How to search Louisiana records
- Search by entity name, charter number, or officer and agent name.
- Use the "Print Certificate of Good Standing" link on the detail page for official proof.
- Check "Last Report Filed" on the record to see whether annual reports are current.
Open the official Louisiana search
Louisiana SOS, corporation and LLC search
Louisiana Secretary of State Business Search
The Louisiana Secretary of State business search is run by the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division through its Business Filings Search. Related queries such as "LA SOS business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its charter number so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Louisiana Entity Search
An entity search of the Louisiana business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Because Louisiana expects an annual report yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
LA SOS Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "LA SOS corp search" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
LLC Lookup Louisiana
Run the LLC lookup Louisiana with the exact name, then note the charter number. Forming a Louisiana LLC costs $125 and the annual report is $35. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Louisiana Business Name Search
A Louisiana business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Louisiana lets you hold a name for 60 days for $25. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names. Louisiana trade names are registered with the Secretary of State.
Louisiana Business License Lookup
A Louisiana entity record is not a business license. Licenses come from the state board for a regulated trade or from the city or county where the business operates, so check those separately. The business verification checklist lists which official records to pull and in what order.
Louisiana Tax ID Lookup
A Louisiana tax ID can mean the federal EIN from the IRS or a state account number from the Louisiana tax agency for sales or payroll tax. Neither appears in the business entity record. The EIN lookup covers the federal number; the state tax agency confirms its own accounts.
New fees from October 1, 2026
Louisiana raised its business filing fees under Act 921. From October 1, 2026, forming an LLC costs $125 instead of $100, the annual report costs $35 instead of $30, and paying by card adds a $5 convenience fee.
Louisiana filing facts
| Record number | Charter number |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $125. Articles of Organization filed with the initial report; fee raised from $100 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921. Card payments add a $5 convenience fee. |
| Recurring filing | Annual report, $35, yearly |
| Due | Anniversary date of formation. Raised from $30 on October 1, 2026. |
| Name reservation | $25 for 60 days |
| Agency phone | 225-925-4704 |
What a Louisiana LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $125 | $0 | $125 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $35 | $35 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $35 | $35 |
| Three-year state total | $195 | ||
A civil law state with its own vocabulary
Louisiana is the only state whose private law comes from the civil law tradition, and its filings show it. LLC articles are filed together with an initial report naming the registered office and agent, and the online system is called geauxBIZ. Records carry a charter number, and the detail page lets you print a certificate of good standing. Entities that skip three annual reports in a row can be revoked. Louisiana sells its register in bulk at some of the highest prices in the country, listed in data downloads by state.
Budgeting under the new fees
Under the October 2026 fee schedule, a Louisiana LLC costs $125 to form and $35 a year to report, plus $5 each time you pay by card. Over three years that is $195 in state fees if you pay by other means. Set the report reminder for the anniversary date of formation, since Louisiana uses each company's own date rather than a statewide deadline.
How Louisiana compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $125 | $35 | Yearly | $25 |
| Texas | $300 | $0 | Yearly | $40 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 | Yearly | $25 |
| Arkansas | $45 | $150 | Yearly | $22.50 |
Before you rely on a Louisiana result
- Louisiana uses geauxBIZ as its online filing system.
- Entities that fail to file three consecutive annual reports can be revoked.
Bulk Louisiana business data
Sold by the state. $6,900 to $12,500 per year.
Searching beyond Louisiana
Registries next to Louisiana: Texas business search, Mississippi business search, Arkansas business search.
Louisiana business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Louisiana?
The state filing fee is $125. Articles of Organization filed with the initial report; fee raised from $100 on October 1, 2026 under Act 921. Card payments add a $5 convenience fee. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $35 a year in state fees.
When is the Louisiana annual report due?
Louisiana calls it the annual report. It costs $35, it is filed yearly, and it is due anniversary date of formation. Raised from $30 on October 1, 2026.
Can I reserve a business name in Louisiana?
Yes. A name reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 60 days.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Louisiana now?
$125 from October 1, 2026, up from $100, plus a $5 convenience fee if you pay by card.
Is the Louisiana business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the Business Filings Search costs nothing. The Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Louisiana?
The Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division. Its business line is 225-925-4704, and its free search is the Business Filings Search.
What number identifies a business in Louisiana?
Louisiana assigns each entity a charter number. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Louisiana businesses?
Only by buying it. $6,900 to $12,500 per year.
Sources
- Louisiana Secretary of State, Business Services
- Louisiana business filings search
- Louisiana Secretary of State fee schedule effective October 1, 2026 (PDF)
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