Jake Lawson here. Louisiana offers a solid middle ground for LLC costs—not the cheapest, not the most expensive, but reasonable throughout. Here’s exactly what you’ll pay to start and maintain your LLC in the Pelican State, plus where you can save money and where you shouldn’t.
The Bottom Line: Louisiana’s Reasonable Approach
Minimum to start: $100 (if you do everything yourself)
Realistic startup cost: $225-325 (including professional registered agent)
Annual maintenance: $35-160/year
My take: Louisiana doesn’t try to nickel-and-dime you with excessive fees or surprise charges. They strike a fair balance between generating state revenue and supporting business formation.
Required Costs: What You Cannot Avoid
Articles of Organization Filing: $100
Louisiana’s one-time formation fee for creating your LLC.
Online vs. mail filing: Same $100 fee regardless of method
Processing time: 3-5 business days for both online and mail
My recommendation: File online for convenience and faster confirmation
Annual Report: $35/year
Due every year to maintain good standing with Louisiana Secretary of State.
Reality check: $35 annually is less than $3 per month. This is among the more reasonable annual fees in the country.
Essential but Optional Costs
Registered Agent: $0-300/year
Free option: Serve as your own registered agent (if you have Louisiana address)
Professional option: $100-300/year for commercial service
My Professional Registered Agent Recommendation
For most entrepreneurs, hiring a registered agent service makes sense:
Benefits:
- Privacy protection (your home address stays private)
- Reliability (no missed documents when you’re traveling)
- Professional appearance (business address on public records)
- Mail scanning (digital copies of important documents)
When to use yourself:
- You have a stable Louisiana business address
- You’re always available during business hours Monday-Friday
- You don’t mind your address being searchable public record
EIN (Federal Tax ID): Free
From IRS directly: $0
Through “services”: $50-300 (complete waste of money)
Jake’s rule: Never pay for what the government provides free. Apply directly at irs.gov in 15 minutes.
Startup Cost Scenarios
Budget DIY Approach ($100-125 total)
- Articles of Organization: $100
- Serve as own registered agent: $0
- EIN from IRS: $0
- Operating Agreement template: $0
- Total: $100
Smart Professional Approach ($225-400 total)
- Articles of Organization: $100
- Professional registered agent: $125-300/year
- EIN from IRS: $0
- Operating Agreement template: $0
- Total: $225-400
Full-Service Package ($350-650 total)
- Formation service fee: $250-500
- Registered agent (usually first year free)
- EIN assistance: Often included
- Operating Agreement: Often included
- Total: $350-650 (first year)
My recommendation: The smart professional approach gives you the best value—professional registered agent service where it matters, DIY where it’s simple.
Ongoing Annual Costs
Required Every Year:
- Annual Report: $35
- Registered Agent: $125-300 (if using service)
- Total: $160-335/year
Possible Additional Costs:
- Business licenses: $0-500+ (depends on business type)
- Professional licenses: $100-500+ (industry-specific)
- Accounting services: $300-900/year
- Business insurance: $200-1,000+/year
Budget planning: Expect $200-500/year for basic compliance and professional services.
Hidden Costs to Consider
DBA/Trade Name: $75
Only needed if you want to operate under a name different from your registered LLC name.
Example: Your LLC is “Boudreaux Holdings LLC” but you want to do business as “Cajun Web Design”—you’d need a DBA.
Most LLCs skip this: Use your actual LLC name for business to avoid the extra cost and complexity.
Professional Licensing (Industry-Dependent)
Louisiana requires specific licenses for certain professions:
- Healthcare providers: $100-500/year
- Real estate professionals: $100-300/year
- Contractors: $200-800/year
- Food service: $100-400/year
Local Business Permits (Location-Dependent)
Parishes and municipalities may require additional permits:
- New Orleans: Can be $100-500+ depending on business type
- Baton Rouge: Generally $50-200 for basic permits
- Rural parishes: Often $25-100 or no permit required
Cost Comparison: Louisiana vs. Other States
Louisiana ($100) vs. Popular Alternatives:
- Delaware: $90 (but $300/year franchise tax)
- Wyoming: $100 (plus $60/year annual fee)
- Florida: $125 (comparable to Louisiana)
- Texas: $300 (significantly higher formation cost)
Total cost perspective: Louisiana’s reasonable formation fee plus low annual costs make it cost-competitive over time.
Money-Saving Strategies
DIY What Makes Sense:
- File Articles of Organization yourself (save $250-500 in service fees)
- Get EIN directly from IRS (save $50-300)
- Use free Operating Agreement templates (save $100-500)
- Research business license requirements yourself (save consultation fees)
Invest Where It Matters:
- Professional registered agent (worth $125-300/year for privacy and reliability)
- Quality accounting software (saves time and money at tax season)
- Business insurance (protects your investment)
- Professional tax preparation (ensures compliance and maximizes deductions)
Avoid These Money Wasters:
- EIN services (IRS provides free)
- Unnecessary DBAs (use your LLC name)
- Excessive formation packages (most add-ons aren’t needed initially)
- Out-of-state formation schemes (creates more costs and complexity)
Banking Costs: The Overlooked Expense
Business Bank Account Options:
Free accounts: Many credit unions and online banks
Traditional banks: $10-25/month (often waivable with minimums)
Premium accounts: $25-50/month (unnecessary for most startups)
What Louisiana Banks Typically Require:
- EIN confirmation letter or SS-4 form
- Articles of Organization (your formation document)
- Operating Agreement (some banks request this)
- Initial deposit: $25-100 typically
My Louisiana banking strategy: Start with a free business account at a credit union or online bank. You can always upgrade later as your business grows.
