Georgia Corporation
What is a Georgia Corporation?
A Georgia corporation is a business entity that provides a protective barrier between your personal assets and company liabilities. To start a Georgia corporation, you must file Articles of Organization.
When you hire us to start your Georgia corporation, we’ll handle the paperwork and provide a year of registered agent service. You’ll also get a 90-day trial of our web & phone services. All for just $125 plus state fees.
Rather file yourself? Keep reading to learn how to incorporate in Georgia.
Start a Corporation in Georgia
$125
+ state fees
FREE Georgia Business Address
Year of Registered Agent Service Included
FREE Domain for First Year
Should I Incorporate in Georgia?
Incorporating your company is a big step. While the incorporation process in Georgia is relatively simple, it is important to consider which business entity is right for your company. Some of the benefits of forming a corporation include being more attractive to investors, the added prestige of incorporation, and limited liability. However, corporations require substantially more ongoing maintenance than a Georgia LLC. Making the best decision for your company will require thinking about your future business goals and what you are planning to accomplish now.
How Does Our Georgia Incorporation Package Work?
- Order Your Georgia Incorporation Package Today
There’s no time like the present to embark on your incorporation adventure. When you sign up with us, we receive your submission immediately. There’s no delay or wait time. - We Get Started Preparing and Filing Your Documents
As soon as our team of expert filers receives your incorporation information, they start preparing the business documents to send over to the Georgia Secretary of State. - Your Documents Are Sent to the Georgia Corporations Division
When everything is ready, the Articles of Incorporation and Transmittal Information Form are sent to the Georgia Secretary of State for processing. You will be able to check on the status of your corporation through your secure client portal. This is also where we will store scans of any correspondence we receive for your corporation. - We’re in It For Life
Just because your corporation is up and running doesn’t mean this relationship is over. We’re here through thick and thin. If you have questions or concerns, our local support staff is just a phone call away. We didn’t buy a building in Atlanta just to throw in a free business address and expand mail service options like Georgia Mail Forwarding and a Georgia Virtual Office. We wanted to make sure our support staff really knows Georgia business filings inside and out. - We Give You Business Documents
Our Incorporation Package includes all the business documents you’ll need to keep things running smoothly. You’ll get: corporate bylaws, shareholder resolutions, shareholder certificates, and meeting minutes. No charge. They’re on us.
Georgia Incorporation Guide
To incorporate in Georgia on your own, you must file the Articles of Incorporation and the Transmittal Information Form. The filing fee is $105 (online) or $110 (paper). Both documents can be submitted online or via mail. Once the paperwork is processed, the Georgia Secretary of State will issue a Certificate of Incorporation.
Remember, you can still hire us for Georgia Registered Agent Service. We’ll provide you with PDFs of important formation documents and helpful filing tips to get you started. We also give our clients free use of our Georga business address in our local Atlanta building.
Before You File
Select a Name
Your corporation name must include a term that identifies it as an incorporated company. For example, the name must include one of the following words (or an abbreviation of the word): corporation, incorporated, company, or limited. The name of your corporation must be different from any other legal business entity name on record with the Georgia Secretary of State.
Choose a Registered Agent
All companies incorporated in Georgia must appoint a registered agent. A registered agent is an entity that is selected to receive service of process or other legal correspondence on behalf of the corporation. The only requirement a registered agent must fulfill is they have a physical street address in Georgia. This means that, technically, if you live in Georgia, you can serve as your own registered agent. However, if you do, you must provide your personal address on the Articles of Incorporation which will be made public record once they are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State.
If you don’t have a physical address in Georgia, or want to keep your personal details private, you can hire a registered agent to provide their address on the Articles of Incorporation instead of yours. This is something we can help with. We provide local registered agent service for a flat fee of $25 a year.
Draft Bylaws
It is a good idea to draft the bylaws for your corporation before your paperwork is processed. That way, everyone involved is on the same page. Corporate bylaws are the document that outlines who the initial shareholders are, what they have contributed in exchange for stock in the company, the duties and voting rights of each shareholder, and how many shareholders the corporation can have. The bylaws also list the administrative positions and their current corporate officers including the president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
Why are bylaws important?
Corporate bylaws are important because they provide official and succinct information about the ownership of the corporation. While it is not necessary that you file this document with any state division in Georgia, they are what the Court will use to make any rulings if your corporation ends up in any litigation.
The final draft of your corporate bylaws are typically made official during the initial shareholder meeting after the corporation has been formed. If, at any point, the bylaws shall require amending, the initial bylaws should outline that process.
Incorporating Your Company in Georgia
Once you have chosen a name, selected a registered agent, and drafted your corporate bylaws, you are ready to start the incorporation process. Follow these steps to incorporate your company in Georgia.
1. Complete the Articles of Incorporation
In Georgia, to incorporate your company, you must complete the Articles of Incorporation.
What information is required on the Georgia Articles of Incorporation?
- Business name
- Number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue
- The name and address of your Georgia registered agent
- Name and address of the person filing your formation paperwork
- Company mailing address
- Signature of the person filing
2. Complete the Transmittal Information Form
The Transmittal Information Form is a business formation form that is required for all Georgia profit and nonprofit corporations. If you file online, this form will be combined with the Articles of Organization.
What information is required on the Georgia Transmittal Information Form?
The Transmittal Information Form must include:
- Company email address
- Business name as it appears on the Articles of Incorporation
- Name and address of the person filing your formation paperwork
- The name, street address, and email of your registered agent
- Signature of the person filing
If you hire us to form your business, we automatically take care of providing this information and filing this form as well.
