Articles of Incorporation, or Certificates of Incorporation, are written when a business desires legal corporate status in a particular state. Articles of Incorporation portray the basic information of the company, which includes the name of the business, the people (or board) who are responsible for drafting and upholding the articles of incorporation and the corporate purpose. Articles of incorporation are filed in each state where the company wants business ties. As you research information on articles of incorporation, you'll learn basic terms that will make the process more understandable.

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Incorporate

To incorporate a company is to unite parts of the company to form one legal entity that has a specific purpose or goal. Articles of incorporation are an essential part of the process, as the articles present the name, the purpose and the bylaws of the corporation.

I recommend: Learn more in-depth information on how to incorporate a company at Inc.

Corporate purpose

Corporate purpose, a fundamental portion of the articles of incorporation of a company, expresses the mission statement of the corporation. The corporate purpose explains the foundations of the company and what the company envisions for the future. Corporate purpose affects how the corporation is managed on every level in order to bring the corporate purpose to fruition, and conveys the responsibility of the company to deliver its proposed purpose to the community.

I recommend: Medlawsplus.com offers more extensive information on corporate purpose.

Stock corporation vs. nonstock corporation

A stock corporation is a for-profit corporation that sells shares of stock to the public. Stock-based companies must detail stocks in a section of the articles of incorporation called 'authorized capital,' where a breakdown of shares of common stock and preferred stock is presented. Nonstock corporations are generally non-profit organizations that have one corporate purpose or corporation that plan to exist for a short duration.

I recommend: Nevada First Holdings offers brief but concise information on stock vs. nonstock corporations.

Articles of incorporation forms

Articles of incorporation forms are legal forms that a company can submit to the state in which the corporation exists. Articles of incorporation forms vary by state but contain the same basic information, such as the desired corporation name, the corporate purpose, the duration of the company and stock information, if applicable.

I recommend: FindLaw.com offers information on articles of incorporation forms and offers links to forms for each state.

Business law attorney

A business law attorney is a professional who has extensive knowledge of corporate law and who can assist a company with articles of incorporation.

I recommend: Learn about the background of business attorneys at LawInfo.com.

Filing and fees

The filing and fees associated with articles of incorporation vary by state. Most articles of incorporation forms are filed with the secretary of state in the state where the corporation exists or plans to conduct business. Fees vary based on state and on whether the corporation is a stock or nonstock company.

I recommend: Learn more about articles of incorporation filing and fees at AllBusiness.com.

Once you write and file an article of incorporation, your business is on the road to success. An article of incorporation is simply a formal statement of how your business will operate.

You must file articles of incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State office or a similar agency responsible for managing business filings. At minimum, your article of incorporation information must include your company’s name and address, a broad definition of products/services your business will market, stock information and the name of a registered agent—an individual who is authorized to receive confidential documents on behalf of your company. There are three basic steps required to finalize your company’s article of formation:

1. Write your article of incorporation.

2. Sign your article of incorporation.

3. File your article of incorporation.

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Create your own article of incorporation

Preparing your own article of incorporation is not a difficult process so long as you follow the minimum requirements on what information should be included. Before mailing, be sure to check your state's submission requirements. Some states require you to notarize all signatures and they request a specific number of copies of the article of formation.

I recommend: You can download a standard basic article of incorporation from U.S. Legal Forms, which offers state specific information. Check out BizTree for a Word template that allows you to easily insert your specific company information into the article of incorporation form.

Consult with an article of incorporation lawyer

If you don't want the hassle of filing your own article of incorporation, you can consult with an attorney. An attorney will ensure that you understand all state-specific laws regarding business formation and submit all required documents for you. You can also obtain professional assistance from an article of incorporation consultant.

I recommend: Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates is a law firm that has more than 30 years of experience advising on business formations and in assisting with preparing all required documentation. Charles N. Erickson Law Office is a corporate lawyer experienced in company incorporation and in advising on the preparation of an article of incorporation.

Pay your article of incorporation filing fees

No matter if you prepare your article of incorporation on your own or if you receive article of incorporation help from a lawyer, you are required to pay all necessary filing fees. Depending upon the state in which you file, fees could range from nearly $40 to approximately $300.

I recommend: SmallBizIncorporator.com provides instant quotes on state-specific incorporation fees. Companies Incorporated provides business owners with affordable incorporation services including preparation of articles of incorporation. It also has a quote system where you can find the total cost of your incorporation including the specific state fees required.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Simply mailing your article of incorporation doesn't give you the green light to conduct business in the company's name. After you file article of incorporation documents for your company, it's a good idea to wait until you receive your formal certificate of incorporation from the state. In most cases, you'll receive formal confirmation within seven to 10 days.

An article of incorporation, which is sometimes referred to as a certificate of incorporation, article of formation or a corporate charter, contains the rules that have been established by an organization in order to organize the rules and management governing the corporate entity. It is necessary for articles of incorporation to be filed with the state or other legal regulatory agency. Article of incorporation help can be provided by an article of incorporation consultant or by utilizing article of incorporation information on the Internet.

Article of Incorporation pricing and costs will vary. This is because not all filing entities need the same amount of assistance when it comes to the recording process. Consider the following when trying to determine article of incorporation pricing and costs:

1. Utilize the free articles of incorporation information that can be found on the Internet.

2. Hire a professional article of incorporation consultant or article of incorporation lawyer.

3. Learn the price for just filing an article of incorporation.

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Determine what articles of incorporation information you can get for free

So much information is made available to the public free of charge, if they just learn how to access the information. This includes article of incorporation information help. There are many websites online that can assist businesses in the structure, organization and presentation of their articles of incorporation. It is possible for businesses and organizations to begin their certificate of incorporation paperwork without dipping into their budgets by finding legitimate sites with this information.

I recommend: Visit FindLaw to learn how to write an article of incorporation. Review the information at eHow to find out how to file the paperwork. Sample articles of incorporation are posted at The Free Management Library and the 'Lectric Law Library.

Budget for the cost of an article of incorporation consultant or article of incorporation lawyer

Even though a lot of free information is available, many businesses will want to ensure the legality of their articles of incorporation. This is where an appropriate lawyer or consultant would step in to preview the paperwork or help with the creation of a draft. The costs and prices of these individuals and their work will vary.

I recommend: The cost can be as much $1,250, which is the price listed on Jonas M. Grant's website.

Learn how much it will cost just to file Article of Incorporation paperwork

There is a cost for filing article of incorporation paperwork. By learning these prices, businesses can budget the cost into their finances.

I recommend: Each state has its own fee for filing an article of incorporation. This varies from $25 to more than $150. Visit the NAIC or LLC-Made-Easy for more details on states' costs and the appropriate forms to file in each state.