Articles of Incorporation California

To form a corporation in California, you must file articles of incorporation with the California Secretary of State. The form is customizable.

The articles of incorporation must include the following information:

Name of the corporation
Type of entity
Corporate mailing and street address
Corporate purpose
Name, street, and mailing address of the registered agent
The number of shares*, class, rights, and restrictions of stock
Incorporator's name, street, and mailing address

*In California, 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.

California does not require you to identify the name and mailing address of the directors.

The form cannot be filed online. It should instead be mailed to the Secretary of State.

You can view the state statutes applicable to articles of incorporation on the state's website.

Mandatory Additional Filings

There are no additional mandatory filings for California. However, when filing the articles of incorporation, the Secretary of State suggests including a cover sheet containing your contact information in order to resolve any filing questions that arise.

California is one of 17 states that recognize statutory close corporations. You create a closed corporation in roughly the same way that you create a regular corporation. The articles of incorporation identify the corporation you are creating as a closely held corporation.