Change LLC Name in Louisiana

Can I change the name of my LLC in Louisiana?

Absolutely! You can easily change your Louisiana LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Name Change Amendment with the Secretary of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in Louisiana.

The filing fee for a Name Change Amendment in Louisiana is $100.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in Louisiana?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the Louisiana LLC Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the Louisiana Department of Revenue
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in Louisiana?

It costs $100 to change your LLC name in Louisiana. This is the filing fee for the Name Change Amendment form.

How do I change my Louisiana LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file a Name Change Amendment with the Louisiana Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The Louisiana Secretary of State is responsible for formation and administration of Limited Liability Companies, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Name Change Amendment online.

Our instructions only describe how to change your LLC’s name. If you want to change other business entity details (like the mailing address, Registered Agent, etc.) you will need to use a different form.

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Name Change Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

Because the process to file Amendments in Louisiana can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new Louisiana LLC name is available

Before filing your amendment form (the Name Change Amendment), you should check that your new LLC name is available in Louisiana.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired Louisiana LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entities search.

Step 2: File the Louisiana LLC name change form

The Louisiana LLC name change form is called the Name Change Amendment.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your Louisiana Articles of Organization.)

How to file a Name Change Amendment in Louisiana

Get Started

Go to the Louisiana geauxBIZ filing page.
You’ll need to sign in, or create an account if you don’t have one.

On the geauxBIZ dashboard, click the Get Started button.

Next, click the button for File an amendment with the Louisiana Secretary of State.

Look Up Your LLC

Now you’ll locate your LLC’s record in the Secretary of State system.

On the geauxBIZ screen, enter your LLC’s Charter Number and click Search.

Now the system will show you a page with your LLC’s name at the top. It contains your LLC’s business entity information as well as several links for filings and activities.

Click File Name Change.

Name Change Amendment Information

There’s nothing to do on this first page. It simply shows your LLC’s current information.

Click Next to continue.

Name Change Amendment Form

New Name
Enter the new LLC name. Make sure to include a designator (ending).
In Louisiana, you can use these designators:

• LC
• L.C.
• LLC (most common)
• L.L.C.
• Limited Liability Company

Date Amendment Adopted
Enter today’s date.

Tip: You could enter a different date if you wanted to. Sometimes a business attorney will tell you to enter a specific date (like the first of the month, for example). But most people just enter today’s date.

Manner of Adoption

Choose the appropriate option for who adopted the amendment.

• If your LLC is Member-managed, select Unanimously approved by Members.
• If your LLC is Manager-managed, select Unanimously approved by Managers.

(If you’re not sure, or these terms are confusing, check out Member-managed vs Manager-managed LLCs.)

Electronic Signature
Type your name to electronically sign the filing.

Title
You must sign as either a Member (for a Member-managed LLC) or a Manager (for a Manager-managed LLC).

Enter your title.

Click Next to continue.

Review & Confirmation

Review the information you’ve entered. Make changes if needed, and then click Next to proceed.

Optional: Secure Business Filings PIN If you have one, you can enter your Secure Business Filing (SBF) PIN here.

(To learn more about this feature, check out geauxBIZ Secure Business Filings.)

If you don’t have an SBF PIN, that’s okay. You can still file the Name Change Amendment. Just leave this field blank.

Expedite Filing
You can choose to expedite your LLC name change filing.

Normal processing time is 3-5 business days. If you need your LLC name change approved faster, you can pay an extra $50 to have it approved in 3 hours (during business hours).

Select No if you want to keep the normal processing time and pay only $100.

Select Yes if you want your LLC name change approved today (you’ll pay $150 total).

Payment

Choose your payment method: Credit Card or Bank Account.

Click Checkout & File.

Enter your payment information and submit your filing.

Wait for approval from the Secretary of State

After submitting your Name Change Amendment to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 3-5 business days for your Louisiana business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Step 3: Change your Louisiana LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your Louisiana LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the Department of Revenue

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the Department of Revenue).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In Louisiana it’s called the Department of Revenue, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Louisiana Department of Revenue. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your Louisiana LLC name with the IRS and Louisiana Department of Revenue business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

Louisiana doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: Louisiana Occupational Licenses.

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or parish clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your parish clerk on the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association website, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your Louisiana LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on Louisiana LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in Louisiana FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.