Articles of Incorporation Guidelines

The Articles of Incorporation (sometimes called the Certificate of Incorporation in Delaware) are the primary rules laid out to manage a corporation. The articles are filed with the state in which the corporation was formed.

The rules for Articles of Incorporation vary from state to state, but here are some general guidelines of items that should be featured on every corporation's Articles of Incorporation:

Corporation Name:  the terms incorporate, corporation, limited or some abbreviation must be included in the corporation's name.

Stock or Non-Stock: whether the corporation is issuing stock certificates or not. Stock corporations must also list the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue.

Incorporator: the name of the person or persons organizing the corporation.

Board of Directors: names and contact information of the persons on the board of directors.

Initial Director: the name of the incorporator, registered agent or attorney that is designated as the initial director.

Registered Agent or Registered Office: location where legal papers can be served on the corporation

You don't need an attorney to draw up your Articles of Incorporation or struggle to write them on your own. At RocketLawyer.com, you can use the Articles of Incorporation form to create the articles very quickly and easily.  Or, use our new Free Incorporation Service to create your initial Articles of Incorporation and handle the state filing for you. 

Laws on this topic may vary from state to state. This content is not meant to provide you with complete information and it is not intended to be legal or tax advice. It is recommended that you consult with your own attorney, accountant or other advisor regarding your specific situation.