Georgia Secretary of State Press Office

Secretary Handel Reminds Corporate Customers to Pay Late Annual Registration Fees

Atlanta – Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds business entity managers that the deadline to respond to Administrative Dissolution notices issued by her office’s Corporations Division is Friday, December 7, 2007.

On October 1, 2007 the Corporations Division mailed approximately 280,000 dissolution notices to business entities that had not paid their required annual registration fees. A registration filings audit ordered by Secretary Handel in June, 2007 found that the entities owing Annual Registration fees for one year or more comprise over 40 percent of all corporate entities registered in Georgia.

To date, over 53,300 business entities have paid late registration fees, creating a positive revenue impact for Georgia taxpayers of between $1.6 million and $3.2 million.

The audit and administrative dissolution process are part of Handel’s plan to enact new standards of customer service and accountability in each Secretary of State’s office division. “We’re instilling a new culture of customer service to better assist Georgia’s corporations with the registration process,” Handel said. “We’re also requiring corporations to pay their annual fees if they want to do business in our state.”

According to Corporations Division Director Chauncey R. Newsome, most states perform an annual registration audit and administrative dissolution process. Newsome said, “Conducting an annual audit ensures that the most accurate information about business entities is available in our databases, and makes it easier for customers to search our database.”

Business entities in arrears on annual registration fees can remit payment by mail or online at www.georgiacorporations.org. Payments by mail or at the Corporations Divisions office can be made by check or money order only. Absolutely no cash is accepted for payment of registration fees.

Some entities may not have received notices because they have moved their location and their records have not been updated in the Corporations Division database. One of the purposes of filing the Annual Registration is to maintain current information on officers, registered agents and the principal mailing address. Managers unsure of an entity’s status should visit the Corporations website and search for their company by name or control number. If the status is “Active/Noncompliant” the entity likely owes Annual Registration fees.

Over 700,000 corporate entities are registered with the Corporations Division, including over 642,000 instate and 58,000 out-of-state corporations.

For more information please contact the Corporations Division at 404-656-2817 or visit www.georgiacorporations.org.

For Immediate Release December 03, 2007	FFI Contact: Matt Carrothers Director of Media Relations 404-656-4269

Secretary Handel Reminds Corporate Customers to Pay Late Annual Registration Fees Atlanta – Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds business entity managers that the deadline to respond to Administrative Dissolution notices issued by her office’s Corporations Division is Friday, December 7, 2007. On October 1, 2007 the Corporations Division mailed approximately 280,000 dissolution notices to business entities that had not paid their required annual registration fees. A registration filings audit ordered by Secretary Handel in June, 2007 found that the entities owing Annual Registration fees for one year or more comprise over 40 percent of all corporate entities registered in Georgia. To date, over 53,300 business entities have paid late registration fees, creating a positive revenue impact for Georgia taxpayers of between $1.6 million and $3.2 million. The audit and administrative dissolution process are part of Handel’s plan to enact new standards of customer service and accountability in each Secretary of State’s office division. “We’re instilling a new culture of customer service to better assist Georgia’s corporations with the registration process,” Handel said. “We’re also requiring corporations to pay their annual fees if they want to do business in our state.” According to Corporations Division Director Chauncey R. Newsome, most states perform an annual registration audit and administrative dissolution process. Newsome said, “Conducting an annual audit ensures that the most accurate information about business entities is available in our databases, and makes it easier for customers to search our database.” Business entities in arrears on annual registration fees can remit payment by mail or online at www.georgiacorporations.org. Payments by mail or at the Corporations Divisions office can be made by check or money order only. Absolutely no cash is accepted for payment of registration fees. Some entities may not have received notices because they have moved their location and their records have not been updated in the Corporations Division database. One of the purposes of filing the Annual Registration is to maintain current information on officers, registered agents and the principal mailing address. Managers unsure of an entity’s status should visit the Corporations website and search for their company by name or control number. If the status is “Active/Noncompliant” the entity likely owes Annual Registration fees. Over 700,000 corporate entities are registered with the Corporations Division, including over 642,000 instate and 58,000 out-of-state corporations. For more information please contact the Corporations Division at 404-656-2817 or visit www.georgiacorporations.org.