Professional Services: When to Invest
Accountant/CPA: $300-900/year
Worth it for:
- Tax preparation and planning
- Quarterly estimated tax calculations
- Louisiana-specific tax requirements
- Business growth planning
DIY alternatives:
- Simple LLCs: TurboTax Business ($120/year)
- Basic bookkeeping: QuickBooks Simple Start ($30/month)
Attorney: $800-2,500 (formation) or $200-400/hour
Worth it for:
- Complex ownership structures
- Industry-specific regulatory requirements
- Contract review and preparation
- Ongoing legal compliance
When to skip: Simple single-member or family LLCs with straightforward operations.
Formation Services: $200-500
Good value: Professional registered agent + formation for $300-400
Poor value: Basic formation for $500+ when you can DIY for $100
Industry-Specific Cost Considerations
Retail/E-commerce:
- Sales tax registration: Free with Louisiana Department of Revenue
- Local business permits: $50-200 (varies by location)
- Total additional: $50-200
Professional Services:
- Professional licensing: $100-500/year (varies by profession)
- Errors & omissions insurance: $500-2,000/year
- Total additional: $600-2,500/year
Food Service:
- Health department permits: $100-400
- Liquor license: $100-5,000+ (if applicable)
- Total additional: $200-5,400+
Contractors:
- Contractor licensing: $200-800/year
- Bonding requirements: $300-1,000/year
- Total additional: $500-1,800/year
Multi-Year Cost Planning
Year 1 (Formation Year):
- Formation costs: $225-400
- Partial annual report: $0 (due next year)
- Business setup costs: $200-500
- Total Year 1: $425-900
Years 2+ (Maintenance Years):
- Annual report: $35
- Registered agent: $125-300
- Professional services: $300-900
- Total per year: $460-1,235
Long-term budgeting: After initial formation, expect $400-800/year in basic business costs for a simple Louisiana LLC.
Red Flags: When You’re Being Overcharged
Formation Services Charging:
- $600+ for basic formation (Louisiana only charges $100)
- Monthly fees (Louisiana has no monthly requirements)
- EIN fees (IRS provides free)
- Operating Agreement fees over $300 (templates work for most LLCs)
Registered Agent Services Charging:
- $400+ per year (market rate is $125-300)
- Setup fees (should be included in annual fee)
- Per-document fees (should be unlimited)
Foreign LLC Costs (If You’re From Out-of-State)
Foreign LLC Registration: $90
Required if you form your LLC in another state but want to do business in Louisiana.
Total cost comparison:
- Louisiana LLC: $100 formation + $35/year
- Wyoming LLC + Louisiana foreign registration: $100 + $90 + $60/year Wyoming fee + $35/year Louisiana fee
Jake’s interstate advice: If you’re doing business in Louisiana, form your LLC in Louisiana. Out-of-state formation usually creates more costs and complexity without real benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
“What’s the absolute minimum cost to start a Louisiana LLC?”
$100. That’s Louisiana’s filing fee if you do everything else yourself (registered agent, EIN, Operating Agreement).
“Are there monthly fees for Louisiana LLCs?”
No. Louisiana only requires an annual report ($35/year). No monthly fees, franchise taxes, or publication requirements.
“Is it cheaper to form in Delaware or Wyoming?”
Not if you’re doing business in Louisiana. You’d pay their formation fee PLUS Louisiana’s $90 foreign LLC fee, creating more costs and compliance work.
“Do I need a lawyer to save money?”
Usually not for formation. Most LLCs are straightforward enough for DIY formation. Save legal fees for ongoing business needs or complex situations.
The Bottom Line: Louisiana Delivers Good Value
Louisiana offers reasonable LLC costs without hidden surprises or excessive ongoing fees.
My budgeting recommendations:
- Startup: $225-400 (professional registered agent, DIY everything else)
- Annual: $160-335 (basic compliance and services)
- Growth phase: Add professional services as revenue justifies the investment
The real value: Louisiana’s combination of reasonable formation costs, low annual fees, and straightforward requirements make it a solid choice for entrepreneurs who want to focus on building their business rather than managing complex compliance.
Ready to start your Louisiana LLC? Check out my complete Louisiana formation guide and step-by-step instructions. I’ve guided over 1,200 entrepreneurs through U.S. business formation—including helping them budget smartly for long-term success.
Jake Lawson
LLC Formation Strategist
Independent. Unbiased. No upsells. Ever.
P.S. Louisiana’s business environment reflects its practical culture—reasonable fees, straightforward requirements, and no unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. Your money is well-invested here.