Startup Terms Glossary
What is a Certificate of Incorporation?
Certificates of incorporation, sometimes called articles of incorporation , are startup business filings registered within the state. They serve as official records of the startup’s formation.
The following elements are usually included in a certificate of incorporation:
- Element 1. Business name and principal address
- Element 2. Number of stock shares issued
- Element 3. Startup officer names
- Element 4. Purpose of the startup
- Element 5. Duration of the startup’s formation
You do not have to file your operating agreement when submitting your certificate of incorporation form. Your operating agreement is an internal company document that your startup doesn’t have to share with your local secretary of state’s office.
Certificate of Incorporation Examples
Examples of when startups need a certificate of incorporation include:
- Example 1. Legally operate in the state of business
- Example 2. Open and use a business bank account
- Example 3. Apply for professional permits and licenses
- Example 4. Hire and pay part-time and full-time employees
- Example 5. File and pay business and employer-related taxes
Check out this article about certificates of incorporation.
ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.
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Having more than ten (10) years of experience in commercial law, I have garnered both relevant in-house and law firm experience. With more than a combined seven (7) years in-house experience, I have gained valuable insight in balancing the business needs with the legal risks and applying the legal skills I have acquired to various fields. I have specific experience with SaaS, vendor contracts, customer contracts, and general marketing agreements. Moreover, my law firm background has taught me to be detail-oriented and to be an effective negotiator in all types of commercial dealings.
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I have been practicing law since 2005 and am licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. I started in Pittsburgh, PA and then moved to Williamsport in 2007 where I have practiced family law almost exclusively since. I am the managing partner /owner of Protasio & Jasper, P.C. I have had multiple Pennsylvania Supreme Court family law cases that have changed the law in Pennsylvania. I pride myself on being able to arm clients with information so that they can make informed decisions about their case.
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Nevada Attorney with experiences in outside general counsel representation, contract drafting, and civil litigation.
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