Articles/Certificate
State filing that creates the legal entity; includes registered agent, business purpose, and management structure. This document is the primary public record filed with the Secretary of State.
Accurate Business Setup Documents reduce legal and tax risk, support reliable banking and licensing, and make it easier to onboard employees or raise capital when corporate governance and ownership are clearly recorded.
Different roles prepare or rely on business setup documents depending on company size and purpose.
Clear ownership records and up-to-date filings help all stakeholders act consistently and meet regulatory deadlines.
A founder or CEO signs formation documents and initial resolutions. They need authority to bind the company, must provide government ID for notarization or identity proofing, and should ensure entity name consistency across state and federal registrations.
A paralegal or in-house counsel completes filings, prepares operating agreements, and records meeting minutes. They arrange state submissions, ensure signature authority, and keep the organized document set for retention and audits.
State filing that creates the legal entity; includes registered agent, business purpose, and management structure. This document is the primary public record filed with the Secretary of State.
Internal governance rules that allocate authority, decision‑making processes, ownership units, and transfer restrictions; central for dispute resolution and bank onboarding.
Employer Identification Number from the IRS and initial tax registrations; required for banking, payroll, and most vendor contracts.
Board or member resolutions authorizing bank accounts, signers, contracts, and delegated authority; evidence of corporate actions during early operations.
State and local business licenses, professional permits, and industry-specific registrations required to legally operate in specified jurisdictions.
Designated agent and address for service of process; must be a physical address in the state of formation and consistently listed across filings.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signature order | Set sequential or parallel signing based on approvals needed. |
| Authentication | Choose email, SMS code, or stronger KBA per document sensitivity. |
| Conditional fields | Show or hide fields based on role or prior answers. |
| Delivery options | Configure copies to signers, admin, and external counsel automatically. |
Choose a platform that supports required authentication and file formats for your document types.
Verify the platform offers audit trails, secure storage, and any compliance addenda you require before eSigning sensitive setup documents.
Obtain EIN before opening bank accounts or filing payroll returns.
Provide W-9 to payers upon request; no fixed statutory deadline.
1099-NEC to recipients and IRS by January 31 each year.
Individual or corporate returns due April 15; extensions available by filing Form 4868.
Secretary of State annual reports vary by state; check state filing calendars.
The team simplified signature collection using online workflows to reduce turnaround times.
Property company moved formation and vendor onboarding fully online to support remote transactions.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day trial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |