County recording requirements for incorporating in Alabama
County Judge of Probate fees for forming a business in Alabama
What are the steps for starting a business in Alabama?
The first step in registering your business in Alabama is to get a Certificate of Name Reservation. You may apply for it on the Secretary of State link below. The filing fee for an Application for Certificate of Name Reservation is $10, or $25 if you need expedited processing. Online reservations are $28.
Next, you complete a Certificate of Formation. For LLCs and nonprofits, you deliver the certificate with a recording fee and a filing fee to the county probate office in the county where your registered agent is located and they will record it and forward it with your filing fee of $100 to the Alabama Secretary of State.
- Receive Certificate of Name Reservation from AL Secretary of State.
- Record your Articles of Incorporation with the County Probate Office.
- County Probate Office will forward your documents to the Alabama Secretary of State.
As of 2020, for-profit corporations no longer file with the county. For-profit corporations file a Certificate of Formation directly with the Secretary of State.
Who needs to record with the county in Alabama?
Only domestic LLCs and nonprofit entities need to deliver their formation documents to the local county probate office for recording prior to filing with the Secretary of State. Domestic for-profit corporations and foreign businesses send their paperwork directly to the Alabama Secretary of State along with the filing fee.
Alabama Secretary of State
P.O. Box 5616
Montgomery Alabama 36103
What are the county requirements for incorporating in Alabama?
Every county in Alabama has an elected Judge of Probate. Alabama requires that LLC and nonprofit Certificate of Formations be delivered first to the county probate office in the county where your registered agent office is located. The Judge of Probate records the filings in the local office and then forwards the original and filing fee to the Alabama Secretary of State.
Alabama has set a statutory fee for the Judge of Probate of $50 for this service, and they may charge more if they wish. Every county in Alabama requires that you send the original formation documents, along with two copies and two checks; one made out to the Judge of Probate, the other made out to the Alabama Secretary of State.
Your Certificate of Name Reservation must also be included. Send the original certificate and two copies. Our office is located in Houston County and they record corporate documents on the day they receive them and forward filings to the Secretary of State Office at least twice per week.
Amendments and Dissolutions must also go first to the local Judge of Probate who filed your original certificate.
The Alabama Secretary of State charges a filing fee of $100 for Certificates of Formation and all terminations. Domestic amendments cost $50.
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Alabama name reservation link:
Alabama Counties Judge of Probate Contact information:
| Autauga County Probate Judge 176 West Fifth Street Prattville, Alabama 36067 (334) 361-3728 |
Baldwin County Alabama Probate Office 220 Courthouse Square P.O. Box 459 Bay Minette, AL 36507 (251) 937-0230 http://www.co.baldwin.al.us Corporations, LLCs & Dissolutions – $56 Amendments – $31 |
Barbour County Probate Office County Courthouse P.O. Box398 Clayton, AL 36016 (334) 775-1102 |
