Form a C Corporation in Louisiana for Free

How to Start a C Corp in Louisiana in 7 Steps

Forming a C Corp in Louisiana involves choosing a compliant corporate name, appointing a registered agent, filing Articles of Incorporation, completing your internal corporate organization, and obtaining an EIN.

Here's how each step works.

Step 1: Choose a Name for Your Louisiana C Corporation

Louisiana requires your corporation's name to be distinguishable from every existing domestic and foreign corporation, LLC, partnership, and trade name on file with the Secretary of State. Getting the name right before you file prevents rejection delays and restarts.

1. Use a Corporate Designator

Your Louisiana corporation's name must include Corporation, Incorporated, Limited, or an accepted abbreviation such as Corp., Inc., or Ltd. You may also use Company or Co. subject to Louisiana's naming rules. The designator must clearly indicate the business is a corporation, not an individual or partnership.

2. Match the Corporation's Purpose

The name cannot state or imply that the corporation is organized for a purpose not permitted under Louisiana law or its Articles of Incorporation.

3. Avoid Government Implications

The name cannot suggest your Louisiana corporation is affiliated with a state or federal government agency. Louisiana law specifically states a corporate name shall not imply the corporation is an administrative agency of any parish, the state, or the United States.

4. Choose a Distinguishable Name

Your Louisiana corporation's name must be distinguishable from other entities on file in the Louisiana Secretary of State's commercial database. Minor changes to punctuation, grammar, or entity identifiers generally are not enough to make a name distinguishable under Louisiana law.

*NOTE: The names of revoked Louisiana corporations are not available for three years after the date of revocation, even if the original entity no longer exists.*

If you have a name in mind, keep two or three backups ready in case your first choice is taken. Use Swyft Filings' free business name generator if you need a starting list. Then search the Louisiana Business Filings Search to confirm availability before committing.

Step 2: Appoint a Louisiana Registered Agent for Your C Corporation

Every Louisiana corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical address in Louisiana. The agent receives legal documents, notices, and official correspondence on behalf of your corporation. Louisiana law requires this from the moment you form the corporation until the day it is dissolved.

Make sure your registered agent meets the following Louisiana corporation requirements:

• Physical Louisiana Address: The agent must have a physical street address in Louisiana. A P.O. Box alone is not acceptable.

• Individual Eligibility: An individual agent must be a legal resident of Louisiana who has reached the age of legal majority. Louisiana law says an agent "can be almost anyone of legal age and a legal resident of Louisiana."

• Entity Eligibility: A business entity can serve as a registered agent if it is authorized to do business in Louisiana and maintains a physical office in the state.

• Electronic Consent Through geauxBIZ: Louisiana requires the registered agent to electronically sign the Agent Acknowledgment and Acceptance within seven days of the online submission. If the agent rejects or fails to respond within that window, you will need to refile.

• Availability: The agent must be available at the registered office during normal business hours to receive service of process and other official documents.

Whether you appoint yourself or hire a professional registered agent service, the appointment process involves these steps:

1. Select a Registered Agent: Choose an eligible individual or hire a professional registered agent service from Swyft Filings.

2. Confirm the Agent's Eligibility: Make sure the person or entity meets Louisiana's requirements, including a valid Louisiana street address.

3. Provide the Information When Filing Articles of Incorporation: Include the registered agent's name and Louisiana street address in your Articles of Incorporation. The agent must electronically accept the appointment through geauxBIZ within seven days.

Step 3: Set Up Your Louisiana C Corp Share Structure

Your share structure determines how ownership is divided among shareholders and how much stock your corporation can issue. Setting it up thoughtfully from the beginning makes it easier to allocate founder ownership, bring in investors, and provide equity to employees as the business grows.

When setting up your Louisiana C Corp's share structure, consider the following:

• Determine authorized shares: Decide the total number of shares your C Corporation is authorized to issue. Louisiana requires this number in the Articles of Incorporation. You can authorize more shares than you initially plan to issue.

