Certificate of Incorporation Alabama

To form a corporation in Alabama, you must file a document called a certificate of formation with the Alabama Secretary of State. The form is customizable.

The certificate of formation must include the following information:

• Name of the corporation
• Type of entity
• Street and mailing address of the registered agent (the corporation does not need to provide its street and mailing address)
• A statement of corporate purpose
• Corporate duration
• Directors’ names and addresses (required on the form but not listed in the statutes)
• The number of shares* authorized by the corporation, the classes of stock, and the rights and restrictions of each class

*In Alabama, the state does not require you to disclose the par value of the stock. Par value is the price at which a company's shares are initially offered for sale.

You can view the state statutes applicable to the certificate of formation on the state's website.

Unlike many other states, Alabama does not require you to mail the form to the Secretary of State. Instead, mail the form to the Office of the Judge of Probate in the county where the corporation’s initial registered office is located (Alabama does not accept online filing). The Probate Judge’s Office reviews and files the document, provides notification of filing via a stamped copy, and, within 10 days, transmits a certified copy and state fees to the Secretary of State.