Before you file a single form, understand this: Georgia is one of the more business-friendly states for therapists. The filing process is straightforward, the fees are reasonable, and the state doesn’t pile on the kind of extra requirements you’ll find in places like New York or California.

That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news is that because Georgia makes it easy, a lot of therapists rush through the setup, skip steps, or do them in the wrong order. They end up with messy bookkeeping, a business address they regret, or an LLC name that’s already being used by someone else two counties over.

This guide is built to help you avoid all of that.

This is the single most common question I get from Georgia therapists, and the answer is not what most online articles will tell you.

Many states — like New York, North Carolina, and Texas — require licensed professionals to form a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) rather than a standard LLC. PLLCs require licensing board approval before filing with the state, an extra layer of paperwork, and ongoing proof of licensure.

Georgia is different. Georgia does not require therapists to form a PLLC. In Georgia, licensed therapists typically form a standard Limited Liability Company (LLC) through the Georgia Secretary of State, just like any other small business owner.

That said, the rules around naming and operating a professional services business in Georgia still apply, so you’ll want to make sure your LLC name and structure don’t imply anything misleading about your credentials. If you have any complex ownership questions (for example, you’re forming a multi-member practice with non-licensed partners), consult a Georgia business attorney before you file.

For most solo Georgia therapists going into private practice, a single-member LLC is the cleanest, most affordable, and most flexible option.

Here’s the exact order I recommend Georgia therapists follow when setting up a private practice.

Before you do anything else, log in to your Georgia Composite Board account and confirm your license is current and in good standing. The Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists oversees LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, and their associate-level counterparts.

A few quick checks:

• Your license has not expired and is up to date on continuing education
• You are not still working under an associate-level license that limits independent practice
• You have any required supervision in place if you are still pre-licensure

If you are still an APC, LMSW, or AMFT, you cannot practice independently in Georgia. You can still build the business infrastructure, but you’ll need to operate under supervision until you reach full licensure.

Your business name needs to be unique in Georgia. The Secretary of State will reject your filing if another active business has already claimed it.

Before you fall in love with a name, do these three quick checks:

1. Search the Georgia Secretary of State business name database to confirm availability
2. Search Google for the name to see if another therapist or business is already operating under it
3. Check that the domain name (.com ideally) is available, or that you can live with the variations that are

Keep in mind that Georgia is generally protective of consumer-facing business names. Avoid anything that could be considered misleading about your credentials, scope of practice, or specialty.

This step is more important in Georgia than people realize.

When you file your LLC, the registered agent’s name and address become public record. If you serve as your own registered agent and use your home address, that address is now publicly searchable forever attached to your business name.

For therapists, that’s a privacy issue worth taking seriously. Many of my course students choose one of these alternatives:

• Hire a Georgia-based registered agent service (typically $100–$200 per year)
• Use a therapy coworking space like Blue House Wellness
• Use the address of your physical office space, if you’re leasing one

Whatever you choose, decide before you file. Changing your registered agent later requires another filing and another fee.

This is the moment your practice officially becomes a business.

The standard filing fee is $100 online or $110 by mail, and online filings are typically processed in about 7 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee if you’re in a hurry.

You can file online through the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division eCorp portal, which is what I recommend — it’s faster, cheaper, and easier to track.

Once your LLC is approved, apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) through the IRS. It’s free, the online application takes about 15 minutes, and you’ll receive your EIN immediately upon completion.

Your EIN is essentially a Social Security number for your business. You’ll use it to:

• Open a business bank account
• Apply for insurance panels (if you plan to accept insurance)
• File business taxes
• Keep your personal SSN off documents clients and insurance companies might see

Apply directly through irs.gov — never pay a third-party site for an EIN.

This is the step most Georgia therapists forget.

In Georgia, business licenses are issued at the city or county level, not the state level. That means even after your LLC is approved by the Secretary of State, you may still need a local occupational tax certificate (sometimes still called a business license) from your local jurisdiction.

A few examples:

• If you’re operating in the City of Atlanta, you’ll need an Atlanta business license
• If you’re in unincorporated DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb, or Gwinnett County, you’ll file with the county
• Smaller cities like Decatur, Roswell, and Marietta have their own separate requirements

Check your specific city and county websites for the exact form, fee, and renewal schedule. Fees typically range from $75 to $300 depending on your location and gross receipts.

