CORPORATE DISSOLUTION
MISSOURI
Electronic Version
STATUTORY REFERENCE
MISSOURI REVISED STATUTES, §§ 351.462 through 351.504
INTRODUCTORY NOTES AND LAW SUMMARY
In Missouri, a corporation may be dissolved voluntarily, administratively, or judicially. THIS
FORM PACKAGE ADDRESSES ONLY VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION.
A majority of the incorporators or initial directors of a corporation that has not issued shares or
has not commenced business may dissolve the corporation by delivering to the secretary of state
for filing articles of dissolution that set forth:
(1) The name of the corporation;
(2) The date of its incorporation;
(3) Either that none of the corporation's shares have been issued, or that the corporation has
not commenced business;
(4) That no debt of the corporation remains unpaid;
(5) That the net assets of the corporation remaining after winding up have been distributed
to the shareholders, if shares were issued; and
(6) That a majority of the incorporators or initial directors authorized the dissolution.
A corporation's board of directors may propose dissolution for submission to the shareholders
and may condition its submission of the proposal for dissolution on any basis. For a proposal to
dissolve to be adopted:
(1) The board of directors must recommend dissolution to the shareholders unless the board
of directors determines that because of conflict of interest or other special circumstances
it should make no recommendation and communicates the basis for its determination to
the shareholders; and
(2) The shareholders entitled to vote must approve the proposal to dissolve as provided by
law.
The corporation must notify each shareholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed
shareholders' meeting. The notice must state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the
meeting is to consider dissolving the corporation.
Unless the articles of incorporation or the board of directors require a greater vote, including a
vote by any class of stock or any series of any class, the proposal to dissolve to be adopted must
be approved by at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on that proposal.
A corporation may be dissolved by the written consent of the holders of record of all of its
outstanding shares entitled to vote on dissolution.
At any time after dissolution is authorized, the corporation may dissolve by delivering to the
secretary of state for filing articles of dissolution setting forth:
(1) The name of the corporation;
(2) The date dissolution was authorized;
(3) If dissolution was approved by the shareholders:
(a) The number of votes entitled to be cast on the proposal to dissolve; and
(b) Either the total number of votes cast for and against dissolution or the total number of
undisputed votes cast for dissolution and a statement that the number cast for
dissolution was sufficient for approval or a statement that the dissolution was
approved by the written consent of all shareholders;
(4) If voting by any class of stock or any series of any class of stock was required,
information by statute must be separately provided for each class of stock or series of
stock entitled to vote separately on the plan to dissolve.
A corporation is dissolved upon the effective date of its articles of dissolution.
A dissolved corporation continues its corporate existence but may not carry on any business
except that appropriate to wind up and liquidate its business and affairs, including:
(1) Collecting its assets;
(2) Disposing of its properties that will not be distributed in kind to its shareholders;
(3) Discharging or making provision for discharging its liabilities;
(4) Distributing its remaining property among its shareholders according to their interests;
and
(5) Doing every other act necessary to wind up and liquidate its business and affairs.
Dissolution of a corporation does not:
(1) Transfer title to the corporation's property;
(2) Prevent transfer of its shares or securities, although the authorization to dissolve may
provide for closing the corporation's share transfer records;
(3) Subject its directors or officers to standards of conduct different from those applicable to
directors and officers of a corporation which has not been dissolved (any officer or
director who conducts business on behalf of the corporation except as provided by
statute shall be personally liable for any obligation so incurred);
(4) Change quorum or voting requirements for its board of directors or shareholders; change
provisions for selection, resignation, or removal of its directors or officers or both; or
change provisions for amending its bylaws;
(5) Prevent commencement of a proceeding by or against the corporation in its corporate
name;
(6) Abate or suspend a proceeding pending by or against the corporation on the effective
date of dissolution;
(7) Terminate the authority of the registered agent of the corporation; or
(8) Make available for use by others its corporate name for a period of one year from the
effective date of its dissolution.
