Articles of Organization are an integral part of your limited liability company or LLC. Actually, the articles of organization is the document, usually a form, that gets filed with the Secretary of State and officially forms your LLC. It is similar to the articles of incorporation, but that document forms a corporation where the articles of organization form an LLC.
What goes into your articles of organization? Well, it may depend on your state, but typically the articles of organization will contain:
1. The name of your limited liability company which you may want to reserve prior to filing your articles so you can be sure the name is available;
2. The purpose of the company;
3. The address of the LLC, a physical address as well as a mailing address may be required;
4. Your agent for service of process which is the company or person who will be notified of any official notifications sent to your company or if your company is served with a lawsuit, this is the person or company that will receive the lawsuit; and
5. Whether the LLC will be managed by one manager, more than one manager, or all the members will manage together.
Different states may have different requirements so you should check with your state for your state’s specific requirements, but in general the above list is what may be required on your articles of organization.
Many people think that when you file your Articles of Organization, that is all you have to do when, in fact, the articles or organization are often the only or one of a couple documents that are public record after filed with the Secretary of State. In addition to filing the Articles of Organization, multiple other steps need to be taken to successfully set up your limited liability company. This is the part that many people miss when using an online service. The other considerations to make are drafting your operating agreement, having your initial meeting and preparing minutes documenting the meeting, obtaining any pertinent licenses or permits, and potentially a multitude of other steps, depending on your business and its requirements.
If you are unclear about what steps you need to take to properly set up your LLC after filing your articles of organization you should consult with a business attorney who is adept at determining the best entity for your particular business and can help you through the process.
If you are needing help with your articles of organization, Integrated General Counsel can help you determine your next steps. If you are ready for a results-driven plan of action, contact us either by telephone at (925) 399-1529, schedule yourself into our calendar for an appointment at a time convenient for you, or complete the Contact Kristen form and we will get back to you.
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