State



This chart provides information necessary for foreign qualifications in 50 states. At a glance this chart provides the correct short title and citation of the foreign corporation statutes of 50 states, as well as corporate name requirements, forms to be filed, amendments required and whether or not tax certificate is required for withdrawal.

For sample director's consent, name requirements and reservations and other general information, if you are a LeapLaw subscriber, check LeapLaw's Foreign Qualification Best Practice Summary. | |

|LeapLaw's Reference Chart |

|50 State Foreign Qualification Forms, Laws and Requirements[1] |

|State |Title |Corporation Statute |Forms Filed for Qualification |Corporate Name Endings |Amendments Required |Tax Certificate Required |

| | | | | | |for Withdrawal |

| |Alaska Business Corporation Act | |Certificate of Authority |"corporation," "company," "incorporated," |Name Change and Purpose |Not Required |

|AK | |Alaska Stat. § 10.06.705 et | |"limited" or abb. | | |

| | |seq. | | | | |

| |Arizona Corporations and |Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann 10 | |"association" "bank" "corporation" "company" |Name Change, State of |Required |

|AZ |Associations |Chapter 15 et seq. | |"incorporated" "limited" or abb. thereof |Incorporation and Duration | |

| | | |Application for Authority | |[Note: A new application of | |

| | | | | |authority is filed rather than an | |

| | | |Certificate of Disclosure | |amendment] | |

| | | | | | | |

| |Arkansas Business Corporation Act |Ark. Code Ann § 4-27-1501 et |Certificate of Authority |“corporation” “incorporated” “company” |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required (but must |

|AR | |seq. | |limited” or abb. |Jurisdiction |submit final franchise tax|

| | | | | | |report with withdrawal |

| | | | | | |certificate) |

|CA |California Corporations Code |California Corporations Code |Statement and Designation by |natural persons names may be used with |Name Change |Required |

| | |§ 2100-2117 et seq. |Foreign Corporation |appropriate corporate ending | | |

|CO |Colorado Corporations and |Colo. Rev. Stat. Title |Application for Authority to |"corporation" "limited" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| |Associations Act |7-115-101 et seq. |Transact Business |"company" or abb. |Duration | |

|CT |Connecticut Business Corporation |Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-920 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" or abb.|Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| |Act |seq. | |thereof |Duration | |

| |Delaware General Corporation Laws |Del. Code Ann. tit. 8 § |Foreign Corporation Certificate |"association" "company" "limited" |Name Change |Not Required |

|DE | |371-385 et seq. | |"corporation" "club" "fund" "union" | | |

| | | | |"foundation" "society" "incorporated" | | |

| | | | |"institute" "syndicate" or abb. | | |

| |District of Columbia Business |D.C. Code Ann. |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

|DC |Corporation Act |§ 29 Chapter 3 et seq. | |"limited" or abb. |Purpose | |

|FL |Florida Business Corporation Act |Fla. Stat. Ann. § 607.1702 et|Application of Foreign |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" or abb.|Name Change, Jurisdiction, |Not Required |

| | |seq. |Corporation to Transact Business|thereof |Duration and Purpose | |

|GA |Georgia Business Corporation Code |Ga. Code Ann. § 14-3-1501 et | |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Not Required |

| | |seq. |Certificate of Authority |"limited" or abb. | | |

|HI |Hawaii Revised Business |Haw. Rev. Stat. § Ch. 414-431|Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" or "limited" or |Name Change |Not Required |

| |Corporation Act | | |abb. thereof | | |

| |Idaho Business Corporation Act |Idaho Code § 30-1-1501 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "limited" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Not Required |

|ID | |seq. | |"incorporated" or abb. thereof (if co. is used| | |

| | | | |it may not be immediately before "and" or "&")| | |

|IL |Illinois Business Corporation Act |805 ILCS 5/13 et seq. |Application for Authority to |"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change, Jurisdiction, Purpose|Not Required |

| |of 1983 | |Transact Business |"incorporated" or abb. thereof |and Duration | |

|IN |Indiana Business Corporation Law |Indiana Code Title 23-17-26 |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "limited" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| | | | |"company" or abbreviation thereof |Duration | |

