Fill and Sign the Georgia Articles of Incorporation for a Georgia Professional Corporation Form

Brian P. Kemp Secretary of State OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE CORPOR ATIONS DIVISION 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE Suite 313 West Tower Atlanta, Georgia 30334 (404) 656 -2817 sos.georgia.gov/corporations TR ANSMITT AL INFO RM ATI O N F O RM GEORGI A PROFI T OR NONPROFI T CORPORATION IMPORTANT : Please p rovide t h e en ti t y’ s pr ima r y email address when completing this form. Primary Em ail Address : NOTICE TO APPLIC ANT: PRINT PL AINLY OR TYPE REM AINDER OF THIS FORM 1. Corporate Name Reservation Number (if one has been obtained; if articles are being filed without prior reservation, leave this line blank) Corporate Name (List exactly as it appears in articles .) 2. Name of Person Filing Articles of Incorporation (Certificate will be mailed to this person at email address listed belo w.) Address City State Zip Code Filer ’s Email Address Telephone Number 3. Name of Registered Agent in Georgia Registered Office Street Address in Georgia (Post office box or mail drop not acceptable for registered office address.) GA City County State Zip Code Registered Agent’s Email Address 4. Mail the following items to the Secretary of State at the above address: 1) This transmittal form; 2) The Articles of Incorporation; and 3) Filing fee of $100.00 pa yable to Secretary of State. Filing fees are non -refundable. I certify that a Notice of Incorporation or Notice of Intent to Incorporate with a publication fee of $40.00 has been or will be mailed or delivered to the official organ of the county where the initial registered office of the corporation is to be located. (The c lerk of superior court can advise you of the offici al organ in a particular county. ) I understand that the information on this form will be entered in the Secretary of State business entity database, and I certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. Signature of Authorized Person Date Print name Title FORM 227 (Rev. 6/201 6) OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE CORPORATIONS DIVISION 313 West Tower, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Atlanta, Georgia 30334 -1530 (404) 656 -2817 Registered agent, officer, entity status information via the Internet Brian P. Kemp sos.georgia.gov/corpo rations Secretary of State FILING PROCEDURES FOR GEORGIA PROFIT AND NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. The minimum filing requirements of Georgia law are outlined herein. Many other provisions may, and perhaps should, be included in the articles. It is very simple to incorporate. The question of whether or not a person or entity should incorporate is complex. The Corporations Division strongly recommends that filers obtain professional legal, tax and/or business advice to assure the filer’s goals and intentions are met, and that requirements of the law are satisfied, both before and after incorporation. Name Reservation. A name may be reserved prior to filing. A reservation fee of $25 must accompany the request. The reservation may be made at the Corporations Division web site, http://www.georgiacorporations.org. A number that remains in effect for 30 days wi ll be provided by return e -mail within 24 hours of receipt of the request, and often sooner. Place the number on the Transmittal Form 227 that is filed with the articles of incorporation. A reservation number may also be obtained by writing to the Divis ion at the above address. Please provide the name, address and telephone number of the person making the request. Reservations are not available by telephone. Filings are accepted without a name reservation. Preparation of Articles of Incorporation. Articles of incorporation must include the information described in O.C.G.A. 14 -2-202 (profit) or O.C.G.A. 14 -3-202 (nonprofit). Articles must be submitted on white 8½x11 paper. An incorporator named in the articles or the filing attorney sh ould sign articles of incorporation. If the Chairman of the Board of Directors or corporate officer of a profit corporation has been elected, he or she may sign the articles. Beneath the signature, the signer should indicate in what capacity he or she is signing. Filing of Articles of Incorporation and Data Transmittal Form 227. The original and one copy of the articles of incorporation, a completed Transmittal Form 227, and the $100.00 filing fee should be mailed to the Corporations Division at the above address. Checks should be made payable to “Secretary of State.” Articles of incorporation are effective on the date received by the Corporations Division unless a post -effective date is specified therein. A certificate of incorporation will be ma iled to the applicant, usually in five to seven business days. “Workload issues” will sometimes result in a longer turnaround time, perhaps up to 12 business days. Filings that are not complete will be returned to the applicant along with a notice that d escribes the deficiency. If corrected and returned within 60 days the initial date of receipt will be the date of incorporation. Corporate Officers and Annual Registration. Within 90 days of incorporation, each Georgia corporation must file an initial “ annual” registration form that lists three principal officers with the Secretary of State. The fee is $50. The registration form should be filed online at georgiacorporations.org. Corporations that form between October 2 and December 31 file the init ial form between January 1 and April 1 of the ensuing year. Changes to the corporate address and/or officers throughout the year are made by filing another registration form and paying the $ 50 fee. A corporation that does not submit its annual registrati on is subject to administrative dissolution. There is a $250 fee to reinstate an administratively dissolved corporation. PROFIT CORPORATIONS. Articles of incorporation for profit corporations must contain the following information: 1. The ex act name of the corporation. 2. The number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue. This will be the maximum number of shares the corporation can issue without later amending its articles to provide for a greater number. The number cannot be “0.” 