Augusta · Richmond (consolidated Augusta-Richmond County) County
Starting a business in Augusta: LLC filing and the local occupation tax certificate
Your company is formed once with the Georgia Secretary of State ($110 on eCorp). Then Augusta taxes the right to operate locally. Augusta's tax is a bracket table by gross receipts and profitability class (1 to 6).
State filing
$110 (O.C.G.A. 14-11)
Local office
Augusta Planning & Development
Local fee
$88 non-prorated administrative fee, built into the bracket amounts
Annual state filing
$60, Jan 1 to Apr 1
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.
Where Augusta businesses get licensed
Augusta Planning & Development, Licensing Division.
Address: 535 Telfair Street, Suite 300, Augusta, GA 30901 (residential/home occupations: 1803 Marvin Griffin Road, Augusta, GA 30906). Phone: (706) 312-5050, option 1. How to apply: CityView online portal, email to pddtechs@augustaga.gov, or in person.
Official sourceHow Augusta calculates occupation tax
Augusta's tax is a bracket table by gross receipts and profitability class (1 to 6). The table amounts already include the $88 administrative fee; for example a Class 3 business with $30,001 to $100,000 in receipts pays $101. Licensed professionals may instead elect a flat per-practitioner fee.
Administrative fee: $88 non-prorated administrative fee, built into the bracket amounts. Georgia lets cities set these under the occupation tax law in O.C.G.A. Title 48, Chapter 13, so every city's formula is different.
Official sourceSolve this in 5 minutes
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.
Step-by-step: from LLC to Augusta certificate
- Form your Georgia LLC or corporation first so the application lists the company as owner.
- Complete the Business License and Occupational Tax Application, plus notarized SAVE and Private Employer (E-Verify) affidavits.
- Submit online through CityView, by email, or in person; you should get a confirmation within one business day.
- Departments review in about a week, then the office emails your tax amount and payment instructions.
- Renew each January: payments more than 30 days late add 10% plus 1.5% a month.
Hephzibah and Blythe are not Augusta
Augusta-Richmond County's occupation tax covers the consolidated government area but excludes the City of Hephzibah and the Town of Blythe. Businesses there apply to their own city hall.
Worked example: A veteran-owned IT consultancy LLC near Fort Gordon expecting $90,000 in first-year receipts (Class 3 assumed)
If you already hold a business license in another Georgia city or county, Augusta may issue its certificate for a $6 printing fee instead; bring the other license.
Next year: the Georgia annual registration is $60 between January 1 and April 1 (late adds $25). We file it for $149 plus the state fee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Corp USA Complete package | $479 |
| Georgia Articles of Organization (state fee at cost) | $110 |
| Augusta occupation tax, Class 3, $30,001 to $100,000 (includes $88 admin fee) | $101 |
| Known day-one total | $690 |
Doing it yourself vs. having us file
| Task | DIY on eCorp | With Corp USA |
|---|---|---|
| Name check and Articles | You | We prepare and file same day |
| Registered agent | Your address goes public | Our Georgia address, $199/yr |
| EIN | You, on irs.gov | Included in Pro and Complete |
| Annual registration reminders | You | We track the April 1 window |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to visit the Telfair Street office in person?
No. Augusta accepts applications through the CityView portal or by email to pddtechs@augustaga.gov, though in-person filing is still available.
SourceI'm a licensed CPA in Augusta. Do I pay on gross receipts?
Practitioners in the professions listed in O.C.G.A. 48-13-9(c) can elect a flat fee per licensed practitioner instead of the gross-receipts table. Confirm the current amount with the Business Tax Office when you apply.
SourceI live in South Carolina. Can my Augusta business be a Georgia LLC?
Yes. Members can live anywhere. The LLC needs a registered agent with a Georgia street address, which our $199/year agent service provides.
SourceReady when you are
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Georgia filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount the state bills, and anyone can file directly on eCorp for no service fee.