How to File a Georgia Annual Report

What is an annual report?

An annual report, known as an annual registration in Georgia, is a document submitted each year outlining key information about your business. The information contained within an annual report varies from state to state, but in most places it covers things like your business’ name and location, registered agent, and key employees or board members.

These reports are required by law for many businesses, and failure to submit a report in a timely manner can carry serious penalties for your company.

What information must a Georgia annual report contain?

The information required in the annual registration for your Georgia business will vary slightly depending on the entity type of your organization, although most of the required details are the same between business types.

For corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and limited partnerships, an annual report must contain the following information:

• The control number or name of the organization
• The name of the individual filing the report
• A valid email address
• The name and address of the business’ registered agent
• The mailing address of the principal office
• Payment information for the associated fees

Beyond these requirements, all corporations in Georgia must include the name and address of the company’s senior officers.

Who qualifies as a senior officer?

Corporations must identify their senior officers in annual registrations filed in the state of Georgia. Specifically, a corporation must list names and addresses for their CEO, CFO, and secretary. While some states require an annual report to include names and addresses of board members or directors, there is no such requirement in Georgia. 

How to file your Georgia annual report in 3 steps

Filing an annual registration in Georgia is relatively straightforward, and can be done either directly through the Georgia Secretary of State office or through a third-party business service provider. If you choose to file directly with the state, the process can be broken down into three steps.

Step 1: Gather your information

Before you start the filing process, you must collect all the pertinent names, addresses, and business information needed for whichever business structure your company uses. Having all the details handy before you begin the process allows you to navigate filing quickly and efficiently.

Step 2: Choose how to file

Georgia annual registrations can be filed either online or via hard copy. Those wishing to file online can click “annual registration with changes” or “one click annual registration with no changes” on the online services portal of the Georgia Corporations Division. Businesses choosing to file a paper copy of their registration can instead download the necessary paperwork and submit it directly to the GCD. In Georgia, filing a hard copy of your annual registration carries an additional $5 filing fee.

Step 3: Submit your registration

No matter how you decide to file your annual registration, the process is generally the same. You’ll fill in either a digital form or the hard copy downloaded from the state government’s website using your business’ contact information and registered agent details, then submit the registration either digitally or by mail.

How to file a Georgia annual report with LegalZoom

Navigating the annual registration filing system can be time-consuming if you haven’t done it before, and failure to complete the process correctly can be a serious impediment to your business. LegalZoom’s annual reporting service can make the process easier, and ensure you’re following all the necessary steps.

Our annual report service is simple and takes just a few minutes to complete. Just answer a few questions about your business, and our team of attorneys will handle the rest. We’ll file your annual registration and send you physical and electronic copies of it for your records.

How much does it cost to file an annual report in Georgia?

The cost to file an annual registration in Georgia is $55 for most business entities, including

• For-profit corporations
• Professional corporations
• Benefit corporations
• LLCs
• Limited partnerships
• Limited liability limited partnerships
• Trust estates

Nonprofit corporations pay a discounted rate of $35 for annual registrations in Georgia, and businesses of all kinds must pay an additional $5 fee if submitting a print annual registration form instead of filing online.

To amend an annual registration application, there is an additional $25 fee to file the amendment online and $5 extra for those filing the amendment via paper copy.

When is the deadline to submit a Georgia annual report?

Georgia allows businesses to file an application during the annual registration period between January 1 and April 1 of each year in which the business must file for registration. The GASOS allows businesses to automatically renew their registration for up to three years, which can be a helpful option for businesses which do not anticipate any changes to their location, registered agent, or key leadership positions.

What are the penalties for not filing an annual report in Georgia?

An annual report is required by law for all of the above stated forms of businesses, and failure to file carries serious penalties for your business.

A business which does not submit an annual registration form by the April 1 deadline has 60 days to submit its application along with an additional $25 late fee. If an application is not received by the GASOS office within that 60 day period, the Secretary of State can rule for the administrative dissolution of the business or revoke its permission to conduct business activities in the state of Georgia.

Dissolution or revocation can be a lengthy, expensive thing to reverse, and will likely cause long-lasting damage to your business. It’s much cheaper, and easier, to stay on top of your annual registration and keep your organization in good standing from the get-go.

Do all business entities need to file an annual report in Georgia?

All business entities structured as a corporation, LLC, or limited partnership of any kind must file an annual registration with the GASOS for every year in which they conduct business inside the state. Even nonprofit organizations or less-common forms of business structures like limited liability partnerships and limited liability limited partnerships must adhere to these guidelines.

FAQs

Can you submit an annual report early?

Your Georgia annual report is due by April 1 each year, but filing opens up on January 1 and can be completed at any time between those dates.

Do I need to pay a franchise tax in Georgia?

There is no state franchise tax in Georgia, but Georgia businesses are still subject to certain business-specific taxes.

Georgia businesses are required to pay a corporate income tax of 5.39 percent of the corporation’s taxable net income in the state of Georgia. The Georgia Department of Revenue also assesses a net worth tax on business entities with a net worth greater than $100,000.

Can you file an annual report by mail?

Yes, you can submit your annual report either electronically or by paper copy in Georgia. Those filing a paper application are assessed an additional $5 filing fee.

Do nonprofits need to file an annual report in Georgia?

Nonprofit organizations are still required to file an annual report in Georgia, although they are given a $20 reduction in their filing fee to do so.