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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Louisiana

Louisiana calls it the Certificate of Good Standing and charges $20. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Good Standing
State fee
$20
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Standard 3-5 business days
Issuing office
Louisiana SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. The Louisiana SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the Louisiana portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $20 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.
Full ordering details for Louisiana

Louisiana issues a Certificate of Good Standing through the Secretary of State at $20 base via the geauxBIZ portal (sos.la.gov/BusinessServices). Expedite tiers: $30 for 24-hour processing, $50 for immediate/walk-in (in-person at 8585 Archives Ave, Baton Rouge). All expedite fees stack on top of the $20 base. Louisiana offers both standard and expanded certificate versions ($15 vs $25 per some older guides - SOS current fee schedule confirms $20 base). The Annual Report ($30 online via geauxBIZ / $35 mail, due on the anniversary date) must be current. Some Louisiana LLC filings require notarization - unique among states.

Processing and expedited tiers: Standard 3-5 business days; 24-hour expedite $30; immediate (walk-in) $50

Important to know about Louisiana

  • Louisiana expedite fees STACK on top of the base $20 certificate fee: $20 standard, $50 for 24-hour ($20+$30), $70 for immediate walk-in ($20+$50). Budget accordingly.
  • Louisiana uniquely requires NOTARIZATION for certain LLC filings (Articles of Organization must be either notarized or signed by two witnesses). This does not apply to the Certificate of Good Standing order itself, but is part of maintaining the underlying entity.
  • The Annual Report is $30 online ($35 mail) - one of the few states where online is CHEAPER than mail. Due on the anniversary date of formation.
  • Louisiana does NOT charge late fees for missed annual reports, but will administratively dissolve the LLC if not filed within 90 days of the due date. Reinstatement requires a separate filing and fee.
  • The geauxBIZ portal integrates Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, and Workforce Commission filings in one place - useful for tax account setup but can confuse users who expect a single SOS-only portal.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing is what a new state asks for when you register your Louisiana LLC to do business there. Start with the guide for where you are expanding.

Louisiana foreign LLC guide · Foreign qualification by state

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available Louisiana Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the Louisiana SOS before ordering.