After dissolution is authorized, or the corporation has been dissolved pursuant to law, a
corporation shall dispose of the known claims against it. The corporation must notify its known
claimants in writing by United States Postal Service of the dissolution at any time after
dissolution is authorized. The written notice must:
(1) Describe information that must be included in a claim;
(2) Provide a mailing address where a claim may be sent;
(3) State the deadline, which may not be fewer than one hundred eighty days from the
effective date of the written notice, by which the dissolved corporation must receive the
claim; and
(4) State that the claim will be barred if not received by the deadline.
Other rules of law, including rules on the permissibility of third-party claims, to the contrary
notwithstanding, a claim against a corporation dissolved without fraudulent intent is barred:
(1) If a claimant who was given the requisite written does not deliver the claim to the
corporation by the deadline;
(2) If a claimant whose claim was rejected by the dissolved corporation does not commence
proceedings to enforce the claim within ninety days from the effective date of the
rejection notice.
A "claim" does not include a contingent liability or a claim based on an event occurring after the
effective date of dissolution.
"Fraudulent intent" is established if it is shown that the sole or primary purpose of the
authorization for dissolution was to defraud shareholders, creditors or others.
After dissolution is authorized, or the corporation has been dissolved pursuant to law, a
corporation may also publish notice of its dissolution and request that persons with claims
against the corporation present them in accordance with the notice. The notice must:
(1) Be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the
corporation's principal office, or, if none in this state, its registered office, is or was last
located;
(2) Be published one time in a publication of statewide circulation whose audience is
primarily persons engaged in the practice of law in this state and which is published not
less than four times per year;
(3) At the request of the corporation, be published by the secretary of state in an electronic
format accessible to the public;
(4) Describe the information that must be included in a claim and provide a mailing address
where the claim may be sent; and
(5) State that a claim against the corporation will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce
the claim is commenced within two years after the publication of the notice.
Other rules of law, including rules on the permissibility of third-party claims, to the contrary
notwithstanding, if a corporation dissolved without fraudulent intent publishes notices in
accordance with the statutory provisions, the claim of each of the following claimants is barred
unless the claimant commences a proceeding to enforce the claim against the dissolved
corporation within two years after the publication date of whichever of the notices was published
last:
(1) A claimant who did not receive written notice pursuant to section 351.478;
(2) A claimant whose claim was timely sent to the dissolved corporation but not acted on;
(3) A claimant whose claim is contingent or based on an event occurring after the effective
date of dissolution.
A claim may be enforced only:
(1) Against the dissolved corporation, to the extent of its undistributed assets; or
(2) If the assets have been distributed in liquidation, against a shareholder of the dissolved
corporation to the extent of the shareholder's pro rata share of the claim or the corporate
assets distributed to the shareholder in liquidation, whichever is less, but a shareholder's
total liability for all claims may not exceed the total amount of assets distributed to the
shareholder.
A claim against a corporation dissolved pursuant to statute for which claim the corporation has a
contract of insurance which will indemnify the corporation for any adverse result from such
claim:
(1) Is not subject to the provisions of §351.478 or §351.482, and may not be barred by
compliance with those sections;
(2) May be asserted at any time within the statutory period otherwise provided by law for
such claims;
(3) May be asserted against, and service of process had upon, the dissolved or dissolving
corporation for whom the court, at the request of the party bringing the suit, shall appoint
a defendant ad litem.
Assets of a dissolved corporation that should be transferred to a creditor, claimant, or shareholder
of the corporation who cannot be found or who is not competent to receive them may be reduced
to cash and deposited with the state treasurer for safekeeping. When the creditor, claimant, or
shareholder furnishes satisfactory proof of entitlement to the amount deposited, the state
treasurer or other appropriate state official shall pay him or his representative that amount.
Once the affairs of a dissolved corporation are wound up, the corporation must submit a Request
for Termination, which will allow the Secretary of State to issue a certificate of termination,
formally ending the existence of the corporation.
STEPS AND GUIDELINES TO DISSOLVE A
MISSOURI CORPORATION
Step 1: If the corporation has not issued stock or has not commenced business, follow
these instructions (If the corporation has issued stock or has commenced
business, go to Step 2) :
SEE FORM 1 - RESOLUTION TO DISSOLVE AFFIDAVIT
This form should be typed or printed legibly in BLACK ink.
Provide the name of the corporation EXACTLY as it appears on the records
of the Secretary of State.
