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How to File Articles of Incorporation in Mississippi

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Starting a new business is a rewarding but intimidating time. It’s important to do things right so that you can focus on growing your business. Completing and filing the Articles of Incorporation is a vital step for forming a corporation in Mississippi.

When you complete the Articles of Incorporation, they need to be submitted to the Mississippi Secretary of State Business Services. Once filed, the information provided in the Articles of Incorporation will be public information.

Need some help? Keep reading for a walkthrough on how to complete your Articles of Incorporation.

How to Complete the Articles of Incorporation Form

As either a domestic (in-state) or foreign (out-of-state) corporation, you’ll need to provide your entity information to the Mississippi Secretary of State (SOS) to incorporate your business.

Mississippi only accepts online filing via the Mississippi Corporations Register Filer system. To access the applications or forms, you need to register as a user. You’re asked to provide your name, business address, email, and other personal details. Once you’ve registered and logged in, choose the appropriate option for forming or registering either a domestic or foreign corporation.

The Mississippi SOS office requires the following information:

• Business Information: Choose the correct business entity type from the drop-down menu. Enter a business name and email. Your business name must be unique in Mississippi. To make sure that your chosen name is available, use the business name search tool. You may reserve a business name with Business Services. You can also take advantage of ZenBusiness’s Name Reservation Service. The company name must contain one of the following designators: “Corporation,” “Incorporated,” “Company,” or “Limited,” or the abbreviation “Corp.,” “Inc.,” “Co.,” or “Ltd.,” or words or abbreviations in a different language with the same meaning.
• Business Details: Use this section to indicate the future effective date of your business. This cannot be longer than 90 days from the date of filing. You may leave this section blank, in which case the effective date will be the date that your submission is processed. As a foreign corporation, you must include the original state and date of incorporation.
• Stock: Declare the stock class and number of shares authorized. Then, express the purpose of your business with up to three NAICS codes.
• Principal Office: Provide the address for the business’s principal office.
• Registered Agent: The registered agent is responsible for receiving legal notices such as service of process as well as official correspondence from the Mississippi Secretary of State. They must have a valid physical street address within Mississippi. They can be a resident of Mississippi, a corporation, or an LLC so long as they have a physical address in Mississippi. You must get the agent’s consent before designating them as your company’s registered agent. While you can be your own registered agent, this can be a burden because it requires you to always be available at the office during normal business hours. Check out ZenBusiness’s registered agent services to make this step easier.
• Signature: Carefully read the terms, then provide a signature as an incorporator, officer, or director.
• Review and Upload: Meticulously review the information that you’ve provided for accuracy. When you’re sure it’s complete and correct, upload the required documents.

Include supplemental form(s)

Domestic corporations in Mississippi aren’t usually required to include any supporting documentation. Foreign corporations are required to include a copy of a Certificate of Good Standing from their home state. These are sometimes known in other states as a Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Fact. Ensure that your copy is recently dated, as many states require a current certificate dated no more than 90 days from submission. If you don’t include a Certificate of Good Standing, expect your application to be rejected.

How to Submit the Form

Mississippi provides online form completion and filing services. Once you fill out the form, the application will give you the opportunity to confirm the accuracy of your filing and to add any additional documents. You can then submit the form electronically and pay online. The portal accepts credit cards or electronic checks.

The state charges different filing fees for domestic and foreign corporations. View all document filing fees on the Mississippi SOS website for more specific information.

After submitting your documents for filing, wait for notification that your submission has either been accepted or returned for revisions. Final processing times may vary according to the time of the year.

After you file, you’ll want to make sure you stay in good standing with the state. Use our Worry Free Compliance service to put your mind at ease and focus on what’s important.

Conclusion

Complete and file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation as soon as you’re ready so that you can start growing your business. If you’d rather avoid the hassle and uncertainty of completing the Articles of Incorporation yourself, take advantage of ZenBusiness’s business formation plans so that we can handle this for you.

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