Georgia LLC Annual Registration 2026: $50 Fee Due April 1, Online-Only Filing, and the Dissolution Clock

eCorp Portal: Step-by-Step Filing Process

Georgia processes annual registrations exclusively through the eCorp online portal maintained by the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State. Paper filings are not accepted. Here's the exact process:

1. Navigate to the Georgia Corporations Division website (sos.ga.gov) and select "eCorp" or go directly to the eCorp filing system
2. Search for your LLC by name or control number — your control number is the unique identifier assigned when your LLC was formed or registered
3. Select "File Annual Registration" from the available actions for your entity
4. Verify or update your information: principal office address, registered agent name and address, and any other details on file
5. Select filing duration: you can file for one year ($50), two years ($100), or three years ($150)
6. Pay the $50 fee (per year) via credit card or electronic check — the portal does not accept cash, money orders, or physical checks
7. Download your confirmation: save the filing confirmation as a PDF for your records — the portal does not mail paper confirmations

Expedited Processing: $100 Add-On

Standard processing for annual registrations is typically same-day or next-business-day through the eCorp portal. However, Georgia offers an optional $100 expedited processing fee if you need guaranteed priority handling. For most LLC owners filing before the April 1 deadline, standard processing is sufficient. Expedited processing is primarily useful if you're filing at the last minute or need immediate confirmation for a time-sensitive transaction (such as a bank loan or contract that requires proof of good standing).

April 1 Deadline: Weekend Rules and Southeastern Comparison

Every Georgia LLC — domestic and foreign — must file its annual registration between January 1 and April 1 of each calendar year. Unlike states that tie the deadline to your LLC's formation month or anniversary date, Georgia uses a single universal deadline for all entities.

What Happens When April 1 Falls on a Weekend?

When April 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline extends to the next business day (Monday). The same rule applies if April 1 falls on a Georgia state holiday. For 2026, April 1 is a Wednesday — no extension applies. For planning purposes:

• 2026: April 1 = Wednesday (no extension)
• 2027: April 1 = Thursday (no extension)
• 2028: April 1 = Saturday → deadline extends to Monday, April 3

Southeastern State Deadline Comparison

If you operate LLCs in multiple southeastern states, here's how Georgia's deadline stacks up:

Georgia's $50 fee is the lowest among major southeastern states. Tennessee shares the same April 1 deadline but charges a minimum of $300. Florida gives you an extra month (May 1) but charges $138.75. If you're managing compliance across multiple states, Georgia's filing is the cheapest but also one of the earliest — don't let the low fee cause you to deprioritize it. Our state-by-state annual report deadline tracker lists every due date in one place, and for a full breakdown of Florida's timeline, see our Florida LLC Annual Report 2026 guide.

The Dissolution Clock: O.C.G.A. § 14-11-603

Georgia's path from a missed deadline to a dead LLC is faster than most owners realize. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-603, an LLC becomes subject to administrative dissolution once it fails to deliver its annual registration — together with all required fees and penalties — within 60 days after the registration is due. Dissolution is not instant: the Secretary of State must first mail written notice and give you a cure period. But the clock that matters starts at April 1, not two years later.

Here's how the dissolution clock works in practice:

1. April 1 — missed deadline: You fail to file by April 1. Georgia adds a $25 late fee to the $50 registration. Your LLC stays active but is flagged as delinquent until you file and pay.
2. 60 days past due — grounds arise: If the registration and all fees are still unpaid more than 60 days after the due date, your LLC is now subject to administrative dissolution. The Secretary of State mails a written Notice of Administrative Dissolution by first-class mail.
3. 60 days after notice — dissolution: If you do not cure (file all outstanding registrations and pay all fees and penalties) within 60 days of that notice, the Secretary of State signs a certificate of dissolution. This is the actual termination of your LLC's legal existence in Georgia.

What Dissolution Actually Means

Once administratively dissolved, your LLC:

• Cannot legally conduct business in Georgia — contracts signed after dissolution may be voidable
• Loses its liability shield — members may become personally liable for LLC obligations incurred after dissolution
• Cannot file lawsuits in Georgia courts as the LLC entity
• May lose its name — another entity can register your LLC's name once it shows as dissolved in the state database

Administrative Reinstatement: $250 Fee and Process

If your Georgia LLC has been administratively dissolved, you can apply for reinstatement through the Secretary of State. The process is straightforward but not cheap when you factor in all the back payments.