Provide the date the Certificate of Incorporation was issued.
There is nothing to add to Sections 2, 3, 4, AND 5. BE SURE THAT THESE
STATEMENTS ARE CORRECT AS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATION.
Provide the date.
Provide the signature(s) of the director(s)/incorporator(s).
File the original and one copy of the Resolution.
The filing fee is $25.00.
You must INCLUDE the Request for Termination form (see FORM 8 , below).
The filing fee is an additional $25.00.
Mail the original and one copy of the Resolution to Dissolve Affidavit and the
two $25.00 filing fees (make checks payable to Secretary of State) to:
MAILING ADDRESS:
Corporations Division
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
STREET ADDRESS:
600 W. Main Street, Room 322
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Step 2: DISSOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND
SHAREHOLDERS OR BY WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE
SHAREHOLDERS
1. The Board of Directors may propose to the shareholders that the corporation
be dissolved. For a proposal to dissolve to be adopted by the shareholders, the
proposal MUST be recommended by the Board.
SEE FORM 2 - RESOLUTION OF DIRECTORS REGARDING
DISSOLUTION OF THE CORPORATION
2. EVERY shareholder must be notified of a shareholder's meeting to consider
dissolving the corporation.
SEE FORM 3 - NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
3. Unless the Board of Directors or the Articles of Incorporation require a greater
vote, the Resolution of the Board must be approved by 2/3 of the
shareholders.
4. In the alternative, all of the shareholders may, without action of the Board,
agree by written consent to dissolve the corporation.
SEE FORM 4 - WRITTEN CONSENT OF SHAREHOLDERS
Step 3: Once the decision to dissolve the corporation has been made and approved, then
you must file Articles of Dissolution.
SEE FORM 5 - ARTICLES OF DISSOLUTION BY VOLUNTARY
ACTION
Instructions to complete ARTICLES OF DISSOLUTION BY VOLUNTARY
ACTION:
This form should be typed or printed legibly in BLACK ink.
1. Provided the EXACT name of the corporation as it appears on the
records of the Department of State.
2. Provide the date the dissolution was authorized.
3. Provide the requested voting information.
4. Provide the effective date of the dissolution.
Provide the authorized signature, the printed name of the signer, the
signer's title, and the date.
File the original and one copy.
The filing fee is $25.00.
Mail the original and one copy of the Articles of Dissolution, along with the filing
fee of $25.00 (make check payable to Secretary of State) to:
MAILING ADDRESS
Corporations Division
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
STREET ADDRESS:
600 W. Main Street, Room 322
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Step 4: Once the corporation has been dissolved, in order to dispose of or limit all claims
against the corporation, you must complete the dissolution by doing the following
(See introduction above for details regarding these requirements ) :
1. You must mail a notice to all known claimants.
SEE FORM 6.
2. You must publish a notice to unknown claimants in order to eliminate any
potential liability from this source.
SEE FORM 7.
(1) Be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the county
where the corporation's principal office, or, if none in this state, its
registered office, is or was last located;
(2) Be published one time in a publication of statewide circulation whose
audience is primarily persons engaged in the practice of law in this state
and which is published not less than four times per year;
(3) At the request of the corporation, be published by the secretary of state in
an electronic format accessible to the public;
(4) Describe the information that must be included in a claim and provide a
mailing address where the claim may be sent; and
(5) State that a claim against the corporation will be barred unless a
proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within two years after the
publication of the notice.
Step 5: Once the affairs of a dissolved corporation are wound up, the corporation must
file a Request for Termination , which will allow the Secretary of State to issue a
Certificate of Termination, formally ending the existence of the corporation.
File the Request for Termination form (see FORM 8 , below). The filing fee is an additional
$25.00. Mail to the address on the form.
* * *
Disclaimer: If you are not an attorney, you are advised to seek the advice of an
attorney for all serious legal matters. The information and forms contained
herein are not legal advice and are not to be construed as such. Although the
information contained herein is believed to be correct, no warranty of fitness
or any other warranty must apply. All use is subject to the U.S. Legal Forms,
Inc. Disclaimer and License located at http://www.uslegalforms.com/disclaimer.htm
FORM 1
RESOLUTION TO DISSOLVE AFFIDAVIT
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http://www.uslegalforms.com/dissolution/MO/MO-Diss-initial.pdf
The form is in .pdf format and you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the form. In the unlikely
circumstance that the Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, you can download it free from
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Fill out this form, and mail it in as directed.
