Start a Alabama LLC
How to start an LLC in Alabama →
Name, registered agent, Certificate of Formation and bank account, step by step.
Alabama LLC cost →
What it costs to form and to keep, and a three-year comparison.
Alabama operating agreement →
Not required by law, but every LLC needs one. Create yours free.
Run a Alabama LLC
Alabama annual report rules →
Alabama has no annual report. What it requires instead.
Alabama business privilege tax →
Who owes it, when it is due and how to file.
Alabama registered agent →
Every Alabama LLC needs one. Ours is included in year one.
Compliance deadline tracker →
Every federal and Alabama deadline for your LLC.
Changing or closing it: add or remove a member, change your registered agent, move to another state, dissolve the LLC.
Alabama LLC at a glance
Formed with
Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services
Formation document
Certificate of Formation
Recurring filing
No annual report
Online filing
Yes
Alabama has no annual report for LLCs; the yearly filing is the Business Privilege Tax return.
Alabama Business Privilege Tax return (Form PPT) filed with the Alabama Department of Revenue, due two and a half months after the start of the LLC's taxable year (March 15 for calendar-year LLCs). The initial return is due two and a half months after the LLC is organized. The tax must be paid in full by the original due date, with no extension of time to pay.
Must contain "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C." or "LLC", and it must be distinguishable from names already on the Alabama register.
- A Certificate of Name Reservation from the Secretary of State must be obtained before the Certificate of Formation is filed.
- Alabama LLCs do not file a Secretary of State annual report. The yearly obligation is the Business Privilege Tax return to the Department of Revenue.
Forming a Alabama LLC from outside the US?
The steps above are written for people who live in the US. If you live abroad, the bank account and tax filings work differently.
Alabama LLC for non-residents →Sources
Nearby states
All states
Frequently asked questions
How do I start an LLC in Alabama?
Choose a name, appoint a registered agent in Alabama, and file a Certificate of Formation with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services. Then write an operating agreement and open a business bank account. Our step-by-step guide covers each one.
How much does a Alabama LLC cost?
Alabama charges a one-time filing fee to form an LLC. With StartGlobal it is $399 in total, with that fee, your operating agreement and first-year registered agent included.
Does a Alabama LLC file an annual report?
Alabama has no annual report for LLCs; the yearly filing is the Business Privilege Tax return.
Does Alabama tax LLCs?
Alabama Business Privilege Tax return (Form PPT) filed with the Alabama Department of Revenue, due two and a half months after the start of the LLC's taxable year (March 15 for calendar-year LLCs). The initial return is due two and a half months after the LLC is organized. The tax must be paid in full by the original due date, with no extension of time to pay.
Is an operating agreement required in Alabama?
No, but every Alabama LLC should have one.