Reinstatement Requirements

1. File an Application for Reinstatement through the eCorp portal
2. Pay the $250 reinstatement fee
3. Pay all missed annual registration fees — $50 for each year you failed to file
4. Provide current registered agent information — your agent must be active and have a valid Georgia street address
5. Confirm your principal office address is current

Worked Example: Total Reinstatement Cost

Say your LLC missed the 2025 and 2026 annual registrations and was dissolved in mid-2026. To reinstate:

• Reinstatement fee: $250
• 2025 missed annual registration: $50
• 2026 missed annual registration: $50
• 2027 current-year annual registration: $50
• Total: $400 (plus the $25 late penalty on each registration that went past April 1)

Once reinstated, your LLC's legal existence is treated as if the dissolution never occurred — contracts, obligations, and liability protections are retroactively restored. However, any business conducted during the dissolution period may still carry personal liability risk for members. The multi-year prepay option ($150 for three years) is worth considering after reinstatement to prevent a repeat.

Registered Agent Sync: Update Requirements at Filing Time

When you file your Georgia annual registration, the eCorp portal requires you to confirm or update your registered agent information. This is not a passive step — if your registered agent has changed, moved, or resigned since your last filing, you must update the information during the registration process.

What Happens with an Outdated Agent on File

If you file your annual registration with a registered agent who is no longer valid (resigned, moved out of state, or no longer at the listed address), your LLC faces several risks:

• Service of process failures: Lawsuits and legal documents sent to an invalid agent address won't reach you — but they may still count as valid service, meaning you could lose a case by default
• State correspondence gaps: The Secretary of State sends compliance notices, tax correspondence, and other official communications to the registered agent address
• Future filing complications: If the state discovers your agent is invalid during a routine audit or complaint, your LLC may be flagged for noncompliance

You can update your registered agent during the annual registration filing at no additional cost. If you need to change your agent outside of the annual registration window, Georgia allows mid-year agent changes through a separate filing on the eCorp portal. For full details on Georgia's registered agent rules, see our Georgia Registered Agent Requirements 2026 guide.

Foreign LLCs: Same Deadline, Different Form

If your LLC was formed in another state but is registered to do business in Georgia (a "foreign LLC"), you are subject to the same April 1 annual registration deadline and $50 fee as domestic Georgia LLCs. However, there's a key procedural difference: foreign LLCs file under a different form number on the eCorp portal.

This matters because:

• The eCorp portal separates domestic and foreign entity filings — if you search for your LLC and select the wrong filing type, you'll either get an error or file the wrong form
• Foreign LLC registrations require your home-state entity information — including the state of formation, home-state entity number, and date of registration in Georgia
• The dissolution rule applies equally to foreign LLCs — letting your annual registration go unpaid past the 60-day mark exposes you to revocation of your Georgia registration, after the same written notice and 60-day cure period, meaning you can no longer legally operate in the state

For a complete walkthrough of the foreign registration process, including initial application requirements and fees, see our Georgia Foreign LLC Registration guide.

Canadian Owners: True Annual Cost of a Georgia LLC

A growing number of Canadian entrepreneurs — particularly in the Greater Toronto Area — form Georgia LLCs to access the U.S. market. The $50 annual registration fee looks attractive, but the true annual cost of maintaining a Georgia LLC from Canada is significantly higher when you factor in cross-border compliance obligations.

Worked Example: Total Annual Cost from Canada

The critical nuance for Canadian owners: the LLC's pass-through taxation (a key selling point in the U.S.) may not be recognized by the CRA. Canada can recharacterize a U.S. LLC as a corporation for Canadian tax purposes under the Canada–U.S. Tax Treaty, which could result in double taxation. Before committing to a Georgia LLC, Canadian founders should compare the structure against a Canadian corporation or a Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Company (ULC), both of which have clearer CRA treatment.