Incorporating a Corporation in Louisiana

If you want to incorporate a corporation, Company Express will research the availability of chosen company name, prepare for you and file with the Secretary of State office all required corporate paperwork and obtain certified copy of filed documents, if it will be requested by the client.  We also will appoint registered agent for your corporation, as required by the state law, and will help with many of your follow-up corporate needs such as amendment filings, written consents, and annual report preparation and filing. You can find below some of the State incorporation requirements:

Corporate Name Requirements

Louisiana requires corporations to have names that can’t be confused with the names of any existing entities, trade names or reserved names. Company Express will research your company name to make sure it meets Louisiana’s standards.

Permitted designations: Louisiana corporate names must contain one of the following words at the end of the name:

• Co.
• Company
• Corp.
• Corporation
• Inc.
• Incorporated
• Limited
• Ltd.

Restricted designations: The use of the following words in corporation’s name will require approval by the state:

• Architect
• Architectural
• Architecture
• Bank
• Banker
• Banking
• Building and Loan
• Casualty
• Credit Union
• Electric Cooperative
• Engineer
• Home Stead
• Insurance
• Redevelopment Corporation
• Safe Deposit
• Savings
• Surveying
• Surveyor
• Trust
• Trustee

Filing Requirements

Please note, that we, at Company Express, will handle all required incorporation filing for you. The following information is presented for your information only.

Required documents: Articles of Incorporation as well as an Initial Report must be filed.

Location to file: Businesses must file their corporate documents in the same parish where their registered agent is located.

Turnaround time:  10 -25 business days. 3-5 days expedited filings is available for an additional fee.

Follow-up filings: Not required.

Officers/Directors Information

Minimum number: Minimum one director is required. Corporations must also have a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.

Director qualifications: Louisiana requires directors to have a physical address (no post office boxes).

Appearance in articles: Not required.

Principal office location / Registered Agent

Louisiana requires that a corporation’s principal office be located inside the state. Local registered agent is also required.

Annual Reports

Time to file: Annual report must be filed on or before the day that marks the anniversary of incorporation.

Signatures: Only company officers or directors are authorized to sign annual reports.

Filing extensions: Not permitted.