What happens if your Louisiana LLC misses its annual report, and how to reinstate it
Louisiana’s own word for it: “Not in good standing”, then articles “revoked”. Time limit to get back: 3 years as of right. Tax clearance: No.
Checked against the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, September 2026.
- What Louisiana calls it
- “Not in good standing”, then articles “revoked”
- Tax clearance
- No
- Time limit to get back
- 3 years as of right
How it unfolds in Louisiana
- MissedAnnual report
- Status“Not in good standing”, then articles “revoked”
- The way backApplication for reinstatement with the current annual report
Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
What does Louisiana call a company that missed its filings?
“not in good standing” (statutory term for an LLC delinquent in filing its annual report) and, after revocation, “revoked” - the Secretary of State revokes the LLC’s articles of organization (SOS FAQ: “revocation of your charter”). Louisiana does not use “administratively dissolved” for LLCs.
What triggers it in Louisiana?
Failure to file the annual report (due on or before the anniversary date of organization each year) for three consecutive years according to SOS records. While merely delinquent, the LLC is “not in good standing” and is barred from commercial business operations with the state, its boards, agencies, departments or commissions (such contracts may be declared null and void). Separately, the Attorney General may sue to revoke for fraud, abuse of authority, or improper formation.
Before it happens
At least 30 days before revoking, the SOS mails written notice of intent to revoke to the last designated registered agent (or, if none, to the LLC at its registered office). SOS FAQ: on receiving a Notice of Intent to Revoke, a domestic entity must submit a completed annual report within 30 days of the notice date or its charter will be revoked.
How do you reinstate a Louisiana LLC?
An application for reinstatement signed and acknowledged by a member or manager (SOS may prescribe forms), plus the current annual report and the reinstatement fee. If a suit for liquidation or receivership is pending, the unanimous written consent of all members or managers (signatures certified) must accompany it. The SOS publishes no separate paper LLC reinstatement form on its forms page (Form SS1444 is for business corporations); reinstatement is filed through the SOS geauxBIZ online system or by contacting the Annual Reports and Reinstatements section.
Where to file
Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division (Annual Reports and Reinstatements), Baton Rouge; online via geauxBIZ
Not yet confirmed against the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division — check with the office.
Is there a deadline to reinstate a Louisiana LLC?
The articles “shall be reinstated” if the required documents are filed within three years of the effective date of revocation. After three years, the statute still allows the LLC to reinstate by following the same procedures if its name is available; if the name is not available, a name-change amendment must be filed.
After that
After the three-year window the LLC may still reinstate by the same procedures if the name is available; otherwise it must file an amendment changing its name (R.S. 12:1309).
Do you need tax clearance in Louisiana?
No
No tax clearance from the Louisiana Department of Revenue is among the statutory requirements for LLC reinstatement (application, current annual report, fee).
What happens to the company name meanwhile?
Yes, for three years: upon revocation the LLC’s name is not available to another entity as an LLC, corporate or trade name for a three-year period (SOS FAQ: revoked businesses’ names remain unavailable for three years). After three years, if the name is not available, an amendment changing the name must be filed under R.S. 12:1309.
What changes once it is fixed?
The SOS furnishes a certificate of reinstatement; the certificate and articles of organization are retroactive, and the articles continue in existence as though the revocation had not occurred. Revocation itself does not affect causes of action against the LLC or the right to proceed against its property, and does not bar the LLC from selling company property.
What changes for corporations in Louisiana?
Material differences. Business corporations are governed by the Louisiana Business Corporation Act: the SOS “terminate[s] the existence” of a corporation (“administrative termination”, certificate of termination) if it fails for ninety consecutive days to maintain a registered office/agent or to file its annual report, after at least 30 days’ written notice (R.S. 12:1-1442). Reinstatement is by “Articles of Reinstatement” (Form SS1444, notarised, with the most current annual report and registered-agent consent) and is available only within five years after the effective date of termination - after that the corporation cannot be reinstated; the annual report fee for each year since the last report must be paid (R.S. 12:1-1444). Charters revoked before January 1, 2015 could also use ‘articles of charter-revocation reinstatement’ only until January 1, 2019 (R.S. 12:1-1705).
What should you file first?
There is no separate tax clearance step for a Louisiana LLC, so the filing comes first, with the missed filings and fees described above.
The filing
Application for reinstatement with the current annual report
Where it goes
Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division (Annual Reports and Reinstatements), Baton Rouge; online via geauxBIZ
What does Louisiana ask you to file, so it does not happen again?
| Obligation | Form | Due | If late |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC formation (Articles of Organization + Initial Report) | Articles of Organization with the Initial Report naming the registered office and agent | At formation | N/A |
| Annual report | Annual Report (filed through geauxBIZ or on the preprinted form) | On or before the anniversary date of organization, every year | A Notice of Intent to Revoke is mailed to the registered agent; articles are revoked after three consecutive years without a report, and reinstatement costs more than the report would have |
| Change of registered office or agent | Change of Registered Office or Agent — Louisiana Limited Liability Company (Form 983); corporations use Form 354 | When the agent changes | N/A |
From the same Louisiana record as the Louisiana registered agent page. State fees change; we confirm current amounts with you before anything is filed.
Put every recurring Louisiana deadline in your calendar with the compliance calendar, or see what Louisiana requires of your registered agent.
Which Louisiana laws govern it?
La. R.S. 12:1308.2 (Failure to file annual report; revocation and reinstatement of articles); La. R.S. 12:1308.1 (annual report); reinstatement fee authorised by La. R.S. 12:1364(A)(1).
Sources, checked September 2026:
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(A), (E)(1); SOS Business Filings FAQ
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(A), (E), (F); La. R.S. 12:1308.1(A)
- Louisiana Secretary of State— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(B); SOS Business Filings FAQ
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(C)(1); SOS Forms & Fees Schedule page
- Louisiana Secretary of State— SOS Business Filings FAQ contact list
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(C)
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(D); SOS Business Filings FAQ
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(C)(1), (D)
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(D)
- Louisiana State Legislature— La. R.S. 12:1308.2(C)(2), (G)
- Louisiana State Legislature; Louisiana Secretary of State— La. R.S. 12:1-1442, 12:1-1444, 12:1-1705; SOS Form SS1444 instructions
Checked against the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division and the statutes above · Last checked September 2026. Not legal advice: the filing office has the final word on your entity.
Louisiana
Behind on a Louisiana filing?
Send us the entity and any notice you received. A compliance check shows where it stands with the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, and state fees are confirmed with you before anything is filed.