Forming a Corporation in California
Every state has a different set of laws and regulations in place. In most cases, no two states are the same. Therefore, you must be familiar with the set of rules present when dealing with California State Corp Filing. If your state of choice for a corporation is California, DOT Operating Authority can help you with all the details. There are many steps in the process. From what comes from our part, we will research the availability of your company name. Also, our company can help you prepare and file your Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State. We can also assist with many of your follow-up needs such as amendment filings, written consents, and annual report preparation and filing.
California Corporate Name Requirements:
In order to be a successful corporation in California, your name cannot be confused with any existing, reserved, or registered corporate names. All in all, DOT Operating Authority is here to make sure that you get the perfect name for your California State Corp Filing. We will also conduct full research and make sure to meet all of California’s requirements. Furthermore, you can reserve a name for 60 days.
Permitted Designations: There are several approved designations that corporate names can be followed by, which include:
- Corp.
- Corporation
- Inc.
- Incorporated
- Limited
- Ltd.
California State Corp Filing Requirements
Required Documents: California requires businesses to file Articles of Incorporation. Therefore, by trusting us to form your corporation for you, we will file all mandatory documents for you.
Processing Time: Usually, it takes 2-4 weeks to form a corporation in California.
Reminder: Within 90 days of becoming a corporation, you will need to file a statement of information. You will also need a broadly stated corporate purpose which satisfies the California filing requirements.
Directors Information
When forming a corporation, it is mandatory for companies to have three directors, unless the shares have not been issued. In this case, it can be one or two. Furthermore, if there is only one shareholder then there can be one director.
Annual Reports
All California corporations must file a California annual report with the California Secretary of State every year. The annual or biennial due date is the last day of the calendar month in which you formed or registered your business entity. The filing period is a six-month window. You can file anytime within that month or in the five calendar months preceding that month.