|IA |Iowa Business Corporation Act |Iowa Code Ann. § 490-1501 |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "limited" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| | | | |"company," or abbreviation thereof |Duration | |

|KS |Kansas General Corporation Act |KSA § 17-7301 et seq. |Foreign Corporation Application |"association" "church" "college" "company" |Certified copy of amendment to |Not Required |

| | | | |"union" "corporation" "club" "fund" |change name | |

| | | | |"foundation" "incorporated," "institute" | | |

| | | | |"society" "syndicate" "limited" or | | |

| | | | |abbreviations | | |

|KY |Kentucky Business Corporation Act |Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. 271B.1-15|Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change, Jurisdiction, |Not Required |

| | |et seq. | |"incorporated" or abbreviations |Duration | |

|LA |Louisiana Business Corporation Law|LRS § 12-301 et. seq. |Application for Authority to |"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change, Jurisdiction |Required |

| | | |Transact Business |"incorporated" or abbreviation | | |

| | | | |(company or co. cannot be preceded by "and" or| | |

| | | | |"&") | | |

|ME |Maine Business Corporation Act |MRSA Title 13-C-1501 |Application for Authority to |no specific word or abbreviation necessary |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Not Required |

| | | |Transact Business | | | |

|MD |Maryland Corporations and |Maryland Corporations and |Foreign Corporation |"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Not Required |

| |Associations |Associations 7-201 et seq. |Qualification |"incorporated" or abbreviation thereof | | |

| | | | |(company or co. cannot be preceded by "and" or| | |

| | | | |"&") | | |

|MA |Massachusetts General Laws |MGL Ch. 156D, |Foreign Corporation Certificate |"Corporation" “Company” "Incorporated" |Name Change, Purpose, Location of |Not Required (under 156D) |

| | |Part 15 | |"Limited" or abbreviation thereof |MA Office and FYE | |

|MI |Michigan Business Corporation Act |Mich. Corp. Laws Ann. |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Purpose and Stock |Required |

| | |450.2001 et seq. | |"limited" | | |

|MN |Minnesota Business Corporation Act|Minn. Stat. Ann. § 303 et |Foreign Corporation Registration|"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Not Required |

| | |seq. | |"incorporated" or abbreviation thereof | | |

| | | | |(company or co. cannot be preceded by "and" or| | |

| | | | |"&") | | |

|MS |Mississippi Business Corporation |Miss. Code Ann. § 79-4-15 et |Certificate of Authority |"incorporated" "company" "limited" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| |Act |seq. | |"corporation" or abbreviations |Jurisdiction | |

|MO |General and Business Corporation |Mo. Rev. Stat. 351.572 et |Certificate of Authority |"incorporated" "company" "limited" |Name Change, Duration and |Required |

| |Law of Missouri |seq. | |"corporation" or abbreviations |Jurisdiction | |

|MT |Montana Business Corporation Act |Mont. Code Ann. 35-1-1026 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" |Name Change, Duration and |Required |

| | |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviations |Jurisdiction | |

|NB |Nebraska Business Corporation Act |Neb. Rev. Stat § 21-1902 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| | |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviations |Jurisdiction | |

|NV |Nevada Private Corporations, |NRS § 80.001 et seq. |Qualification to do Business |natural persons names may be used with |Name Change, Stock, Purpose |Not Required |

| |Business Corporation Act | | |appropriate corporate ending | | |

|NH |New Hampshire Business Corporation|N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "limited" or |Name Change, Duration and |Required |

| |Act |293A:15.01 et seq. | |abbreviation thereof |Jurisdiction | |

| | | |Securities Statement | | | |

|NJ |New Jersey Business Corporation |N.J. Stat. Ann. § 14A:13-3 et|Business Registration |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" or |Name Change, Duration, |Required |

| |Act |seq. |Certificate |abbreviation thereof and abbreviation "Ltd" |Jurisdiction and Purpose | |

|NM |New Mexico Business Corporation |N.M. Stat. Ann. § 53-17-1 et |Foreign Profit Qualification |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change and Purpose |Required by Tax and |

| |Act |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | |Employment |

|NY |New York Business Corporation Law |N.Y Bus. Corp. § 1304 et seq.|Application for Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Required |

