Thank you to a customer from Georgia for asking that question, we can certainly help with that! To change your LLC name in the Peach State, you will need to file Articles of Amendment with the Secretary of State, pay a fee, and update your information with tax authorities. Read on for our step-by-step guide on changing your LLC name in Georgia.
When choosing a new name for an LLC in Georgia, certain rules apply. Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated §14-11-207, an LLC is required to contain certain words or abbreviations, and must be distinguishable from any other company certified to transact business in Georgia. In addition, Georgia limits LLC names to 80 characters at maximum, including spaces and punctuation.
You can use the Georgia Secretary of State – Corporations Division’s Business Search to see if your intended name is in use.
In Georgia, an LLC name must contain the words “Limited Liability Company” or “Limited Company,” or the abbreviations “Ltd.,” “Co.,” “LLC,” “LC,” “L.L.C.,” or “L.C.” The state also restricts certain words, like those pertaining to insurance, banking or education (see Georgia’s rules on restricted names).
Georgia provides a means to reserve a name for up to 30 days, via a Name Reservation Request form, which you can file by mail ($35) or online ($25) through eCorp. However, when changing a name for an active LLC, it’s probably easiest to simply file Articles of Amendment.
To officially change your business name, file a Georgia Form CD 115 – Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization with the Corporation Division. You will need to provide the following information:
You can file your Georgia LLC’s Articles of Amendment online, in person, or by mail.
Online: eCorp
In Person or By Mail:
Corporations Division
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 313 West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Normal processing takes 7-10 business days for online filings, while paper filings take about 15 days after receipt by the Corporations Division. The state also cautions that, due to the increased volume of filings received, end-of-year and end-of-quarter periods can have slower turnaround.
When filing online, Articles of Amendment cost $20. If filing a paper form, the fee is $30. Make checks or money orders payable to “Secretary of State.” If you’d like to pay for two-day expedited service, add $100. Same day expedited service costs $250 extra, and for one-hour expedited processing, you’ll have to pony up a whopping $1,000 on top of your basic filing fee.
Next, you’ll need to let the IRS know about the name change. How you contact the IRS depends on the way your LLC is taxed:
If you’ve already filed taxes for the year, you’ll need to write the IRS at the same address where you filed your return and inform them that your business name has changed.
No worries there! Your old EIN is still valid after a name change.
Yes, the Department of Revenue needs the LLC’s updated name. Fortunately, you can simply update the business name yourself in your Georgia Tax Center account. After submitting the edited name, your name change request will be pending with a confirmation number. Name changes in the Tax Center may take several days to process.
Finally, you should update your business name everywhere you use it, including:
