What is Certificate of Incorporation?

A certificate of incorporation is a document that affirms the company or organization's formation. Also known as the articles of incorporation or a corporate charter, this document is the fundamental base for doing business as a corporation. Any person who is authorized by the company or organization can file for articles of incorporation.

Who needs a Certificate of Incorporation?

Business people who need their organization to work as an enterprise, a legitimate substance that is discrete from and that gives individual obligation insurance to its proprietors, should document a testament of fuse structure.

They should have their certificate of incorporation signed and approved by the state authority before they commence their business. Some examples include:

1. Open a corporate bank account
2. Apply for business licenses and permits
3. Hire employees
4. File taxes

What information does a Certificate of Incorporation include?

The information in a certificate of incorporation form are mentioned below:

1. Type of organization
2. Name of the organization
3. The registered address of the office
4. Name of the organization registered agent and location
5. Incorporator Name
6. The board of directors (Name and Address) 
7. Effective date 
8. Purpose of the business
9. Additional provisions

What are the documents required to file for a Certificate of Incorporation?

Along with the certificate of incorporation, the other documents required to file:

1. Application for Reservation of Name
2. Application for Authority
3. Certificate of Dissolution

What is the cost to file for a Certificate of Incorporation?

The fees for filing for a certificate of incorporation can vary from state to state. The fee in every state depends on the state authority, it might apply to all corporations, or it might depend on the number of authorized shares the corporation will have or a combination of the two. The fee of file for a certificate of incorporation can be found by visiting the state’s Secretary of State Office website.
Other legal and government fees might include:

1. State franchise tax 
2. Business licenses and permits 
3. Advocate fees 

What are the steps to obtain a Certificate of Incorporation?

Steps to follow :

1. Acquire a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and Directors Identification Number (DIN) 
2. Application for name approval
3. Creating of Memorandum of Association (MOA) 
4. Creating of Articles of Association (AOA)
5. Filing the e-forms 
6. Payment of fees with the Registrar
7. Issuance of Certificate of Incorporation.

What is the use of a Certificate of Incorporation?

There are many scenarios where you might require a certificate of incorporation. For example: - 
1. To open a business bank account, 
2. Apply for any loan, and 
3. Sell shares to new investors. 

It is, therefore, critical to have a certificate of incorporation safe and accessible at all times.

Does a company require a Certificate of Incorporation when changing the name of the Company?

The answer is yes; a company requires a certificate of incorporation while changing the name of the company. If the corporation wishes to change any other details, the corporation will require a certificate of incorporation. The new certificate of incorporation will be the same, including the corporation registration number and date of incorporation. Both copies of the certificate of incorporation shall be kept in the corporation's registered office.