California secretary of state articles of organization

Step 1: Name

Step 2: Registration

Last updated July 12, 2022

Business structures

Choosing the legal structure that best suits your business type is a top priority. This decision impacts how much you pay in taxes and your personal liability (i.e. who is legally responsible for debts). This choice must be made prior to registering your business and sometimes even choosing a name.

City business registration

All businesses – even small ones – that operate in San Francisco must register with the City. You may also need to register or incorporate through the State first, depending on your chosen business structure. This is not a substitute for legal or professional advice.

Federal business registration

Most businesses must register with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). If you are not a US citizen, you may need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead.

This is not a substitute for legal or professional advice.

Ready to Start Your New Business?

C Corporation

Incorporating a business requires the preparation and filing of a Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State in the state in which you decide to incorporate. Once the corporation is established, it becomes its own separate legal entity and is subject to the laws governing corporations in the state of incorporation.

Using CorpNet® services to incorporate your business can save you both time and money with service that is fast, reliable, and affordable with a 100% money back guarantee.

Limited Liability Company

An LLC offers some of the same benefits of a corporation, but without the costs and compliance complexity. Business owners that are looking for personal liability protection, tax flexibility, and management options may find that forming an LLC will be an ideal choice for their company.

Forming an LLC requires filing Articles of Organization with the state in which the LLC will operate. CorpNet can register an LLC in all 50 states to enable them to save time and money—and to ensure their documents are submitted accurately.

CorpNet®is not in any way affiliated with the Secretary of State of this or any other state and/or governmental agency. CorpNet is a document filing service that works with state and government agencies in all 50 states to assist small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals with their document filing needs. Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of this page and for further information please read our Web Site Terms of Use.

Plus, you get a 100% MONEY-BACK Guarantee *

The Sacramento office is the only place where records can be requested. Diversified Business Solutions is located in Sacramento. We make trips daily to the Secretary of State. We can get plain copies or certified copies. We can get a Certificate of Good Standing in 1 business day. All other records take 3-10 business days.

Click here to have one of our Filing Experts contact you.

The documents below are public record. We can request records for any California Corporation.
These include:

Articles of Incorporation, or Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation
Limited Liability Company, Articles of Organization, or Application to Register Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Certificate of Amendment, Restated Articles of Incorporation, Coversions and Mergers
Dissolutions, Election to Wind Up and Dissolve
Statement of Information (last complete or no change, listing of the officers.)
Copy of ALL Documents on Record
Status Report
Certificate of Status (Certificate of Good Standing)
Certificate of No Record
Certificate of Listing

The Secretary of State charges a $10 counter fee. Copy fees are: $1 for the first copy, $0.50 for each additional copy. The fee per certification stamp is $5.

Click here to fill out the order form to request records. Business Entities Records Order Form

Certificate of Good Standing:

We can get you a Certificate of Good Standing in 1 business day. If you need this right away but also need other documents you might want to order this separately. You will have to pay the $10 fee for both requests but it will save you time. If you do it in one request they will hold the Certificate until the other records are ready.

Corporate Document Requests:

If you need copies of corporate documents such as: All Documents on Record, Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Amendments, Restated Articles, Mergers, Dissolutions, Statement of Information, etc. please plan ahead!

If you mail in your request will take 4-6 weeks to get it back. We can cut down that time to 3-10 business days. There is no rush service available but our service will save you a lot of time. We will drop off your request as soon as it is received. Same day service is available.

Click here to have one of our Filing Experts contact you.

FAQ: Can anyone order copies of records?

Yes. These records are public documents for California Corporations.

FAQ: Do I put my information as the requestor?

Yes. Put your name and address on page one. We will send your records to the address listed.

FAQ: How do I find out who owns a Corporation or LLC?

Request a copy of the Statement of Information. This will list officers or shareholders for Corporations. This will list members and managers for Limited Liability Companies (LLC).

FAQ: What is a plain copy?

A plain copy is a photocopy of the document that was filed.

FAQ: What is a certified copy?

A certified copy is a photocopy of the document that was filed that has a certification stamp on the back of it. It also says how many pages it is certifying. It is signed by the California Secretary of State certifiying the document is true and correct.

Example: You are requesting all Statement of Information Documents on Record. Let’s say there are 3. They will staple all 3 Statements together and stamp the back page and write “3” on the stamp. If you need each page certified then we have to tell them. They will charge $5 per stamp. Each page will be separate with its own stamp.

FAQ: How do I know how many documents are on file?

1. You can call the Secretary of State at (916) 653-3365 and ask them.

2. Or we will bill you a flat rate when we file. We will refund an overpayment over $5 or bill you if we didn’t cover our costs.

FAQ: Do I Need Certified Copies?

We suggest having certified copies of all documents on record. These documents should be kept together in a corporate book.

A certified copy is usually required for:

Court
Applying for a loan
Insurance Policies
Opening a bank account

You should check with the agency requesting the copies. They will know if they need your document certified. Do this before placing your order. This will save you time and money.

Click here to have one of our Filing Experts contact you.

Does ca require articles or Organization?

Prepare and file with California Creating your LLC in California requires two separate filings: Articles of Incorporation, and a Statement of Information. Your Articles of Incorporation form your business in California and the Statement of Information is a periodic filing first required within 90 days of formation.

What is an article of Organization California?

Your Articles of Organization in California is the official document that registers your business with the state. It provides the state with important information about your business and is needed to comply with state business laws.

How do I get Articles of Organization?

Obtaining a copy of your Articles of Organization If you have misplaced your articles of organization, you can find a copy on the Department or Secretary of State website for the state under which your company is filed. This is done through a business entity search.

How much does it cost to file Articles of Organization in California?

In addition, filing the California articles of incorporation including a filing carries a fee of $100, plus a $15 handling fee. You must also file an initial report giving detailed information about your company, which includes a fee of $25 and a $75 service fee.