Is an operating agreement required for Louisiana LLCs?

This page has not confirmed whether Louisiana law requires an LLC to have an operating agreement, so it does not answer yes or no. A written agreement signed by every member is worth having either way. It records who owns what share of the LLC, who makes decisions, and how profits are divided. To learn what Louisiana requires, check the website of the state agency that registers LLCs in Louisiana, or ask a business attorney licensed in Louisiana.

Can I write my own Louisiana LLC operating agreement?

Yes, you can write your own Louisiana LLC operating agreement. It should cover each member's ownership share, voting rights, how profits are divided and how the LLC is closed down, because the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply where the agreement is silent. Read the guidance for LLCs on the website of the state agency that registers them in Louisiana, and consider having a business attorney licensed in Louisiana review your draft before the members sign it.

Does a Louisiana LLC operating agreement need to be notarized?

This page has not confirmed whether Louisiana law asks for an operating agreement to be notarized. Have every member sign and date it and keep it with the LLC's records. A bank or lender may ask for notarized signatures, so ask before you sign.

What happens if my Louisiana LLC doesn't have an operating agreement?

Without an operating agreement, members have no written terms to settle a disagreement. Where the members have no agreement on a point, the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply instead. Read the guidance for LLCs on the website of the state agency that registers them in Louisiana before you draft the agreement.

Can a Louisiana LLC operating agreement be amended?

Yes. An operating agreement can be changed by following the amendment procedure it sets out, such as a vote or the written consent of the members it names. If the agreement says nothing about amendments, the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply, so check them, or ask a Louisiana business attorney, before you change a term. Put each amendment in writing, have the members sign it, and keep it with the agreement. To amend the LLC's Articles of Organization on file with the state, Louisiana uses a separate filing, the Articles of Amendment.

Louisiana LLC Operating Agreement: What to Include

Protect your business with a comprehensive operating agreement tailored to Louisiana's unique LLC laws and requirements.

By Edmond Hui · Last updated: October 2026

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Form your LLC with Northwest ($39 + state fee)Includes a year of registered agent service. After year one, registered agent service is $125/yr. That enrolls you by default in annual report filing at $100 plus state fees, charged automatically to your saved payment method and cancellable any time.

Not sure which service is right? Compare formation services →

Key sections of a Louisiana LLC operating agreement, listing the 7 provisions the document should cover. — What a Louisiana operating agreement should contain, section by section. Source: Louisiana Secretary of State.

Watch: Louisiana LLC Operating Agreement: What to Include (2026)

State Requirements

Special Rules

Louisiana follows civil law traditions rather than common law, which can affect contract interpretation. Operating agreements should clearly define terms to avoid ambiguity under Louisiana's civil code.

What to Include in Your Operating Agreement

Ownership & membership

Define each member's ownership percentage, capital contributions, and membership interests. This section establishes who owns what portion of your Louisiana LLC.

Management structure

Specify whether your LLC is member-managed or manager-managed and outline the roles and responsibilities of each party. Louisiana law allows flexible management structures.

Voting rights

Establish voting procedures for major business decisions, including what constitutes a quorum and what percentage of votes are needed for different types of decisions.

Profit/loss allocation

Detail how profits and losses will be distributed among members, which may differ from ownership percentages. This affects both business operations and tax reporting.

Member duties

Outline the responsibilities, obligations, and restrictions for each member, including non-compete clauses and fiduciary duties.

Dissolution process

Establish the procedures for dissolving the LLC, including triggering events, asset distribution, and compliance with Louisiana's dissolution requirements.

Amendment procedures

Define how the operating agreement can be modified, including required approvals and documentation procedures to ensure all changes are legally binding.

Read this guide for another state:

Frequently Asked Questions

: This page has not confirmed whether Louisiana law requires an LLC to have an operating agreement, so it does not answer yes or no. A written agreement signed by every member is worth having either way. It records who owns what share of the LLC, who makes decisions, and how profits are divided. To learn what Louisiana requires, check the website of the state agency that registers LLCs in Louisiana, or ask a business attorney licensed in Louisiana.
: Yes, you can write your own Louisiana LLC operating agreement. It should cover each member's ownership share, voting rights, how profits are divided and how the LLC is closed down, because the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply where the agreement is silent. Read the guidance for LLCs on the website of the state agency that registers them in Louisiana, and consider having a business attorney licensed in Louisiana review your draft before the members sign it.
: This page has not confirmed whether Louisiana law asks for an operating agreement to be notarized. Have every member sign and date it and keep it with the LLC's records. A bank or lender may ask for notarized signatures, so ask before you sign.
: Without an operating agreement, members have no written terms to settle a disagreement. Where the members have no agreement on a point, the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply instead. Read the guidance for LLCs on the website of the state agency that registers them in Louisiana before you draft the agreement.
: Yes. An operating agreement can be changed by following the amendment procedure it sets out, such as a vote or the written consent of the members it names. If the agreement says nothing about amendments, the default rules in Louisiana's LLC law can apply, so check them, or ask a Louisiana business attorney, before you change a term. Put each amendment in writing, have the members sign it, and keep it with the agreement. To amend the LLC's Articles of Organization on file with the state, Louisiana uses a separate filing, the Articles of Amendment.

Sources

6 documents

Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Louisiana sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so. Where we hold the citation but no stable public link, the citation is printed on its own rather than pointed at a guessed address.

Louisiana statute: Louisiana Revised Statutes § 12:1301 et seq. (LLC Act)
Louisiana statute: Louisiana Revised Statutes § 12:1302 (operating agreement amendments)
Louisiana statute: La. R.S. 12:1301 et seq. (Limited Liability Company Law)
Louisiana Civil Code: La. C.C. Article 1833 (authentic act)
Louisiana statute: Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 12, Chapter 12 (default LLC statute)
sos.la.gov/business-servicesLouisiana Secretary of State: business entity filings

More for Louisiana LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

Forming an LLC in Louisiana?

See how Northwest Registered Agent, Bizee, ZenBusiness and LegalZoom, the formation services we partner with, compare on 3-year cost, BBB rating and Trustpilot score before you choose.

Compare Services →

Ready to Form Your Louisiana LLC?

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Not sure which service is right? Compare formation services →

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.

How we check facts

State Requirements

What to Include in Your Operating Agreement

Ownership & membership

Management structure

Voting rights

Profit/loss allocation

Member duties

Dissolution process

Amendment procedures

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

More for Louisiana LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

By profession

Ready to Form Your Louisiana LLC?

More Louisiana LLC Guides

Related guides