Best Louisiana LLC Formation Service in 2026

Louisiana sits in the middle of the pack for LLC costs: $100 to file, $35 a year to renew. But Louisiana is also a community property state and has a notarization quirk on certain filings that catches DIY founders off guard. So the service you pick matters more than the bare fee comparison suggests, especially if you're forming from outside the US.

We've used most of the major providers. Here's the honest ranking for non-US and out-of-state founders.

Quick verdict

Service	Best for	Filing fee (Louisiana)	Service fee	Reg. Agent	EIN included	Non-US friendly
Doola	Non-US founders, one-person company	$100	from $297 (Starter)	✅ 1 yr	✅ (incl. SS-4 paper filing)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Northwest	US residents wanting privacy	$100	$39 + state	✅ 1 yr	❌ (+$50)	⭐⭐⭐
ZenBusiness	US residents, low budget	$100	$0 (Starter)	✅ 1 yr	❌ (+$99)	⭐⭐
LegalZoom	US residents wanting brand	$100	$0 (Basic)	$249/yr	❌ (+$79)	⭐⭐
Bizee (formerly IncFile)	US residents, free starter	$100	$0 + state	✅ 1 yr	❌ (+$70)	⭐⭐
DIY (Louisiana SOS direct)	Founders with US SSN + address	$100	$0	❌ ($125+/yr separately)	DIY (free with SSN)	⭐

Our recommendation for non-US founders: Doola — bundles LLC + EIN (SS-4 paper for non-SSN founders) + Registered Agent + Mercury Bank introduction in one flow.

Disclosure: We have an affiliate relationship with Doola — we use the same code (LLCCLASS10, 10% off) for ourselves. We earn a referral only if you sign up through our link, at no extra cost to you.

Louisiana LLC basics

Filing fee: $100 (Articles of Organization, one-time, online or mail)
Annual report: $35 per year, due by the LLC's anniversary date
State income tax: graduated 1.85%–4.25% on Louisiana-sourced personal income; Louisiana honors federal pass-through treatment
Community property state: married couples can elect to be taxed as a single-member LLC (federal disregarded entity)
Privacy: registered agent's name and address are public; members are not required on the public filing
Processing: both online and mail filings approve in 3–5 business days
No general state business license at the state level (parishes/cities may differ)

Louisiana's anniversary-date annual report is easy to miss because the state mails reminders to the registered agent — not to the founder directly. If you don't have a good RA or compliance tracking, that $35 report can lapse, accruing late fees and eventually triggering administrative dissolution.

Service-by-service breakdown

1. Doola — best for non-US founders forming a Louisiana LLC

Pricing: Starter $297/yr, Total Compliance $799/yr
Includes: LLC filing + EIN (SS-4 paper for non-SSN founders) + Registered Agent (1 yr) + US business address + Mercury Bank introduction + annual report reminders
Turnaround: 2–4 weeks for non-US founders (EIN bottleneck), ~1 week for US founders
Why we use it: One platform handles filing, EIN, RA, and banking handoff. The SS-4 paper filing alone saves 6–12 weeks for non-SSN founders.
Caveat: Renewal cost is higher than Northwest. If you have a US SSN, Northwest wins on year-2 economics.

→ Doola signup with LLCCLASS10 code (10% off)
→ Full Doola 2026 review

2. Northwest Registered Agent — best for US residents who value privacy

Pricing: $39 service + $100 state + $125/yr RA after year 1
Includes: LLC filing + 1 year RA + privacy by default
EIN: +$50, US-only
Pick if: US SSN holder, wants minimum noise and lowest sustainable cost

3. ZenBusiness — US founders on a budget

Pricing: Free Starter (state only), Pro $199, Premium $349
EIN: NOT included on Starter, +$99
Caveat: Year-2 renewal pricing

4. LegalZoom — brand recognition, expensive

Pricing: Basic $0 + state, Pro $249, Premium $349
EIN: +$79
Caveat: RA is $249/yr. Cancellation flow is hostile.

5. Bizee (formerly IncFile) — free starter

Pricing: Free + state, Gold $199, Platinum $299
EIN: +$70
Caveat: Compliance tracking is rough — Louisiana's anniversary-date deadline is easy to miss

6. DIY — Louisiana SOS direct

Cost: $100 state filing + $35/yr annual report + ~$125/yr registered agent
Pick if: US SSN holder with a Louisiana street address, comfortable with the GeauxBiz portal
Skip if non-US: SS-4 paper EIN is the bottleneck. Doola handles it.

Step-by-step Louisiana LLC formation

Choose a name — must include "LLC", "L.L.C.", or "Limited Liability Company". Check at the Louisiana SOS business search.
Designate a registered agent — must have a physical Louisiana street address (no PO Boxes).
File Articles of Organization — $100 to the Louisiana Secretary of State via the GeauxBiz portal. Online and mail both run 3–5 business days.
Get an EIN from the IRS — free online with SSN. Non-US founders file SS-4 by fax/mail, 4–8 weeks. Doola does this for you.
Open a US business bank account — Mercury Bank, 3-hour approval if your LLC + EIN are clean.
File the Annual Report — $35, due by your LLC's anniversary date every year. Set a calendar reminder; state notices go to the RA, not you.

FAQ

How much does a Louisiana LLC cost per year?
$35 for the annual report at the state level. If you operate locally, factor in parish/city business licenses and Louisiana's state income tax on local income.

Can a non-US resident form a Louisiana LLC?
Yes. No citizenship or residency requirement. You need a Louisiana-based registered agent (any service above) and an EIN, which Doola files by SS-4 paper if you don't have an SSN.

Does Louisiana have a franchise tax on LLCs?
No corporate franchise tax on standard LLCs taxed as pass-through (the LA franchise tax applies to corporations and LLCs that elect C-Corp treatment). Standard single-member or multi-member LLCs pay no franchise tax.

Is Louisiana better than Wyoming for a non-US founder?
For pure cost and privacy: no, Wyoming still wins. Louisiana makes sense if you have real operations in the state (e.g., real estate, hospitality, energy). See our best state for LLC comparison.

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