Start a nonprofit · Louisiana
How to Start a Nonprofit in Louisiana
Louisiana's Secretary of State raised its fees effective October 1, 2026, and the nonprofit articles now cost $95 with a $10 annual report. Two things differ from most states. The Attorney General's page requires registration of charities that use a professional solicitor and lists a short set of exemptions, and an IRS tax-exempt designation exempts a Louisiana organization only from income tax, not sales tax.
Every fee and rule on this page was checked against the agency's own publication on November 8, 2026. Sources are linked under each item.
At a glance
The Louisiana requirements in one table.
| Type of entity | A Louisiana nonprofit corporation, created by filing Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State. Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26) |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $95 for articles of incorporation of a Louisiana nonprofit, under the fee schedule effective October 1, 2026. Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26) |
| Annual report | $10 for a nonprofit. Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26) |
| Registered agent changes | $30 to change the registered office or agent of a Louisiana nonprofit. Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26) |
| Federal exemption | Form 1023 ($600) or Form 1023-EZ ($275), filed electronically on Pay.gov. Sources: IRS fee page, IRS e-filing notice |
| Charity registration | Charities that use a professional solicitor register annually with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section, at least 10 days before soliciting. The fee is $25. Sources: AG charities page |
| Sales tax | Sales to nonprofits are taxable unless a statute specifically exempts them. An IRS tax-exempt designation exempts only from income tax. Sources: Revenue sales tax FAQ |
The steps
Four steps, in the order they happen.
File the articles of incorporation and pay $95.
The Secretary of State's fee schedule effective October 1, 2026 lists the articles of incorporation for a Louisiana nonprofit at $95. The schedule also lists the nonprofit annual report at $10, articles of reinstatement at $95, and a change of registered office or agent at $30. The fee schedule does not describe the contents of the articles, so use the Secretary of State's current form and its instructions.
Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26)
Apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status.
Forming a corporation does not make it tax-exempt. The federal application is Form 1023, with a $600 user fee, or the shorter Form 1023-EZ, with a $275 user fee, for smaller organizations that pass the eligibility worksheet in the form instructions. Both are filed electronically on Pay.gov, and the IRS returns paper applications. The IRS notes that the amounts can change.
The IRS answers with a determination letter, the written ruling that recognizes the exemption.
Sources: IRS fee page, IRS e-filing notice
Find out whether charity registration applies.
The Attorney General's page states that charitable organizations that use a professional solicitor must register annually with the Consumer Protection Section, and registration is due at least 10 days before soliciting contributions. The page does not say whether other soliciting charities must register, so ask the Section at 225-326-6400 before you solicit. It cites La. Admin. Code Title 16, Part III, section 515, and La. R.S. 51:1901 et seq.
The annual fee for initial registration or renewal is $25. Paying online through PayStar adds a nonrefundable $1.00 service fee plus 2.75 percent. Paying by check payable to the Louisiana Department of Justice avoids the online fee. Complete the Charitable Organization Registration Form and either register online or mail the materials to the Consumer Protection Section, 1885 N. Third St., 4th Floor, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.
Sources: AG charities page
Do not assume a sales tax exemption.
Under the Department of Revenue's general rule, sales to churches and nonprofits are taxable unless a statute specifically exempts them. An IRS tax-exempt designation exempts an organization only from income tax, not sales tax. The Department's page does not explain the exemption certificate process, so contact the Department of Revenue about the specific purchases the organization will make.
Sources: Revenue sales tax FAQ
Charity registration exemptions
Who is exempt from registering with the Attorney General.
Exempt organizations apply by submitting the Charitable Exemption Form and required documents to the Consumer Protection Section.
Educational institutions.
Those recognized or approved by the State Department of Education or the appropriate state educational board.
Sources: AG charities page
Hospitals and health organizations.
Hospitals organized under Louisiana law, and voluntary health organizations organized under Louisiana or federal law.
Sources: AG charities page
After you form
Staying in good standing.
Two things recur.
File the annual report.
The Secretary of State's fee schedule lists the nonprofit annual report at $10. The page reviewed does not state the due date, so check it on the Secretary of State's business filing site.
Sources: SOS fee schedule (10/1/26)
Renew the charity registration each year, if it applies.
A charity that registers renews annually, with a $25 fee.
Sources: AG charities page
Common questions
Quick answers.
How much does it cost to start a nonprofit in Louisiana?
The government fees are $95 to the Secretary of State under the schedule effective October 1, 2026, plus the IRS user fee, which is $275 for Form 1023-EZ or $600 for Form 1023. That totals $370 or $695 as of the date this page was verified.
Did Louisiana change its fees in 2026?
Yes. The Secretary of State published a fee schedule effective October 1, 2026, and the nonprofit amounts on this page come from it.
Does IRS tax-exempt status exempt a Louisiana nonprofit from sales tax?
No. The Department of Revenue states that an IRS tax-exempt designation exempts an organization only from income tax. Sales to nonprofits are taxable unless a statute specifically exempts them.
Do I have to register as a charity in Louisiana?
A charity that uses a professional solicitor must register annually, at least 10 days before soliciting. The Attorney General's page does not say whether other charities must register, so contact its Consumer Protection Section.
After the filing
What comes next for a Louisiana nonprofit.
The state filing is the short part. These are the next four jobs, and the book that handles each.
- Book I
Get the federal application and first-year budget right
The name, bylaws, the IRS application, a founding board and a first-year budget that balances.
- Book X
Start from finished documents
Forty annotated documents, including bylaws, budgets, policies, job descriptions and board papers, as editable Word files.
- Book VII
Build the board on purpose
What a board is for, recruiting for the skills you lack, working with the chair and running meetings that reach decisions.
- Book VIII
Stay in good standing
Charitable solicitation registration, operating in a second state, insurance and annual filings.
The complete set
All ten books and forty documents, $149.
All ten books in PDF and EPUB, plus the forty documents from Book X as editable Word files. The books are not sold separately.
Free when you join the list
Every Document a New Nonprofit Needs
Articles, bylaws, minutes, the exemption application, the policies and the filings: the whole sequence a new organization has to produce, in the order it arrives.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
- Louisiana Secretary of State, Fee Schedule Effective 10/1/26
- Louisiana Attorney General, Charities
- Louisiana Department of Revenue, Are sales to churches and nonprofit organizations subject to sales tax?
- IRS, Form 1023 and 1023-EZ: amount of user fee
- IRS, Changes to the exempt organization determinations process
Last verified November 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the agency before you file. This page is general information and not legal or tax advice.