The
Articles of Incorporation (also 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
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