Kentucky Articles of Organization

How to File Your Kentucky Articles of Organization

The Kentucky Secretary of State’s online business forms library provides Articles of Organization forms that you can fill out and file. You need to include many pieces of information in your State of Kentucky Articles of Organization to make them valid. Below, we have provided a list of information you’ll likely need to gather before filing.

Step 1: Submit your LLC’s official name

The first thing you need to provide on your LLC’s Articles of Organization is the official name you’ve chosen for your company. You’re mostly unfettered when it comes to choosing the LLC name you want, but there are a few state laws you have to follow. Under Kentucky law, an LLC name must:

• Contain the words or abbreviations “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “LLC,” “LC,” or “LTD CO”
• Be distinguishable from any other name on record with the Secretary of State

You might not have a hard time coming up with the official name for your LLC. But if you aren’t ready to file immediately, you’ll want to ensure that your chosen name doesn’t get taken by someone else in the interim.

Step 2: Provide the name and address of your LLC’s initial Registered Agent and Registered Office

Having a good Registered Agent is a crucial part of properly starting and running your LLC. Your LLC’s Registered Agent is responsible for receiving important legal documents and service of process for your company. The Registered Agent must maintain a presence in your LLC’s Registered Office, which must have a street address in the state. 

Finding a Registered Agent who can fulfill all your LLC’s needs can be tricky. Fortunately, your search for a Registered Agent doesn’t have to eat up much of your time. Our Registered Agent Service can help you find the right person quickly. 

Step 3: Include signed consent from your LLC’s Registered Agent

Before forming the business, your LLC’s Registered Agent has to give consent to fulfill the role. A Registered Agent can sign your LLC’s Articles of Organization, or you can include a separate written consent with your Articles of Organization. 

Step 4: Provide the address of your LLC’s Principal Office

Your LLC’s Principal Office is necessary for receiving correspondence from the Secretary of State. It can be the same as or different from your LLC’s Registered Office. Unlike the Registered Office, a Principal Office address can be inside or outside of the state, a street address, or a post office box. 

Step 5: State whether managers or members will manage your LLC

By default, members are not only LLC owners but also managers. If you don’t want your LLC’s members to have management duties, you can hire separate managers instead. Whichever management path you choose, you need to state your choice in your LLC Articles of Organization in KY. 

Step 6: Have an organizer sign your Articles of Organization

An LLC organizer is someone who delivers the LLC’s Articles of Organization to the Secretary of State. An organizer doesn’t have to be an LLC member, but they must sign the KY LLC Articles of Organization before filing them.  

Where to File Your Kentucky Articles of Organization

You can file your State of Kentucky Articles of Organization by mail or in person. If you choose one of these options, you also need to provide an acceptable duplicate of your filing. If you’re not a fan of making copies or filing paper versions of your document, you can file your Articles of Organization online. When filing for your business registration in Kentucky, you’ll need to pay a filing fee as well. 

What are the next steps?

Your LLC might be official in the eyes of Kentucky law once you file your Articles of Organization, but you normally need to take additional steps to run your business correctly.

Create an Operating Agreement

As an owner, you can retain a lot of control over how your company operates. If you can, it’s often wise to maximize your level of control. How do you maximize your control as a business owner? You can increase your power and choices by writing an Operating Agreement.

An Operating Agreement allows you to make your own rules about how to run your LLC. Without an Operating Agreement, you have to follow the default rules under Kentucky law. Default rules can be ill-fitting when it comes to your specific business needs. It’s typically best to write your own rules in an Operating Agreement. 

You can get an Operating Agreement started and completed quickly with our help. Our Operating Agreement Template can make writing this important business document as effortless as possible. 

Apply for an EIN

Properly paying business taxes is a big part of your obligations as a business owner. Unless you’re running a single-member LLC, your company needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to pay its federal taxes properly. And even if your LLC doesn’t technically require an EIN, it’s still an important business asset. An EIN can help you open business bank accounts and insurance policies without using your sensitive, personal information. 

You obtain an EIN from the IRS, and getting one can mean extra work. We can do this extra work and obtain an EIN for you with our Employer ID Number Service.  

We can help!

Our purpose is to help entrepreneurs get the most done for their businesses in the smallest amount of time. Our business formation and maintenance services can make it simple and quick for you to get running and operating smoothly. And our ZenBusiness Money Service can keep track of your financing and make invoices a snap! We can also help your business stay legally compliant with our Worry-Free Compliance Service.