You can start a business in Georgia with no money if you form a sole proprietorship, which has no state filing fee. If you want the liability protection of an LLC, the floor is $110 paid to the Secretary of State. Everything else that’s legally required to get going, including your federal tax ID and your state tax account, is free. The costs that do sneak in are local: a city or county occupational tax certificate, and, for sole proprietors who want a business name, a trade name filing and newspaper publication.
Here is what the zero-dollar (or near-zero-dollar) path actually looks like, step by step.
Pick the Structure That Matches Your Budget
Your first decision is the only one that really affects startup cost: sole proprietorship or LLC.
A sole proprietorship costs nothing to create. You don’t file anything with the state. The moment you start selling goods or services, you are a sole proprietor by default. No formation paperwork, no filing fee, no annual state registration. The catch is that you and the business are legally the same person. If the business is sued or takes on debt, your personal savings, car, and home are exposed.
An LLC puts a legal wall between your personal assets and the business. Georgia allows single-member LLCs, so you don’t need a partner. Forming one costs $110 with the Secretary of State. That fee is the main barrier when you’re starting with nothing, but it buys protection a sole proprietorship can’t offer. If you can scrape together $110, an LLC is usually worth it.
Check the Name Before You File Anything
Use the Secretary of State’s business search on the eCorp portal to confirm your desired name isn’t already taken.1Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Corporations Division eCorp Portal Services How you claim the name depends on which structure you chose.
Sole Proprietors: Trade Name (DBA)
If you’ll operate under your own legal name, no name filing is required. Most sole proprietors want a business name, which in Georgia means filing a trade name (DBA) with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where you operate. Fees vary by county, and you’re required to publish the registration in your local newspaper once a week for two consecutive weeks.2Georgia.gov. File for a DBA (Doing Business As) Budget roughly $40 to $100 total between the filing and the publication, though your county may charge more or less. This is the one unavoidable cost for a sole proprietor who wants a business name.
LLCs: Name Rules
An LLC name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or an accepted abbreviation, and it must be distinguishable from every other business registered with the state.3Justia. Georgia Code 14-11-207 – Name Lock it in before filing your Articles of Organization.
File the LLC Formation (Skip If Sole Proprietor)
Sole proprietors have no state-level formation filing. LLCs file Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State.
Before filing, gather:4Georgia Secretary of State. How to Guide – Register a Domestic Entity
- Your confirmed LLC name or a valid name reservation number.
- A registered agent with a Georgia street address (not a P.O. Box). You can serve as your own registered agent to avoid paying a service.5Justia. Georgia Code 14-11-209 – Registered Office and Registered Agent
- A principal office address where business records are kept. Your home address works.
- The name and address of each organizer.
The fastest route is the eCorp online portal. Create an account, enter your LLC details, sign digitally, and pay by card. Total is $110, which breaks down to a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge.6Georgia Secretary of State. Corporations Division Filing Fees Paper filing by mail is the same $110 and takes roughly seven to ten business days. Once approved, you’ll receive a certificate of organization.
Get the Free Tax IDs
Two registrations come next, both free.
Federal EIN
An Employer Identification Number is a Social Security number for your business. Apply online through the IRS site and you’ll receive it instantly at no cost.7Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Sole proprietors can technically use their personal SSN, but an EIN keeps it off invoices and bank forms. There’s no reason to skip it.
Georgia Tax Center
Register through the Georgia Tax Center portal at the Department of Revenue. If you sell products or taxable services, you need a Sales and Use Tax Certificate. Registration is free, and you’ll typically get your tax account number by email within 15 minutes.8Department of Revenue. Tax Registration After that, you’re responsible for collecting sales tax from customers and remitting it on the schedule the Department assigns.
If you hire employees, you’ll also register for a withholding payroll number through the same portal. Alcohol and tobacco sales require separate licenses.8Department of Revenue. Tax Registration
Local Licensing and Zoning
State registration doesn’t give you permission to operate in your specific city or county. For that, you need an Occupational Tax Certificate from the local clerk’s office where your business is physically located. This is Georgia’s version of a local business license. The fee is typically based on your number of employees or gross receipts and varies significantly between jurisdictions. For a true no-money startup, this is often the second cost (after formation) you can’t avoid.
If you’re working from home, call your local planning or zoning department before you start. Many residential areas restrict signage, client foot traffic, noise, and inventory storage. One phone call now beats a zoning violation later.
Protect the LLC Shield Without Spending Money
If you paid $110 for liability protection, don’t throw it away by skipping two cheap steps.
Operating Agreement
Georgia doesn’t require a written operating agreement and recognizes both written and oral agreements. Skipping it is a common mistake. The agreement establishes that your LLC operates as a genuine business entity rather than an extension of you personally. Without one, a court could treat the LLC as your alter ego and let creditors reach your personal assets. For a single-member LLC, it doesn’t need to be complicated: how profits and losses are allocated, what happens if you bring in a partner, who has decision-making authority. Free templates are widely available, and Georgia SBDC consultants can help you customize one at no cost.
Separate Bank Account
Mixing personal and business money is the fastest way to undermine your LLC’s protection. A separate account creates a clear paper trail. Most banks will ask for your EIN, your Articles of Organization or trade name registration, and a government-issued ID.9U.S. Small Business Administration. Open a Business Bank Account Many community banks and credit unions offer free business checking with no minimum balance.
The Taxes You’ll Still Owe
Starting for free doesn’t mean the tax bill will be zero. Set money aside from your first dollar of revenue.
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on your net business income: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.10Internal Revenue Service. Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes) The Social Security portion applies to the first $184,500 of earnings in 2026.11Social Security Administration. Contribution and Benefit Base Medicare has no cap. This is on top of income tax, and it catches many first-time owners off guard.
Georgia’s individual income tax is a flat 5.19%.12Department of Revenue. Important Tax Updates Sole proprietors and single-member LLC owners report business income on their personal return, so profits flow through at that rate.
Unlike a W-2 job, no one withholds taxes for you. The IRS and Georgia Department of Revenue both expect estimated payments in April, June, September, and January. Underpaying triggers penalties.
Keep the Business Alive Each Year
LLCs in Georgia must file an annual registration by April 1 through the eCorp portal.13Georgia.gov. Renew an LLC The fee is modest, but missing the deadline is serious. The state can administratively dissolve your LLC for failing to file annual reports or failing to maintain a registered agent. Dissolution strips the entity of its legal authority, and your liability protection disappears until you reinstate.
Your Occupational Tax Certificate also needs annual renewal with your local jurisdiction. Put both deadlines on your calendar the day you finish forming.
Sole proprietors have no state annual filing, but they still renew local licenses and stay current on taxes.
One boundary worth knowing: Georgia requires workers’ compensation insurance once you have three or more employees.14Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. Workers’ Compensation Insurance FAQs A solo founder isn’t affected, but it changes the math the moment you hire your third person.
Use the Free Help Instead of Paying Consultants
Georgia has one of the stronger small business support networks in the country, and nearly all of it is free.
The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center operates 18 locations statewide and provides one-on-one consulting at no charge. Advisors help with business plans, financial analysis, marketing, accessing capital, and government regulations. The fastest way to get connected is to take their free “Starting a Business” course, which pairs you with a consultant.15University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. Consulting
The U.S. Small Business Administration offers free resources through its partner network, including SCORE mentors and Women’s Business Centers, which provide ongoing mentorship rather than one-time advice.16U.S. Small Business Administration. Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Between the SBDC, SCORE, and SBA online tools, you can get help with nearly every part of launching a business without paying for consultants or courses.