3. File the Documents With the Georgia Secretary of State
The filing fee for the Articles of Organization and the Transmittal Form is $105 (online) or $110 (paper). Both can be filed online or by mail.
Online:
Georgia eCorp website
Mail:
Office of Secretary of State
Corporations Division
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 313 West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Standard processing takes 7-15 business days. If you need faster turnaround, you can pay an additional $120 (two days), $275 (same day), or $1200 (one hour) for expedited service.
Is there any way to keep my personal information off the public record in Georgia?
Kind of. Unfortunately, you will be required to list the names and business addresses of your company’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and secretary (or those holding a similar position) on your formation paperwork. However, if you hire us, we’ll list our Georgia business address instead of each officer’s personal address.
4. File your Initial Registration
To keep your corporation in good standing, you must submit an initial Annual Registration ($55) within 90 days of incorporating. The registration must be submitted online via the Georgia eCorp website.
After your file the initial Annual Registration document, the subsequent filings are due between January 1 and April 1 each year.
5. Send a Notice of Intent to Incorporate for Publication
All aspiring Georgia Corporations must send a Notice of Intent to Incorporate for publication. The publishing newspaper or journal must either be the county’s legal organ or a newspaper with a general circulation for which at least 60 percent of its subscriptions are paid.
The term “legal organ” is unique to Georgia and refers to a newspaper or journal that publishes public notice advertisements and has been selected by the Judge of Probate Court, Sheriff, and Clerk of Superior Court. To find out more about what publication is your county’s current legal organ, you can contact your county clerk, or do a quick internet search.
The Notice of Intent to Incorporate must be sent, along with a $40 publication fee, no later than the next business day after filing the Articles of Incorporate with the Georgia Secretary of State. For more information on formatting the Notice of Intent to Incorporate, please take a look at this example from the Georgia Secretary of State (page 6).
Next Steps For Your Georgia Corporation
After you have filed the formation documents and sent the Notice of Intent to Incorporate, there are a few more steps to optimizing your corporation to succeed. You will need to obtain an EIN, hold an initial board meeting, adopt the bylaws, elect the board of directors, issue shareholder certificates, and open a business banking account.
Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
An EIN is a unique nine digit number that is issued by the Internal Revenue System (IRS) for federal taxation purposes. Getting an EIN is very simple and can be completed entirely online. It’s also free, so there is no need to charge our customers for this. However, if you are attempting to incorporate in Georgia and you are not a US citizen, it is a little more difficult to get an EIN. Visit the IRS website to get an EIN today.
Hold an Initial Board Meeting & Adopt the Bylaws
An Initial Board Meeting is the first meeting of all initial corporate directors. During this meeting, the drafted bylaws are officially put to a vote and agreed upon.
Elect a Board of Directors & Issue Stock Certificates
Typically the Articles of Incorporation outline an initial board of directors. During the initial meeting, these initial directors will elect the permanent directors. Typically, the duration of a director term is one year, and directors are up for election during the Annual Shareholder Meeting.
In addition to electing the board of directors, it is common for stock ownership certificates to be issued to shareholders during this time.
Open a Business Bank Account
Opening a business bank account is one of the most important things you can do to solidify the separation of your personal assets from the debts and liabilities of your company.
Many banks require that you present your EIN and a copy of your bylaws to open a business account. However, requirements differ between banks, so it is a good idea to speak with your selected establishment beforehand.
Get Online and Connected to Clients
A business website is a essential for ensuring clients can find you and learn about your business. A dedicated business phone number also helps your company communicate professionally.
When you hire us to form your company or serve as your registered agent, we include a web domain (free for a year), plus a customizable website + SSL security, up to 10 individual business email addresses, and local phone service (each free for 90 days) so you can get online quickly.
Your website is easy to use, and our phone service includes a local Georgia number and business line you can use on your own device either by going online or downloading our iOS or Android app.
How to maintain Your Georgia corporation?
After you have filed the necessary documentation with the Georgia Secretary of State and completed all the formal steps of incorporating, you will need to complete your annual registration. The window to complete your annual registration begins on January 1 and ends on April 1.
How do I file the Georgia Annual Registration?
You can file the annual registration for your corporation via mail or online. However, the easiest and most common way to complete it is online.
To submit a paper form, you must select “Print Annual Registration Form” on the Georgia eCorp website.
What information is required on the Georgia Annual Registration?
In order to complete the annual registration form, you must provide the following information:
- Name of the corporation
- A valid email address
- Name of the person filing the annual registration
- Name and address of the registered agent
- Mailing address of the principal officer
- Name and address of each corporate officer
What happens if I file my Georgia Annual Registration late?
If you do not file your annual registration before the April 1st deadline, you will be charged a $25 late fee. The state may also administratively dissolve your business if you are delinquent for 60 days or more.
Can you help me file my Georgia Annual Registration?
Yes! In fact, when you hire us to form your corporation we’ll enroll you in our Compliance Service, which means we’ll automatically take care of your annual registration filing for you. For just $100 plus state fees, our expert team will ensure your registration is submitted on time and accurately—guaranteed. The best part? You won’t pay any additional upfront fees. If you decide to file yourself, you can easily cancel inside your client account.
Our Georgia Corporation Service
- Articles of Incorporation filed by local experts
- Initial Annual Registration filed
- A year of GA Registered Agent Service
- Free 90-day trial of our web & phone services
- Free Georgia business address
- Free attorney-drafted bylaws, shareholder certificates, and initial resolutions
- Annual Compliance Enrollment (no upfront fees)
- Secure online account to store and access your documents
- Lifetime business support