3. The street address and county of the initial registered office and the name of initial registered agent at that office. The registered office address must be a street address; a post office box, mail drop or mail center is not sufficient. The registered agent may be an individual or another entity. The registered agent must be able to be personally located at the registered office. This is the party designated by the corporation to accept notices on its behalf, and to alert the approp riate corporate personnel. 4. The name and address of each incorporator. The incorporator(s) is the person(s) who signs the articles of incorporation, delivers them to the Secretary of State for filing, and then organizes the corporation. 5. The co rporation’s initial principal mailing address. The principal office address may be a post office box, unlike the registered office which must be a street address. The principal mailing address is the address to which any correspondence from the Corpora tions Division to the corporation will be sent. An incorporator named in the articles or the filing attorney may sign the articles of incorporation. If the Chairman of the Board of Directors or corporate officer has been elected, he or she may sign. Beneath the signature, the signer should state the capacity in which he or she is signing. Thus, articles of incorporation for a profit corporation might appear as follows: Articles of Incorporation Of ABC and Associates, Inc. Article 1. The nam e of the corporation is ABC and Associates, Inc. Article 2. The corporation is authorized to issue (fill in the number) shares. (Number may not be “0”.) Article 3. The street address of the registered office is 12345 Magnolia Lane, Atlanta, Georgia 12345. The registered agent at such address is John/Jane Doe. (The registered office address must be a street address at which the agent may be personally located.) The county of the registered office is __________. Article 4. The name and address o f each incorporator is: John Doe Jane Doe Jack Doe 12345 Magnolia Lane 12345 Magnolia Lane 12345 Magnolia Lane Atlanta, GA 12345 Atlanta, GA 12345 Atlanta, GA 12345 Article 5. The principal mailing address of the corporation is 12345 Magnolia Lane , Atlanta, GA 12345. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed these Articles of Incorporation. This ________ day of _____________, 2003. John Doe (Capacity in which person is signing) NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS Articles of incorporation for nonprofit corporations include the same information required of profit corporations, except: 1) Articles of incorporation for nonprofit corporations do not include a statement regarding the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue, as s et out in the example of “Article 2” above. Rather, an article must be included which states: “The corporation is organized pursuant to the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code.” 2) Articles of incorporation for a nonprofit corporation must include a sta tement indicating whether or not the corporation will have members. For example: “The corporation will have members.” or, “The corporation will not have members.” An incorporator named in the articles, or the filing attorney, must sign nonprofit arti cles of incorporation. Note: See additional information on next page if the nonprofit corporation intends to pursue “tax -exempt” status under 501(c)(3) or some other provision of the Internal Revenue Code. Thus, articles of incorporation for a nonpro fit corporation might appear as follows: Articles of Incorporation Of ABC and Associates, Inc. Article 1. The name of the corporation is ABC and Associates, Inc. Article 2. The corporation is organized pursuant to the Georgia Nonprofit Corpora tion Code. Article 3. The street address of the registered office is 12345 Magnolia Lane, Atlanta, Georgia 12345. The registered agent at such address is John/Jane Doe. (The registered office address must be a street address at which the agent may be personally located.) The county of the registered office is __________. Article 4. The name and address of each incorporator is: John Doe Jane Doe Jack Doe 12345 Magnolia Lane 12345 Magnolia Lane 12345 Magnolia Lane Atlanta, GA 12345 Atlanta, GA 12345 Atlanta, GA 12345 Article 5. The corporation (will/will not) have members. Article 6. The principal mailing address of the corporation is 12345 Magnolia Lane, Atlanta, GA 12345. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed these Articles of Incorporation. This ________ day of _____________, 2003. John Doe (Capacity in which person is signing.) Publication of Notice of Intent to Incorporate. All corporations must publish a notice of intent to incorporate in the newspaper which is the official legal organ of the county where the initial registered office of the corporation is to be located, or in a newspaper of general circulation in such county and for which at least 60 percent of its subscriptions are paid. A list of legal org ans is published at http://www.gsccca.org/clerks , or the Clerk of Superior Court can advise you as to the legal organ in your county. The notice of intent to incorporate and a $40.00 publication fee should be forwarded directly to the newspaper no later than the next business day after filing articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. The notice should be in the following format: NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Dear Publisher: Please publish once a week for two consecutive weeks a notice in the following form: Notice is given that articles of incorporation that will incorporate (Name of Corporation) have been delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Business C orporation Code (or Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code). The initial registered office of the corporation is located at (Address of Registered Office) and its initial registered agent at such address is (Name of Registered Agent). Enclosed is (check, dra ft or money order) in the amount of $40.00 in payment of the cost of publishing this notice. Sincerely, (Authorized signature) Note to nonprofit corporations that will pursue “tax exempt” status: Nonprofit corporations are not automatically tax exemp t under 501(c)(3) or other sections of the Internal Revenue Code by filing articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. Nonprofit