• Choose your stock type: Most corporations start with common stock for founders and employees. You may also establish preferred stock if you expect to raise outside investment or need to give investors different rights.

• Consider multiple classes: Your corporation can have different classes of stock with different voting, dividend, or other rights depending on your ownership and financing plans.

• Consider voting rights: Decide whether different classes of shares will carry different voting rights. One class might have full voting rights while another has limited or no voting rights.

• Plan for future financing: If you expect to seek venture capital or other outside investment, consider how future rounds could affect your authorized shares and ownership percentages.

• Specify the structure in your Articles: Include the required authorized-share information in your Louisiana Articles of Incorporation. Keep the formation documents consistent with the share structure you intend to establish.

Step 4: File Your Louisiana Articles of Incorporation

After choosing a corporate name and deciding who will serve as your registered agent, the next step is to officially form the corporation with the State of Louisiana. You do this by filing Articles of Incorporation (Form SS-399) with the Louisiana Secretary of State. You can file online, by mail, or in person. Choose Swyft Filings' basic package to start your Louisiana C Corp for free.

Let's discuss each option:

Option 1: File online through geauxBIZ

Online filing through geauxBIZ is the fastest and most common option. Create or sign in to your geauxBIZ account, complete the Articles of Incorporation, and your registered agent will receive an electronic request to accept the appointment. The agent must electronically sign the acknowledgment within seven days. The geauxBIZ system is designed to work best in Google Chrome. Louisiana charges a $5 credit card convenience fee in addition to the state filing fee when paying online.

Option 2: File by mail

Download Form SS-399 (Articles of Incorporation) from the Louisiana Secretary of State's website. Complete the form and mail it with payment to:

Louisiana Secretary of State

Commercial Division

P.O. Box 94125

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125

Option 3: File in person

Walk-in filings are accepted at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge. Documents processed while you wait (priority expedite) cost an additional $60. Documents processed within 24 hours cost an additional $35 on top of the standard filing fee. The office address is:

Louisiana Secretary of State

Commercial Division

8585 Archives Avenue

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Step 5: Create Corporate Bylaws for Your Louisiana C Corp

Corporate bylaws are the internal rules that govern how your Louisiana C Corp is managed and operated. Your bylaws establish procedures for making decisions, holding meetings, electing directors and officers, and managing the corporation's affairs.

When creating your corporate bylaws for your Louisiana C Corp, consider including:

• Board of directors: Define the number of directors, their roles, terms, and how vacancies or replacements are handled.

• Shareholder meetings: Establish when and how shareholder meetings will be held and how shareholders will receive notice.

• Board meetings: Set rules for calling board meetings, providing notice, establishing a quorum, and voting on corporate decisions.

• Officers: Identify the corporation's officers, such as the president, secretary, and treasurer, and outline their responsibilities.

• Voting procedures: Explain how shareholders and directors vote and how corporate decisions are approved.

• Committees: Establish rules for creating and managing board committees, if needed.

• Corporate records: Specify how important corporate documents, meeting minutes, and other records will be maintained.

• Amendments: Establish the process for changing the bylaws as the corporation grows.

After the bylaws are prepared, the corporation's initial directors or incorporator should adopt them at the organizational meeting and keep the approved bylaws with the corporation's records.

Need help drafting your Corporate Bylaws? Swyft Filings can simplify the process by preparing and drafting customized Corporate Bylaws. Complete a short questionnaire about your corporation's structure, shareholders, and management. Our specialists then draft your Corporate Bylaws and, if needed, a Shareholders' Agreement. You'll receive completed documents ready for review and adoption at your organizational meeting.

Step 6: Hold an Organizational Meeting

After filing your Articles of Incorporation for your Louisiana C Corp, hold an initial organizational meeting where your incorporator or initial directors formally start the business. At this meeting, you will typically:

• Adopt the corporate bylaws.

