All states have printable forms that can be used to file Articles of Incorporation. In some states, such as Indiana, these are clearly labeled as LLC Articles of Incorporation, but other states refer to the Articles of Incorporation as an Operating Agreement or an LLC Operating Agreement. In a few states, the same format can be used for both corporations and LLCs. In most states, the filing requirements for a corporation or an LLC are very similar. The Articles of Incorporation will need to be filed with the state's Secretary of State office.
You can submit the Articles of Incorporation online, or you can mail a hard copy. Just make sure that you follow it up with payment in the same form. In other words, if you submit your paperwork online, submit the payment online. Sending the payment along with the Articles of Incorporation allows the government to file your Articles faster, provided you haven't made any errors.
Most states require you to use the state's own Articles of Incorporation form. A few states allow you to draft your own Articles of Incorporation if you title the document appropriately and include your business's name, business address, desire to form an LLC, and business owners' names. If you want your business to be treated as a separate entity for tax purposes, your state may also require that you include that information on the form. However, even if you do put the taxation request on this document, you must officially petition the IRS to make it binding.
Interested in learning what you need to form an LLC? Visit our LLC Map for a quick overview of everything you'll need in all fifty states.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.