How to File Alabama's Certificate of Formation
Alabama calls its articles of organization a Certificate of Formation. What goes on it, what is filed with it and what it costs, read from Alabama government sources.
The short answer. To form an LLC in Alabama, you file the Certificate of Formation with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The state filing fee is $200. Of the 15 items this page tracks, the form requires 5, asks for 1 only in some cases, makes 1 optional and leaves out 8.
The Alabama Certificate of Formation at a Glance
| What Alabama calls it | Certificate of Formation |
| State filing fee | $200 Plus $25 for the Certificate of Name Reservation |
| Processing time | Check with the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Where to file | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| File online | Yes, online, open the filing portal |
| Blank form | Download it from the state |
| Law that sets its contents | Ala. Code 10A-5A-2.01 |
| Filed with it or right after | 2 filings, listed below |
Read from an Alabama government source, last checked September 23, 2026. The filing fee and processing time come from our Alabama cost record. See the sources.
What Goes on Alabama's Certificate of Formation
Each row is one of the 15 items this page tracks, with what Alabama's Certificate of Formation asks for. "Not on the form" means we checked and found no place for it on the Certificate of Formation. "Not checked" means we have not confirmed it either way.
| Item | On the form |
|---|---|
| LLC name | Required |
| Registered agent's name | Required |
| Registered office address | Required |
| Principal office address | Not on the form |
| Mailing address | Only when the registered office receives mail at a different Alabama address from its street address. This is the registered office's mailing address, not a separate company address. |
| Organizer's name | Required |
| Members' names | Not on the form |
| Managers' names | Not on the form |
| Member-managed or manager-managed | Not on the form |
| Business purpose | Not on the form |
| Duration | Not on the form |
| Effective date | Optional |
| County | Required |
| Email address | Not on the form |
| Registered agent's consent | Not on the form |
These entries are confirmed public record: LLC name, registered agent's name, registered office address and county.
The registered agent rows are covered in more depth in Alabama's registered agent requirements, and the steps before and after this filing are in how to start an LLC in Alabama.
What the LLC's Name Must Include
The LLC's name must include one of these: "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C." or "LLC".
Rule: Ala. Code 10A-1-5.06.
File These With It or Right After
Alabama has 2 more filings that go with it or follow it.
| Filing | Required? | When |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Name Reservation | Required | Obtained before filing, and a copy is attached to the Certificate of Formation |
| Initial Business Privilege Tax Return (Form BPT-IN) | Only when the privilege tax computed on the return is more than $100. | Due within two and a half months of organization. |
Draft Your Certificate of Formation
The generator below starts with Alabama selected and drafts the document from what you enter. Compare the draft with the state's current form before you file.
MyStateLLC.com is not a law firm, not an attorney, and not a document preparation service. This is a self-service tool: it formats information you enter into a state template, and no one at MyStateLLC reviews, corrects, or files it for you. This tool and the document it generates are informational and are not legal, financial, or tax advice, and are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. MyStateLLC cannot give legal advice, does not prepare or file documents itself, and communications with MyStateLLC are not privileged. Using this tool does not create an attorney-client relationship. LLC laws vary by state and this document is not reviewed by anyone before you file it. Consult a licensed attorney or CPA in your state before you sign or file it.
Where are you forming your LLC?
After It Is Approved
| Certified copy of the filed Certificate of Formation | See note below |
| Changing it later (Certificate of Amendment) | $100 |
Where these fees come from: the sources.
Professional LLCs in Alabama
In Alabama, a professional LLC is formed with the same Certificate of Formation. Your profession's licensing board may have requirements of its own, so check with it before you file.
Worth Knowing in Alabama
A certified copy costs the $10.00 certification fee plus the $2.00 per page copy charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/DomesticLLCFormation.pdfDomestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) Certificate of Formation (10/2022)
- alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=10A-5A-2.01Code of Alabama 10A-5A-2.01, Formation (also read 10A-5A-2.02, 10A-5A-2.04, 10A-5A-8.01, 10A-1-5.06, 10A-1-4.12, 10A-1-5.32)
- sos.alabama.gov/business-entities/llcsAlabama Secretary of State, LLCs
- sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdfAlabama Secretary of State Fee Schedule
- revenue.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26fbptin.pdfAlabama Department of Revenue Form BPT-IN, 2026 Initial Privilege Tax Return
The rows and fees on this page were read from the Alabama government sources above, not from a formation service, and anything we could not confirm there is marked Not checked. See our editorial policy for how these are verified and corrected.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's filing office publishes about the document that forms an LLC, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own filing needs: fees and forms change between our reviews, several occupations cannot use an ordinary LLC at all and must use a professional entity or a separate professional form, and your city or county may require a registration of its own. Confirm the current fee and form with the filing office named on this page before you send anything.
Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.