LLC Articles of Organization are the legal paperwork that members (i.e., company owners) use to form a limited liability company. The Articles provide your state government with the information it requires so you can register your business as an LLC.

Depending on your state, LLC Articles of Organization are also known as Certificates of Organization or Certificates of Formation.

The components of LLC Articles of Organization vary depending on each state’s jurisdiction. However, Articles usually include the following:

• The company’s name and address
• The company’s purpose
• Expected duration of the LLC (perpetual or limited)
• Registered agent’s name
• Address of the registered office
• Management structure

To register your business as an LLC, you must file your Articles of Organization with the appropriate government office in your state.

Where is LawDepot's template suitable for?

LawDepot currently offers LLC Articles of Organization templates for the following states: 

Yes, you must submit LLC Articles of Organization to your Secretary of State's office to legally form a limited liability company. Your organizer (i.e., whoever signs the Articles) should submit the Articles before operating your business.

There are many advantages to forming an LLC for business owners. By registering your business as an LLC, you turn it into its own entity. This means the company has its own rights, responsibilities, and liabilities. It can own assets and accumulate debt. The LLC’s members have reduced liability in this structure because they aren’t forced to use their individual assets to satisfy the company’s debts.

An LLC also comes with flexible management structures and pass-through taxation.

Yes, Certificate of Formation is an alternative name for LLC Articles of Organization commonly used in Alabama, Delaware, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Texas, and Washington.

Articles of Organization are also called Certificates of Organization in Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Utah.

The main difference between LLC Articles of Organization and an LLC Operating Agreement is that Articles of Organization are an external document and an Operating Agreement is an internal document.

LLC Articles of Organization are filed with your Secretary of State to register a business as an LLC. 

An LLC Operating Agreement is an internal document for LLC members that outlines the following:

• Capital contributions and distributions
• Management and voting rules
• Membership and dissolution practices
• The LLC’s operations

Articles of Incorporation are similar to LLC Articles of Organization. However, you use Articles of Incorporation to form a corporation instead of an LLC.

A company's incorporator files Articles of Incorporation with their jurisdiction's Secretary of State. The articles outline essential details about the corporation, such as:

• Name and address
• Members
• Number of authorized shares
• Type (e.g., profit, non-profit, or professional)
• Registered agent
• Duration

You can easily create LLC Articles of Organization by completing LawDepot’s questionnaire, where we will ask you to provide the necessary information.

What do I include in LLC Articles of Organization?

What you must include in your LLC Articles of Organization depends on your state's requirements. At a minimum, no matter what state you're forming an LLC within, you'll have to provide the following information:

• The name of the LLC (and possibly the principal address)
• The name and address of the LLC's registered agent

You can file your Articles of Organization online or by mailing the documents to the Secretary of State's office. The price of filing LLC Articles of Organization varies from state to state, but it will generally be between $50 to $200.

Arizona and New York require that an LLC publish a notice of formation in a local newspaper after receiving approval from the state government.

To make changes to your LLC Articles of Organization, your state government will typically require you to file Articles of Amendment. 

However, review your LLC's Operating Agreement before making any changes to your Articles of Organization. The Operating Agreement should have bylaws regarding how to make amendments.

Your state will also have specific rules regarding amendments to the Articles of Organization. Reviewing them will help ensure you follow the proper procedures.

The rules for naming an LLC vary from state to state.

One common rule among most states is that your LLC's name needs to be distinguishable from other company names on record with the state department.

California, Illinois, Louisiana, and New York have varying rules prohibiting company names that imply the LLC is a bank, insurance company, or another financial institute.

The name of a company in Georgia can't be longer than 80 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

A Texas LLC's name can't contain any language implying it benefits war veterans or their families unless a congressionally recognized veteran's association provides permission.

An LLC's name in Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia needs to indicate that it provides a professional service. Professional services usually contain the words "Professional Limited Liability Company" or the abbreviation "P.L.L.C.," "P.L.C.," "PLLC," or "PLC" in the company name. When naming a PLLC, check your state legislation for specific rules.

Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee prohibit an LLC's name from containing any language stating or implying that the company has a connection with a state, governmental agency, corporation, or other entity chartered under the laws of the United States.