| Bibb County Probate Office 181 SW. Davidson Drive Centreville, AL 35042 (205) 926-3104 |
Blount County Probate Office Blount County Courthouse 220 2nd Ave E. Oneonta, AL 35121 (205) 625-4191 |
Bullock County Probate Office 217 Prairie St. N, #103 Union Springs, AL 36089-1600 (334) 738-2250 |
| Butler County Probate Office 700 Courthouse Square, #7 Greenville, AL 36037 (334) 382-7943 |
Calhoun County Alabama Probate Office 1702 Noble Street, STE 102 Anniston, AL 36201 (256) 241-2825 http://www.calhouncounty.org Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $57 Amendments – $31 |
Chambers County Probate Office 2 Lafayette Street South, STE B Lafayette, AL 36862 (334) 864-4380 |
| Cherokee County Probate Office 100 Cedar Bluff Road Centre, AL 35960 (256) 927-3363 |
Chilton County Probate Office 500 2nd Avenue North Clanton, AL 35045 (205) 755-1555 |
Choctaw County Probate Office County Courthouse 117 S. Mulberry Ave. #9 Butler, AL 36904-2557 (205) 459-2417 |
| Clarke County Probate Office 114 Court Street Grove Hill, AL 36451 (251) 275-3251 |
Clay county Probate Office 25 Court Square Ashland, AL 36251 (256) 354-4778 Fax (256) 354-4778 |
Cleburne County Probate Office 120 Vickery St. #101 Heflin, AL 36264-1100 (256) 463-5655 |
| Coffee County Probate Office 230 N. Court Street Elba, AL 36330 (334) 897-2211 Fax: (334) 897-2028 |
Colbert County Probate Office 201 North Main Street Tuscumbia, AL 35674 (256) 386-8542 |
Conecuh County Probate Office 111 Court Street P.O. Box 149 Evergreen, AL 36401 (251) 578-1221 Fax: (251) 578-7034 |
| Coosa County Probate Office 100 Main Street Rockford, AL 35136 (256) 377-4919 |
Covington County Probate Office P.O. Box 789 Andalusia, AL 36420 (334) 428-2513 |
Crenshaw County Probate Office County Courthouse 29 South Glennwood Ave. P.O. box 328 Luverne, AL 36049 (334) 335-6568 ext. 227 Fax: (334) 335-4749 |
| Cullman County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 970, Cullman, AL 35056-0970 (256) 775-4808 http://www.co.cullman.al.us Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $79.50 Amendments – $36 |
Dale County Probate Office 1 E. Court Square Ozark, AL 36360 (334) 774-2754 |
Dallas County Probate Office 105 North Lauderdale Street Selma, AL 36701-4614 (334) 874-2516 |
| DeKalb County Alabama Probate Office 300 Grand Avenue SW., STE 100 Fort Payne, AL 35967 (256) 845-8510 Fax: (256) 845-8514 http://judgeronnieosborn.com Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $50 Amendments – $10 |
Elmore County Alabama Probate Office 100 Commerce Street Wetumpka, AL 36092 (334) 567-1138 |
Escambia County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 557 Brewton, AL 36427 (251) 867-0301 |
| Etowah County Alabama Probate Office 800 Forrest Avenue Gadsden, AL 35901 (256) 549-5334 http://www.etowahcounty.org Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $63 Amendments – $38 |
Fayette County Alabama 103 1st Ave. Nw Courthouse Annex Fayette, AL 35555 (205) 932-4370 |
Franklin County Alabama Probate Office 405 North Jackson Avenue P.O. Box 1028 Russellville, AL 35653 (256) 332-8801 |
| Geneva County Alabama Probate Office Geneva County Courthouse (334) 684-5640 |
Greene County Alabama P.O. Box 656 County Courthouse Eutaw, AL 35462 (205) 372-0499 |
Hale County, Alabama County Courthouse Greensboro, AL 36744 (334) 624-4257 |
| Henry County, Alabama County Courthouse Abbeville, AL 36310 (334) 585-3257 |
Alabama Registered Agent LLC, is in Houston County Alabama.
