434
Massachusetts	Not needed	$434
Michigan	Not needed	$434
Minnesota	Not needed	$434
Mississippi	Not needed	$434
Missouri	Not needed	$434
Montana	Not needed	$434
Nebraska	Not needed	$434
Nevada	Not needed	$434
New Hampshire	Not needed	$434
New Jersey	Not needed	$434
New Mexico	Not needed	$434
New York	Not needed	$434
North Carolina	Not needed	$434
North Dakota	Not needed	$434
Ohio	Not needed	$434
Oklahoma	Not needed	$434
Oregon	Not needed	$434
Pennsylvania	Not needed	$434
Rhode Island	Not needed	$434
South Carolina	Not needed	$434
South Dakota	Not needed	$434
Tennessee	Not needed	$434
Texas	Not needed	$434
Utah	Not needed	$434
Vermont	Not needed	$434
Virginia	Not needed	$434
Washington	Not needed	$434
West Virginia	Not needed	$434
Wisconsin	Not needed	$434
Wyoming	Not needed	$434

If you do business in Georgia without registering

An unregistered LLC doing business there cannot start a lawsuit in Georgia courts until it registers. Georgia penalties for unregistered business: $500.

Georgia registered agent rule

Georgia requires every registered foreign LLC to keep a registered agent there. The agent's address must be a street address in Georgia, not a P.O. box. Our $199 includes the first year of Georgia registered agent service, then $149 a year.

Georgia yearly filings

Once registered, your LLC files the Georgia Annual Registration every year, at $60, due April 1. The Georgia filing window opens January 1 and closes April 1. Filing it late adds $25. From year two, keeping the Georgia registration costs $209 a year with our registered agent service.

How long Georgia takes

We file Form CD 241 with the Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia online processing: about 7 business days. Georgia by mail processing: about 15 business days from receipt. Paid speed-ups: 2-business-day $120, same-day $275, 1-hour $1,200; they are optional and not in the total.

Leaving Georgia later

If your LLC stops doing business there, it ends the registration by filing an Application for Withdrawal of Certificate of Authority. Until that is filed, Georgia's yearly filing stays due.

Georgia foreign LLC questions

Do I have to register my LLC in Georgia?

Yes, if it was formed in another state and does business there. An office, staff or regular sales there usually mean registering.

How much does foreign LLC registration in Georgia cost?

$434 at checkout: the $235 filing fee plus our $199, which includes the first year of registered agent service.

Does Georgia need a certificate from my home state?

No, Georgia does not ask for one with this filing.

How long does the Georgia registration take?

Georgia's online processing takes about 7 business days; a paid 2-business-day option costs $120.

What does it cost each year to stay registered in Georgia?

$209 a year: $60 for the Annual Registration and $149 for our registered agent service. The home state's own yearly filing stays separate.

What if I don't register with Georgia?

Your LLC cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Georgia can add a penalty of $500.

Do I need a registered agent in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia requires one for every LLC registered there from another state, with a street address in the state. Ours is included for the first year, then $149 a year.

How do I withdraw from Georgia later?

File an Application for Withdrawal of Certificate of Authority with the Georgia Secretary of State.

Can I form a new Georgia LLC instead?

It is possible, but that is a separate company that files Georgia's Annual Registration ($60), while the original keeps its home-state filings. Registering keeps one company in both states.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes. Georgia issues a certificate of authority once the filing is approved.