Articles of Incorporation

The foundational legal document needed to register a For-Profit or Non-Profit Corporation with your state government.

What Are Articles of Incorporation?

Articles of Incorporation (sometimes called a Certificate of Incorporation or Corporate Charter) is a legal document filed with a state's Secretary of State to formally establish a corporation. This public document outlines the corporation's name, purpose, registered agent, and stock structure, effectively creating a separate legal entity distinct from its owners.

Key Information Required

To draft your Articles of Incorporation, you will need to determine the following:

Corporate Name (Must include an indicator like Inc., Corp., or Incorporated)

Corporate Purpose (Often a statement allowing 'any lawful business activity')

Registered Agent Details (Individual or service accepting legal documents)

Stock Structure (Number of authorized shares, par value, and classes of stock)

Names and addresses of the Incorporator(s) (The person filing the document)

Names and addresses of the Initial Board of Directors

LLC vs. Corporation

If you are starting a small business, you may prefer forming an LLC by filing Articles of Organization instead. Corporations are subject to "double taxation" (unless electing S-Corp status) and have much stricter record-keeping and meeting requirements compared to LLCs. Corporations are typically preferred by startups seeking venture capital funding.

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Custom-build your Articles of Incorporation to meet your state's exact legal requirements.

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