Houston County Alabama Probate Office Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $63 |
Jackson County, Alabama County Courthouse 102 E. Laurel St. Scottsboro, AL 35768 (256) 574-9280 |
| Jefferson County Alabama Probate Office Jefferson County Courthouse, Room 115 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 325-5411 http://jeffconline.jccal.org Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $52 Amendments – $30 |
Lamar County, Alabama P.O. Box 338 Vernon, AL 35592 (205) 695-8522 |
Lauderdale County Alabama Probate Office 200 S. Court Street Florence, AL 35630 (256) 760-5803 http://www.lauderdalecountyonline.com Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $52 Amendments – $30 |
| Lawrence County, Alabama P.O. Box 307 Moulton, AL 35650 (256) 974-2403 |
Lee County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 811 215 South 9th Street Opelika, AL 36803-0811 (334) 745-9761 http://www.leeco.us Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $52 Amendments – $30 |
Limestone County Alabama Probate Office Clinton Street Courthouse Annex 100 South Clinton St., STE D Athens, AL 35611 (256) 233-6427 |
| Lowndes County, Alabama P.O. Box 65 Hayneville, AL 36040 (334) 548-2331 |
Macon County, Alabama 101 E. Rosa Parks Ave. Tuskegee, AL 36083 (334) 727-5120 |
Madison County Probate Office Madison County Alabama Probate Office 100 North Side Square, Room 101 Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 532-3333 http://www.co.madison.al.us Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $67.25 Amendments – $42.25 |
| Marengo County, Alabama P.O. Box 480715 Linden, AL 36748 (334) 295-2200 |
Marion County, Alabama P.O. Box 460 Hamilton, AL 35570 (205) 921-5109 |
Marshall County Alabama Probate Office 425 Gunter Avenue Gunterville, AL 35976 (256) 571-7764 |
| Mobile County Alabama Probate Office 151 Government Street P.O. Box 7 Mobile, AL 36601 (251) 574-6040 http://probate.mobilecountyal.gov Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $53 Amendments – $28 |
Monroe County Alabama Probate Office County Courthouse P.O. Box 8 Monroeville, AL 36461 (251) 743-4107 |
Montgomery County Alabama Probate Office Courthouse Annex III 101 South Lawrence Street Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 832-1236 http://www.mc-ala.org Corporations, LLCs, and Dissolutions -$55 Amendments – $30 |
| Morgan County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 848 302 Lee Street NE Decatur, AL 35602 (256) 351-4680 http://www.morgancountyprobate.com Corporations, LLCs, and Dissolutions -$55 Amendments – $30 |
Perry County, Alabama P.O. Box 478 Marion, AL 36756 (334) 683-2200 |
Pickens County, Alabama P.O. Box 460 Carrollton, AL 35447 (205) 367-2020 |
| Pike County, Alabama P.O. Box 1147 Troy, AL 36081 (334) 566-6374 |
Randolph County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 249 Wedowee, AL 36278 (256) 357-4933 |
Russell County, Alabama P.O. Box 969 Phenix City, AL 36868 (334) 298-0844 |
| Shelby County Alabama Probate Office 112 North Main Street P.O. Box 825 Columbiana, AL 35051 http://www.shelbyal.com (205) 669-3720 Fax #: (205) 669-3884Corporations, LLCs, and Dissolutions -$56 Amendments – $30 |
Talladega County Alabama Probate Office #1 Courthouse Square P.O. Box 737 Talladega, AL 35161 (256) 362-4175 http://talladegacountyal.org Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $55 Amendments – $30 |
St. Clair County Alabama Probate Office P.O. Box 220 165 5th Avenue Ashville, AL 35953 (205) 594-2120 |
| Sumter County, Alabama P.O. Box 70 Livingston, AL 35470 (205) 652-2731 |
Talladega County Alabama Probate Office County Courthouse P.O. Box 6170 Talladega, AL 35161 (256) 362-1357 |
Tallapoosa County Alabama Probate Office 125 North Broadnax Street Dadeville, AL 36853 (256) 835-4266 |
| Tuscaloosa County Alabama Probate Office 714 Greensboro Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 349-3870 http://www.tuscco.com Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $52 Amendments – $27 |
Walker County Alabama Probate Office 1900 3rd Avenue P.O. Box 502 Jasper, AL 35502 (205) 384-7281 http://www.walkercounty.com Corporations, LLCs and Dissolutions – $59 Amendments – $30 |
Washington County, Alabama County Courthouse P.O. Box 146 Chatom, AL 36518 (251) 847-3677 |
| Wilcox County, Alabama County Courthouse Annex P.O. Box 488 Camden, AL 36726 (334) 682-9621 |
Winston County, Alabama County Courthouse P.O. Box 147 Double Springs, AL 35553 (205) 489-5026 |