The Articles of Incorporation Mississippi includes steps for a business to incorporate within the State of Mississippi. Once completed, a business can submit the Articles of Incorporation, along with any other necessary documents and fees to the State of Mississippi in order to become legally recognized as a corporation.

The articles of incorporation must include:

  • A corporate name for the business (that satisfies specific naming requirements).
  • The number of shares the business is authorized to issue, and any relevant information pertaining to the shares.
  • Contact information for each incorporator.
  • Contact information for each director.
  • The purpose of the corporation.
  • Business and management regulation.
  • The definition, limits, and regulations of the powers of the corporation, its board of directors, and its shareholders.
  • The value of shares or classes of shares.
  • A provision reducing or eliminating a director's liability to the business or its shareholders for monetary damages resulting from any action taken, or any failure to take action, except the financial benefits received by a director to which they are not entitled, any intentional wrongdoing by the corporation or its shareholders, any violation of the law, or any intentional violation of criminal law.
  • A provision permitting indemnification of a director for liability to any person for any action taken, or any failure to take action, except the financial benefits received by a director to which they are not entitled, any intentional wrongdoing by the corporation or its shareholders, any violation of the law, or any intentional violation of criminal law.

How to Incorporate a Business in Mississippi

There are several steps your business must take in order to legally form a corporation in Mississippi:

  1. First, classify the type of entity. The main categories are profit, nonprofit, domestic, and foreign. The type of entity you choose will affect how you form and operate this corporation.
  2. Choose a unique and distinguishable name. You must also designate the entity as a corporation by using a word of incorporation, such as "Corporation," "Corp.," "Incorporated," "Inc.," etc. Make sure that your name is, in fact, unique, by searching the Mississippi Secretary of State Business records.
  3. To use the search feature, select the first tab, "Business Name," in the main area, and enter the business name for which you'd like to search. Choose the appropriate radio buttons to enable the Search Criteria, which will allow you to search for numerous variations of your chosen name. When you're ready, click "Search."
  4. The Search Results page will present all business names matching your criteria in a table. You can filter your results by Type, Status, and Create Date. Click on the "Details" button to find more information regarding the selected business.
  5. The "Details" page will appear in a pop-up window. Details include the name of the entity, business information, and the contact information for the registered agent, directors, and officers of the entity.
  6. After you've found a unique name for your company and have decided which entity type you'd like to form, you have the option of reserving the name while you submit your documents. This is not required, but may be useful, depending on your situation.
  7. Depending on which entity you've chosen to establish, you may need to deal with additional agencies, such as the Regulatory Boards and the IRS. By the time legal formation occurs, all corporations must have designated a registered agent, which is an entity that agrees to accept service of process for the forming corporation. The registered agent needs to maintain a registered office whose physical location is within the State of Mississippi.
  8. After you've completed the necessary steps to form your corporation and have filed your Mississippi Articles of Incorporation, you must sign up for an account and submit your information to the Mississippi Secretary of State. Fill out any applicable forms and submit them by mail or online.
  9. Include your full payment of the filing fee (which ranges from $50 to $500). If you're establishing a for-profit corporation, your fee will depend on the amount of stock that has been authorized.

Filing the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation

The Mississippi Secretary of State provides an online template form so that an entity may easily satisfy all necessary Articles of Incorporation requirements in order to incorporate. If you prefer to file by mail, you may still use the form and mail it to the appropriate Mississippi Secretary of State address for your filing.

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