| | | | |"limited" or abb. | | |

|NC |North Carolina Business |NC Gen. Stat. § 55-15-01 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| |Corporation Act |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof |Jurisdiction | |

|ND |North Dakota Business Corporation |N.D. Cent. Code § 10-22.1-01 |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "limited" "company" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| |Act |et seq. |Consent of Resident Agent |"incorporated" or abbreviation |Jurisdiction | |

| | | | |(company or co. cannot be preceded by "and" or| | |

| | | | |"&") | | |

|OH |Ohio General Corporation Law |Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1703.01|Foreign Corporation Application |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change and Purpose |Required or “Affidavit in |

| | |et seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | |lieu of Surrender for a |

| | | | | | |Foreign Corp.” |

|OK |Oklahoma General Corporation Act |Okla. Stat. Tit 18 § 1130 et |Certificate of Qualification |"association" "club" "company" "fund" |Name Change, Purpose, Jurisdiction|Not Required |

| | |seq. | |"limited" "corporation" "union" "society" |and Stock | |

| | | | |"foundation" | | |

| | | | |"incorporated" "institute" "syndicate" or | | |

| | | | |abbreviations | | |

|OR |Oregon Business Corporation Act |Or. Rev. Stat. § 60.701 et |Application of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| | |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof |Jurisdiction | |

|PA |Pennsylvania Business Corporation |15 Pa. Code § 4124 et seq. |Certificate of Authority |“association" "fund" "syndicate" "company" |Name Change |Department of Labor and |

| |Law of 1988 | | |"corporation" | |Department of Revenue |

| | | | |"incorporated" or abbreviations | |Clearances Required |

|RI |Rhode Island Business Corporation |R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1401 |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Purpose and Stock |Required |

| |Act |et seq. (7/1/2005) | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | | |

|SC |South Carolina Business |S.C. Code Ann. § 33-15 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Duration and |Not Required |

| |Corporation Act |seq. |Initial Annual Report of |"limited" or abbreviation thereof |Jurisdiction | |

| | | |Corporations | | | |

|SD |South Dakota Business Corporations|S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "limited" or |Name Change, Duration, |Not Required |

| |Act |47-8-1 et seq. | |abbreviation thereof |Jurisdiction, Purpose and Stock | |

|TN |Tennessee Business Corporation Act|Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-25 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" or |Name Change, Duration and |Required |

| | |seq. | |abbreviation |Jurisdiction | |

|TX |Texas Business Corporation Act |Tex. Bus. Corp. Act Art. 1.09|Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" or |Name Change, Purpose, Jurisdiction|Required |

| | |et seq. | |abbreviation | | |

|UT |Utah Revised Business Corporation |Utah Code Ann. § 16-10a-1501 |Application for Authority |"corporation" "incorporated" "company" or |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Required |

| |Act |et seq. | |abbreviation |Purpose | |

|VT |Vermont Business Corporation Act |Vt. Stat. Ann. 11A § 15 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| | |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof |Purpose | |

|VA |Virginia Stock Corporation Act |Va. Code Ann. § 13.1-757 et |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change and Jurisdiction |Statement swearing that |

| | |seq. | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | |all taxes have been paid. |

|WA |Washington Business Corporation |RCW § 23B.15 et seq. |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change |Required |

| |Act | | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | | |

|WV |West Virginia Business Corporation|W. Va. Code § 31D-17 et seq. |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change |Required from Bureau of |

| |Act | | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof | |Employment Programs and |

| | | | | | |Tax Commissioner |

|WI |Wisconsin Business Corporation Law|Wis. Stat. 180-1501 et seq. |Certificate of Authority |"corporation" "company" "incorporated" |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| | | | |"limited" or abbreviation thereof |Duration | |

|WY |Wyoming Business Corporation Act |Wyo. Stat. § 17-16-1501 et |Certificate of Authority |no specific requirements |Name Change, Jurisdiction and |Not Required |

| | |seq. | | |Duration | |

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[1] NOTE: This chart provides general information regarding the foreign qualification process in all 50 states. LeapLaw subscribers can access this chart with live links, notations, laws and forms at by searching the term "qualification". The chart is listed under forms.

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