FORM 2
RESOLUTION OF DIRECTORS
RESOLUTION OF THE DIRECTORS
OF
_________________________________
Pursuant to Notice or Waiver of Notice, at a regular or special meeting of the Directors of
_________________________________________________________, a Missouri corporation,
upon motion duly made and seconded, the following resolution was adopted by a majority of the
Directors present in person entitled to vote thereon:
RESOLVED by the Directors of the Corporation as follows:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated this the ______ day of _____________________________, 20___.
_____________________________________
Director
_____________________________________
Director
_____________________________________
Director
Attest:
_____________________________________
Secretary
FORM 3
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
OF
_______________________________________
Pursuant to the By-Laws of the Corporation, a special meeting of the Shareholders of
__________________________________________________________, a Missouri corporation
is called for the ______ day of ____________, 20__, at ______ ___.m., to be held at the
following address:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
The purpose of the meeting is to seek shareholder approval of the Resolution to Dissolve
Corporation heretofore adopted by the Board of Directors.
This Notice given on this the _________ day of ___________, 20___, by the Secretary of the
Corporation at the direction of the Board of Directors, by mailing a true and correct copy of this
Notice to the address of each shareholder on the records of the Corporation at least 10 days prior
to such special meeting.
__________________________
Secretary
FORM 4
WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE
STOCKHOLDERS
WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE STOCKHOLDERS
OF
_________________________________
The undersigned, being all the shareholders of _______________________________________,
a Missouri corporation, hereby consent to the dissolution of the corporation.
Dated this the ______ day of ______________________________, 20___.
____________________________________
Shareholder
____________________________________
Shareholder
____________________________________
Shareholder
FORM 5
ARTICLES OF DISSOLUTION BY
VOLUNTARY ACTION
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http://www.uslegalforms.com/dissolution/MO/MO-Diss.pdf
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circumstance that the Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, you can download it free from
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Fill out this form, and mail it in as directed.
FORM 6
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION AND
REQUEST FOR CLAIMS
NOTICE OF INTENT TO VOLUNTARILY DISSOLVE A
CORPORATION AND A REQUEST FOR CLAIMS
Notice is given that Articles of Dissolution for
______________________________________________________________________________
(name of corporation), a Missouri corporation with its office at
______________________________________________________________________________
(address of office), have been filed with the Secretary of State in accordance with the laws of
the State of Missouri.
The corporation requests that all Claimants against the corporation provide written proof of their
claims to the corporation at the following address:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
All claims must be in writing and must contain sufficient information reasonably to inform the
corporation of the identity of the claimant and the substance of the claim.
All claims must be received _________________________________________ (this date can be
no earlier than 180 days from the date of this notice). All claims will be barred if not received by
this date.
DATE OF NOTICE: ______________________________
BY: _________________________________________
Name and Title
FORM 7
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION AND
REQUEST FOR CLAIMS
(For Publication)
NOTICE OF INTENT TO VOLUNTARILY DISSOLVE A
CORPORATION AND A REQUEST FOR CLAIMS
Notice is given that Articles of Dissolution for
______________________________________________________________________________
(name of corporation), a Missouri corporation with its office at
______________________________________________________________________________
(address of office), have been filed with the Secretary of State in accordance with the laws of the
State of Missouri.
The corporation requests that all Claimants against the corporation provide written proof of their
claims to the corporation at the following address:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
All claims must be in writing and must contain sufficient information reasonably to inform the
corporation of the identity of the claimant and the substance of the claim.
All claims will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within 2 years
after the publication of this notice.
DATE OF NOTICE: ______________________________
BY: _________________________________________
Name and Title
FORM 8
REQUEST FOR TERMINATION
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http://www.uslegalforms.com/dissolution/MO/MO-Diss-termination.pdf
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circumstance that the Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, you can download it free from
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html . The download is quick and easy.
Fill out this form, and mail it in as directed.