Start a Business

An important step in forming a new business is to determine the type of business structure that you will use. There are several business structures to choose from, including sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company and limited liability partnership. Each has advantages and disadvantages as well as tax consequences of which you should be aware. You must decide which of these structures best suits your business objectives and needs. The Secretary of State cannot advise you on choosing a business structure. For help in making this decision, you may wish to consult a tax practitioner, accountant or attorney. 

The Commercial Division administers the state corporation, partnership, trademark and public opinion poll laws under the following statutes:

• Louisiana R.S. Title 12 Corporations and Associations
• Louisiana R.S. Title 3 Agriculture and Forestry
• Louisiana Civil Code 2801-2844 Partnerships
• Louisiana R.S. Title 9 Civil Code-ancillaries
• Louisiana R.S. Title 45 Public Utilities and Carriers
• Louisiana R.S. Title 51 Trade and Commerce
• Louisiana R.S. Title 14:325 Public Opinion Polls

For more information, See Frequently Asked Questions.

Visit geauxBIZ

The Louisiana Secretary of State, Louisiana Department of Revenue, and Louisiana Workforce Commission are working to make it easy for you to manage your Louisiana business filings and tax account registrations from one location―the Louisiana geauxBIZ portal. geauxBIZ can help you find resources to help plan, make key financial decisions, and complete legal activities necessary to start your business. You can also use geauxBIZ to produce a list of possible federal, state and local licenses and permits required for your business, to reserve your new business name, and to complete your new business filing. If you want to do business in Louisiana, visit geauxBIZ to get started!