• Elect officers, such as a president, treasurer, and secretary.

• Issue the initial shares of stock to founders and investors.

• Set the corporation's fiscal year.

• Authorize opening a corporate bank account.

Keep formal minutes from this meeting and every meeting that follows. Minutes are never filed with the state, but they are among the clearest evidence that your corporation is following proper formalities, which matters if your liability protection is ever challenged.

Step 7: File for an Employer Identification Number

After forming your Louisiana C Corp, apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. An EIN is the federal tax ID number used to identify your corporation for tax and other business purposes. Wondering why your Louisiana C Corp needs one?

Here are the top reasons:

• Opening a business bank account.

• Hiring employees in Louisiana or any other state.

• Filing federal and Louisiana corporate income tax returns.

• Registering for Louisiana tax accounts through LaTAP.

• Applying for a business credit card or loan.

• Keeping your personal Social Security number off business contracts.

You can apply for an EIN directly through the IRS website at no cost, or have Swyft Filings file it for you as part of your Louisiana C Corporation formation package.

What Are the Post-Formation Requirements for a Louisiana C Corp?

Filing your Articles of Incorporation creates your Louisiana C corporation, but staying in good standing requires meeting several ongoing obligations.

1. File Your Louisiana Annual Report Every Year

This is the most important recurring filing for any Louisiana corporation. The annual report is due each year on or before the anniversary date of your original formation.

Here is what you need to know:

• Filing deadline: On or before your corporation's formation anniversary date each year

• Where: Online through geauxBIZ or by mail to the Secretary of State's Commercial Division

• Fee: $30 per year (before October 1, 2026); $35 per year starting October 1, 2026 under Act 921. A $5 credit card convenience fee applies to online payments.

• What it does: Confirms or updates your registered agent, registered office, principal office, directors, principal officers, and issued shares on the state's public record

• Late consequence: Louisiana does not impose a direct monetary late fee for the annual report itself. However, your corporation is marked as "not in good standing" immediately after the anniversary date if the report has not been filed.

If your corporation fails to file annual reports for three consecutive years, the Secretary of State will revoke the Articles of Incorporation and corporate franchise, based on Louisiana Revised Statute 12:262.1. Revocation can affect your ability to enter contracts, obtain financing, and defend the corporation in court. Consider using Swyft Filings to file your annual report on your behalf. Our specialists prepare and file the required report, and you receive confirmation once the filing is complete.

2. Pay Louisiana Corporation Income Tax

Louisiana imposes a flat 5.5% corporation income tax on net taxable income for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Louisiana C Corporations file Form CIFT-620 and report this tax to the Louisiana Department of Revenue. For calendar-year corporations, the return is generally due May 15 (the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of the tax period). Extensions are available if federal extension requirements are met, but an extension to file is not an extension to pay. Most corporations are required to make estimated tax payments throughout the year if the expected liability exceeds a set threshold.

3. Open a Business Bank Account

Open a dedicated business bank account as soon as your EIN is issued. Mixing personal and business funds, known as commingling, is one of the fastest ways to weaken the liability protection a C Corp provides. Banks commonly request your Articles of Incorporation, EIN confirmation letter, and a corporate resolution identifying who is authorized to open the account.

4. Obtain Necessary Business Licenses and Permits

Louisiana does not issue a single statewide business license that covers all business activity. What your corporation needs depends on its industry and location. You can use geauxBIZ to generate a list of potential federal, state, and local licensing requirements for your specific business type. Local parish governments may also require separate permits or business registrations.

It's worth using Swyft Filings' business license research service to sort out what is actually required for your specific business, including application links and renewal schedules.

How Much Does It Cost to Incorporate a C Corp in Louisiana?

The cost of forming a C Corp in Louisiana depends on the required state filing fees and any additional services you choose. The table below reflects post-October 1, 2026 fees under Act 921.

*Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about forming a C Corp in Louisiana and is not a substitute for legal, tax, or financial advice.*