How to Amend a Mississippi Articles of Incorporation

As your Mississippi corporation grows, its information might change. Should you need to change any information relating to your corporation’s legal structure, you’ll have to amend your Articles of Incorporation. This guide will break down your Articles of Incorporation and how and why you might need to file amendments.

In order to form a corporation in Mississippi, you must file Articles of Incorporation. This is a legal document filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State. It includes basic information such as:

• The business name
• Type of business entity
• Nature or purpose of business
• Effective date of organization
• Name and address of registered agent
• Organization’s principal location
• Organization’s duration (usually perpetual)
• Information regarding directors and officers
• The number of shares of stock
• The class of stock
• The par value of the stock
• Date of effective filing
• Authorized representative signature

It’s easy to make errors when registering your business. For help forming your corporation and completing the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation, consider our Mississippi corporation formation service.

Step 1: Determine whether you need to change your Mississippi Articles of Incorporation

To form a legal corporation in Mississippi, you’re required to file the Articles of Incorporation. By doing so, your business will be legally recognized in Mississippi and entitled to the benefits of a corporation. These benefits may include liability protection, business credibility, and tax benefits. You’ll also be able to perform necessary business functions, such as acquiring a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), signing contracts, gaining funding through investors and lenders, and obtaining business licenses and permits.

As your business inevitably grows, you may need to make changes to the information that you provided in your original Articles of Incorporation. You must inform the State of Mississippi of any changes or additions to your business, many of which can be made with an amendment filing. Examples include business name changes, article changes, or the addition of company shares.

All information provided in the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation becomes publicly accessible, so you must keep that information accurate. A Mississippi registered agent is responsible for receiving any service of process and other important communications from the Secretary of State, so you must inform the state if any information about the registered agent changes to ensure that you don’t miss anything. It’s also vital to the success of your business to meet the Mississippi compliance regulations so that you don’t have any negative auditing results.

Step 2: Review requirements for your Mississippi amendment

Typically, some changes can be indicated on your Mississippi annual report. Other changes require you to file an amendment. Amendments to the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation are usually required for the following information:

• Entity name change
• Entity purpose or nature change
• Changes in authorized shares
• Changes in the type/class/series of authorized shares
• Changes in the number of directors
• Any changes regarding registered agents, including location, removal, or appointment
• Any other additions to the original filing

If your business information is inconsistent with the state’s records of your Articles of Incorporation, then you might fall out of compliance. State compliance is necessary to access a Mississippi Certificate of Good Standing (CGS). A CGS is a legal document that proves that your business was properly incorporated and in compliance with state regulations. It’s necessary for certain business functions, which may include acquiring funding from investors and lenders who will want confirmation of your business’s legal status. Businesses that wish to do business in another state as a foreign (out-of-state) entity will also require a CGS to register in the state. In short, keeping your business compliant is critical to the long-term growth of your business.

Step 3: File your Mississippi amendment

If you file an amendment for the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation, include as much supporting documentation as you can provide. Your documentation should be meticulous and accurate. If there are any discrepancies or errors, your filing may be rejected. Filing an amendment right the first time may take a bit more time and effort but will ensure that you don’t have to pay for repeated amendment filings for small errors.

Conclusion

To ensure the success and compliance of your business, you’ll need to know how to file an amendment to a corporation in Mississippi. This will help you to maintain your business’s entitlement to various corporation benefits. This includes access to a CGS, which is necessary for many business functions, as well as liability protection and tax benefits. Consider our Worry-Free Compliance service, which includes two yearly amendments and can help with your annual report. You can relax knowing that your business information is accurate and in compliance with state regulations and focus instead on growing your business.

If you aren’t sure where to start, we have several business formation plans you can choose from. We can also help you with filing amendments and we have a registered agent service, which means that we can help you find a professional to handle receiving service of process and other important communications. This helps ensure that your documents are properly managed and that you enjoy business compliance, added protection, and better legal documentation organization.