How to Amend an Alaska Certificate of Incorporation

What are Alaska Articles of Incorporation?

Alaska Articles of Incorporation establish a corporation in the State of Alaska — called a “domestic corporation.” Review and approval of Alaska Articles of Incorporation may take longer during certain times of the year. File your Articles of Incorporation correctly and in a timely manner so you don’t get caught in seasonal or weather delays!

We can help you navigate the potential pitfalls of forming an Alaska registered business. Let us help guide you through our Alaska corporate formation service. 

Step 1: Determine if you need to change your Alaska Certificate of Incorporation

When information in a registered business’s Articles of Incorporation needs to be changed, added, deleted, or updated, a company is required to inform the state. Keeping current information on file with the state means that the state can recognize your business as a legal entity. Companies might make updates for any of the following reasons (and more):

• To provide public information for contact purposes
• To update registered agent details for service of process
• To inform the public of other material information for compliance and auditing purposes

Check to see if your business needs to update its Articles of Incorporation today, and make amendments accordingly. 

Failure to update your Articles of Incorporation means that the State of Alaska won’t issue you a Certificate of Compliance, also called a Certificate of Good Standing. If your registered business can’t get a Certificate of Compliance, you may be limited in many basic business functions. You may not be able to open a bank account or maintain your business licenses. This limits your company’s growth inside Alaska and beyond. 

Step 2: Review requirements for your Alaska amendment

A few things to keep in mind when considering or filing changes to your Articles of Incorporation include the following:

• What changes to the Articles need to be reported
• What information do you need to make the filing 
• What can’t be changed through filing Articles of Amendment

Let’s take a look at some of these factors. 

Report any changes to your business name, whether you issued shares, the number of shares, and any other changes to the articles like “deletions, edits, corrections, or renumbering.” Provide supporting materials showing how and why these changes are being made, like board minutes, shareholder votes, or other proof to support the amendment(s) as well.

Step 3: Gather information for your Alaska amendment

You will need your Alaska Entity Number. This number is available by searching the Alaska Corporations Database and must be included on the amendment form. The amendment form requires two signatures. The corporate president or vice president signs the form, either by wet ink or digitally. The secretary or assistant secretary on record with the Division of Corporations must also sign.

What can’t be changed in the Articles of Amendment?

Filing Articles of Amendment can change a few key pieces of information. More detailed filings change fundamental details about the company. For example, an Articles of Amendment filing cannot change:

• The corporate officers and directors
• The principal address of the corporation
• The registered agent of the corporation

If you need to change your officers, address, or registered agent, Alaska requires separate filings and forms. Instead of shuffling through paperwork, we can help you see the forest for the trees and focus on your Alaska business. We offer worry-free compliance, registered agent, and amendment services to help keep you focused on the smooth running of your business.

Step 4: File your Alaska Articles of Amendment

Alaska has a few ways to make necessary changes to your Certificate of Incorporation: Articles of Amendment, Restated Articles of Incorporation, and Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. With limited exceptions, the Articles of Amendment allow you to add articles and make fundamental changes to your articles. Restated Articles of Incorporation simply restate the original Articles of Incorporation. 

Alaska’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation filing option combines the corporation’s original Articles of Incorporation and the desired amendments into one document. This option makes it easy for businesses to update and communicate changes to their Articles of Incorporation due to its clear format. The cost is the same for both types of amendments. 

Regardless of which type of amendment you choose, we can make the amendment process easier with its worry-free compliance service, which includes two amendments to your Articles of Incorporation. Let us help you get a handle on your corporate compliance requirements and get peace of mind!