How to File Articles of Incorporation in New Mexico

When you’re ready to incorporate, you’ll file Articles of Incorporation with the Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. Note that once you file your Articles of Incorporation, the information they contain becomes public record.

How to Complete the Articles of Incorporation Form

After you complete your Articles of Incorporation, you can mail, fax, or deliver them in person to the Secretary of State’s office. New Mexico doesn’t currently allow online filing of Articles of Incorporation. While you can’t file your Articles of Incorporation online, you can download an online form to print and fill out for offline filing.

For a domestic (in-state) entity filing Articles of Incorporation, you must include the following information:

• The name of your corporation. It must include “Corporation,” “Limited,” “Incorporated,” or an appropriate abbreviation.
• Official office. This is your principal place of business, and it must have a physical mailing address. You cannot use a P.O. Box.
• Duration. Basically, you’re being asked how long you expect your business to exist. If you expect it to last for a set period, enter the number of years projected. If it will be open indefinitely, check “Perpetual” on the Articles of Incorporation form.
• The number of authorized shares. In New Mexico, you don’t need to include the par value of the shares. Par value is the face value of an individual share set by the company. If the shares have series or classes, however, you must attach a schedule that outlines their limitations and rights.
• Registered agent. Every New Mexico corporation is required to have a registered agent. The registered agent receives government and legal documents on your company’s behalf. The agent must reside in the state and have an office open during regular business hours. You can appoint someone, use another corporation, or be your own registered agent. The registered agent must complete a Statement of Acceptance of Appointment, which is included with the downloadable Articles of Incorporation form.
• The purpose of your corporation. This may be a brief descriptor, such as “car repair” or “plumbing.”
• Directors. List the names and addresses of your initial directors. New Mexico law requires only one initial director. But if you plan to operate a nonprofit corporation, the IRS requires that a company have at least three directors to qualify for tax-exempt status.
• Incorporator. This is the individual who signs your Articles of Incorporation. You’ll need at least one, but you can have more. Include their names and addresses.

Note that the name of your business must not be in use by any other business in New Mexico. You can check the New Mexico Business Search page to see if your name is available.

You must also select a registered agent. You can be your own registered agent, but there are reasons you may want to avoid this. For instance, the registered agent is the point of contact for official notices, like subpoenas, which may be embarrassing to receive in front of clients.

ZenBusiness offers a Registered Agent Service. Our registered agent providers will accept documents on behalf of your corporation, and then post them to your ZenBusiness dashboard so you can examine them when needed.

Include supplemental form(s)

Supplemental forms you might need in New Mexico include:

• The Certificate of Good Standing (for a foreign corporation)
• A schedule that shows the classes or series of your shares and outlines their limitations and rights
• The Statement of Acceptance of Appointment signed by the registered agent

How to Submit the Form

There are fees involved with filing your Articles of Incorporation in New Mexico. There’s a basic fee for up to 100,000 shares. If you need the process expedited, you can do so for an extra fee. You need to file an original and one copy. Don’t forget to include the registered agent statement and your fees.

In New Mexico, it can take a few months to complete the Articles of Incorporation approval process. You can pay a fee to expedite the process, which cuts the process to two business days. For an additional fee, you can complete it in one business day. The expedite fee must be on a separate check. Don’t pay for the original Articles of Incorporation fee and the expedite fee on the same check or it will be rejected.

After you file, you’ll want to make sure you stay in good standing with the state. Use our Worry Free Compliance service to put your mind at ease and focus on what’s important.

Conclusion

Handling the various tasks required to file your Articles of Incorporation can be a time-consuming process. ZenBusiness can help. We can complete your Articles of Incorporation as part of our Business Formation Plans. This means that you can get your business up and running as soon as possible.