Once your LLC is approved and you have your EIN, open a dedicated business bank account. Do this before you see your first private practice client.

Mixing personal and business finances is one of the most expensive mistakes Georgia therapists make. It complicates your taxes, weakens your LLC’s liability protection, and creates a bookkeeping nightmare you’ll regret at tax time.

Most Georgia therapists I work with use a combination of:

• A business checking account at a national bank (Chase, Bank of America) or a Georgia-based credit union
• A business debit card for everyday expenses
• A separate business credit card for software subscriptions and larger purchases

If you previously had liability insurance through an employer, a training site, or an agency, you’ll need your own policy now that you’re in private practice.

Choose your coverage after your LLC is formed, because some carriers price differently based on your business structure. Most Georgia therapists use carriers like CPH & Associates, HPSO, or The Trust — all of which write policies for solo therapists across Georgia.

With the legal and financial foundation in place, you can build out the systems your practice actually runs on:

• An EHR (SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and TheraNest are all popular in Georgia)
• A HIPAA-compliant phone line (Google Voice is not HIPAA-compliant on its own — be careful here)
• A professional email tied to your domain
• Your intake process, consent forms, and informed consent specific to Georgia law
• Your payment processing system

Once your Georgia therapy practice is set up, there are a few annual requirements you have to stay on top of. Missing them can dissolve your LLC or trigger fines.

Every Georgia LLC must file an annual registration with the Secretary of State between January 1 and April 1 each year. The fee is $50, and late filings incur a $25 penalty. If you go 60+ days delinquent, the state can administratively dissolve your LLC.

Put this on your calendar with a reminder in mid-January. Don’t wait until late March.

Your city or county business license usually renews annually as well, often based on gross receipts from the prior year. Renewal dates vary by jurisdiction, so check yours.

Your professional license renews on its own schedule through the Georgia Composite Board, with continuing education requirements that vary by license type. This is separate from your business filings.

These are the most common slip-ups I see when therapists try to start a private practice in Georgia without guidance:

• Using their home address as the registered agent address (and regretting it later)
• Skipping the local business license because they assumed the state filing covered everything
• Operating for months before opening a business bank account
• Filing as a PLLC because a generic article told them to, when Georgia doesn’t require it
• Forgetting the April 1 annual registration deadline
• Choosing a practice name that’s already trademarked by another therapist nationally
• Not setting aside money for self-employment taxes (Georgia has both state and federal obligations)

No. Unlike states such as New York or North Carolina, Georgia does not require licensed therapists to form a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC). Most Georgia therapists form a standard single-member LLC through the Georgia Secretary of State.

Most Georgia therapists can launch a private practice for $1,500–$4,000, depending on choices like office space, EHR, and marketing. Core fixed costs include the $100 LLC filing fee, a local business license ($75–$300), professional liability insurance, and an EHR subscription.

Standard online LLC filings in Georgia are typically processed in about 7 business days. Mailed filings take 15 business days or more. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee if you need it faster.

In most cases, yes — especially if you’re providing telehealth. Just be aware that Georgia LLC filings make your registered agent address public record, so using your home address has long-term privacy implications. Many therapists use a registered agent service or commercial address instead.

In addition to your professional license, yes — most Georgia cities and counties require an occupational tax certificate (commonly called a business license) for any business operating within their jurisdiction. Requirements vary by city and county.

Every Georgia LLC must file an annual registration between January 1 and April 1 each year. The fee is $50, and late filings face a $25 penalty. Persistent delinquency can lead to administrative dissolution of your LLC.

Starting a therapy practice in Georgia is genuinely manageable when you know the right order, the state-specific quirks, and the steps to skip versus the ones to take seriously.

If you want a clear, guided walkthrough — built specifically for Georgia therapists by someone who built a thriving group practice right here in Atlanta — that’s exactly what my Private Practice 101 course is designed to give you.

Inside the course, you’ll get:

• Georgia-specific modules covering LLC filing, registered agents, and local business licenses
• Walkthroughs of the exact systems I use in my own Atlanta practice
• Lifetime access plus ongoing updates as Georgia requirements change
• And step-by-step instructions from setting up your business to seeing your first client

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or business advice. Georgia laws and Secretary of State requirements can change. Always consult a licensed Georgia attorney or CPA for advice specific to your situation.