Overview
Business entity filings in Georgia are handled by the Georgia Secretary of State's Corporations Division. This office is the official custodian of business entity filings for the state, covering corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and foreign entities registered to do business in Georgia.
The state operates under a general principle of public access to government records, codified in the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70). Most business entity filings are publicly searchable online at no cost. Georgia does not maintain a centralised financial statements register for private companies, nor does it operate a state-level beneficial ownership register; the latter falls under federal jurisdiction through the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and FinCEN.
For KYB and AML professionals, Georgia provides basic company data through its online search tools. The main limitations are the absence of publicly filed financial statements for private entities and the lack of a state-level UBO register.
Official Registers
Georgia Secretary of State: Corporations Division
The Corporations Division of the Georgia Secretary of State is the state's primary business register. It handles the formation, registration, and ongoing compliance filings of domestic and foreign business entities operating in Georgia.
The register covers:
- Domestic and foreign corporations (for-profit and nonprofit)
- Limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
- Foreign entities registered to transact business in Georgia
Information recorded in the register includes: entity name, control number, registered agent and registered office address, principal office address, entity type, date of formation or registration, and status (active, dissolved, administratively revoked, etc.). For corporations, the register may also list directors and officers of record.
The Corporations Division provides a free online business search through which anyone can look up entities by name or control number. Certified copies of filed documents, such as articles of incorporation, articles of organisation, and certificates of existence, can be ordered for a fee. Filings can be submitted online, by mail, or in person, with expedited processing available for an additional charge.
County Superior Court Clerks: Trade Name (DBA) Registration
Georgia does not register sole proprietorships at the state level. However, any individual or entity operating under a name other than their legal name must file a trade name (commonly referred to as a "DBA", Doing Business As) registration with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the business operates. Georgia law also requires publication of a notice of the trade name registration in the local newspaper.
These filings are maintained at the county level and are not consolidated into a single statewide database.
Registration and Publication Requirements
Corporations and LLCs
Corporations (both for-profit and nonprofit) are formed by filing Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State. LLCs are formed by filing Articles of Organization (Form CD 030). Both entity types must designate a registered agent and registered office in Georgia.
All active domestic and foreign entities registered with the Secretary of State must file an Annual Registration to maintain their active status. The first annual registration is due between January 1 and April 1 of the year following formation. For-profit entities (LLCs and corporations) pay $60 per year (a $50 filing fee plus a $10 service charge), the same whether filed online or on paper; late filing adds a $25 penalty. Failure to file may result in administrative dissolution or revocation of authority to transact business.
There is no general obligation for private companies in Georgia to file annual financial statements with the Secretary of State. Financial reporting obligations arise primarily under federal tax law (IRS) and, for certain regulated industries, under sector-specific state or federal regulators. Publicly traded companies file financial statements with the SEC, which are publicly accessible, but private entities' financial statements are not part of the public record at the state level.
Nonprofit corporations pay a reduced annual registration fee of $40 per year (a $30 filing fee plus the $10 service charge).
Sole Proprietorships
Sole proprietorships do not require state-level registration in Georgia. An individual begins operating as a sole proprietor by default when conducting business without forming a separate legal entity. Sole proprietors are therefore not listed in the Secretary of State's business register.
If a sole proprietor uses a trade name, they must register that name with the county Clerk of the Superior Court. Sole proprietors must also comply with applicable local business licensing requirements and federal and state tax obligations.
Partnerships and Foreign Entities
General partnerships are not required to file with the Secretary of State, though limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) must register. Foreign entities, whether corporations, LLCs, or partnerships, must register with the Corporations Division before transacting business in Georgia and are subject to the same annual registration requirement.
Beneficial Ownership
Georgia does not maintain a state-level beneficial ownership register. Beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting falls under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), administered by FinCEN.
Under the CTA's current rules (as amended in March 2025), all entities created in the United States (including those previously known as "domestic reporting companies") and their beneficial owners are now exempt from the requirement to report BOI to FinCEN. The reporting obligation applies to foreign-owned companies registered to do business in the United States. Companies created on or after January 1, 2025 that are subject to filing must submit their initial BOI report within 30 calendar days of receiving notice of effective registration.
UBO information filed with FinCEN is not publicly accessible; it is available only to authorised government agencies, financial institutions (with customer consent), and other entities as specified by federal regulation.
Summary Table
| Entity type | State registration required? | Annual registration required? | Financial statements public? |
|---|---|---|---|
Corporation (domestic) | Yes, Secretary of State | Yes ($60) | No |
LLC (domestic) | Yes, Secretary of State | Yes ($60) | No |
Nonprofit corporation | Yes, Secretary of State | Yes ($40) | No |
Limited partnership / LLP | Yes, Secretary of State | Yes | No |
Foreign entity | Yes, Secretary of State | Yes | No |
Sole proprietorship | No (DBA at county level only) | No | No |
With Topograph
Topograph queries the Georgia Secretary of State's eCorp portal and returns structured entity data for Georgia-registered businesses, with search by business name or control number. Profiles are read live from the register.
Company Profile
- Legal entity name
- Control number (the primary identifier: 7–8 digits for domestic entities, "H" + 6 digits for foreign-qualified ones)
- Entity type (corporation, LLC, LP, and foreign variants)
- Registration status (active, dissolved, revoked, etc.)
- Date of formation / registration
- Jurisdiction of formation (for foreign entities)
- Principal office address
Legal Representatives
- Officers, members, and managers on record, for example CEO, CFO, Secretary, President, organizer, member, or manager, with their addresses.
- Registered agent: name and address.
Shareholders, beneficial ownership data, assumed names (DBAs), and activity codes are not available, as Georgia does not publish them reliably through the register.
Available Documents
Topograph does not provide register documents for Georgia. The Secretary of State's Certificate of Existence is a paid filing ordered directly from the state.
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