corporations must make an Application for Recognition of Exemption to the IRS for exempt status. Addit ional information to that required by the Secretary of State will be required in the articles of incorporation. Examples of such information are provided in IRS Publication 557. Said Publication, necessary applications, and other exempti on information can be accessed at http://www.irs.ustreas.gov , or by calling the IRS. The IRS information should be included in the articles of incorporation if tax exempt status will be sought by the nonprofit co rporation. Otherwise, an amendment to articles, and a $20 filing fee, will be required to add the material. IRS Publication 557 should be reviewed before incorporation if a nonprofit corporation wishes to be “tax exempt.” Professional legal and/or ta x advice should be obtained regarding what material may or should be included in the articles of a nonprofit corporation that wishes to be tax exempt. The Office of Secretary of State cannot offer advice in this regard. Other important information for corporations: …An Employee Identification Number will be needed. It is obtained from the Internal Revenue Service by filing Form SS -4. Call 1 -800 -829 -3676 or visit the IRS web site. …The Georgia Department of Revenue should be contacted regarding comp liance with state tax laws. Income and net worth tax information may be obtained by calling (404) 656 -4191. Sales and withholding tax information may be obtained by calling (404) 651 -8651 or at the DOR’s web site, http://www2.state.ga.us/Departments/D OR. …Many corporations will be required to obtain workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation information may be obtained by calling 1 -800 -533 -0682 or (404) 656 -3818. …Many corporations will be subject to unemployment tax requirements of th e “Georgia Employment Security Law.” Information may be obtained from the Georgia Department of Labor at (404) 656 -5590 or http://www.dol.state.ga.us . …Nonprofit corporations that will be soliciting or accepting contributions in Georgia should contact the Charitable Organizations section of the Office of Secretary of State at 802 West Tower, #2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA 30334 to determine if additional registration is required by law. The forms on the pages following were produced by USLF for your convenience and do not appear in the official Secretary of State package. You may need to modify these forms to fit your needs. USLF does not warrant that completing and filing these forms will result in your expectations being met. We strongly advise you to consult local legal, tax and financial counsel prior to forming a corporation. You may type directly into these forms. The second page following contains Notice of Incorporation forms for both Profit (Business) and Non-Profit corporations. Use the appropriate form in order to publish notice of intent to incorporate as required by law (see instructions). Articles of Incorporation for a Georgia Professional Corporation The undersigned, with the intention of creating a Georgia Professional Corporation, files the following Articles of Incorporation: 1. The name of the Professional Co rporation (hereinafter referred to as “the Corporation”) is ________________________________ _____________________________ 2. The Corporation is authori zed to issue ________ shares. (May not be “0” .) 3. The street address of the register ed office of the Corporation is: ______________________ _________________________________________________. (The registered office address must be a street address at which the agent may be personally located.) The name of the registered agent at such address is: ____________________________. The county wherein the registered offi ce is located is: __________________________. 4. The name and address of each incorporator is: NAME ADDRESS _______________________ _ ____________________________________ _______________________ _ ____________________________________ ________________________ ______ ______________________________ 5. The Corporation is organized to engage in the practice of _________________ and elects to be governed by the provisions of th e Georgia Professional Corporation Act. 6. The principal mailing address of the Corporation is: ________________________ ______________________________________________. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed these Articles of Incorporation, acknowledging the same to be my act on ______ ________________, 20___, and state that I am at least eighteen (18) years of age. ________________________ __________ ______________________________ Authorized Signature Typed/Printed Name ________________________________________ Capacity/Position NOTICE OF INCORPORATION (for Business Corporation) Dear Publisher: Please publish once a week for two consecutive weeks the below-quoted notice in the following form, (but omit the quotation marks, words contai ned in brackets, and the brackets themselves): “Notice is given that articles of incorporation that will incorporate [corporation’s name:] have been delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Business Corporation Code. The initial registered office of the corporation is located at [Addre ss of Registered Office:] and its initial registered agent at such address is [Name of Registered Agent:] .” Enclosed is (check, draft or money order) in the amount of $40.00 in payment of the cost of publishing this notice. Sincerely, Signed: __________________________________ Capacity: NOTICE OF INCORPORATION (for Non-Profit Corporation) Dear Publisher: Please publish once a week for two consecutive weeks the below-quoted notice in the following form, (but omit the quotation marks, words contai ned in brackets, and the brackets themselves): “Notice is given that articles of incorporation that will incorporate [corporation’s name:] have been delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code. The initial registered office of the corporation is located at [Addre ss of Registered Office:] and its initial registered agent at such address is [Name of Registered Agent:] .” Enclosed is (check, draft or money order) in the amount of $40.00 in payment of the cost of publishing this notice. Sincerely, Signed: __________________________________ Capacity: