Starting your own business can be an exciting step on the road to financial independence. Filing Oregon Articles of Incorporation creates your corporation as a legal entity in the state.
Completing Oregon Articles of Incorporation
The fastest way to complete and file Articles of Incorporation (AOI) is online, and ZenBusiness can take care of this for you if you’re feeling overwhelmed or confused by the process.
Registering a Foreign Corporation
If you’re filing from outside Oregon and wish to do business in the state, you must submit an Application for Authority to Transact Business, as well as a Certificate of Good Standing from the original state of incorporation.
Choose a Name
Your business name represents your company in the minds of potential clients, so think hard about a good one. Keep the following rules in mind:
- The name must be unique. You can use the Secretary of State’s online tool to see if the name you want is available. If you want to reserve a name you’re in love with, ZenBusiness can help you file a name reservation.
- Include the correct designator, meaning that the name must contain the word “Corporation,” “Company,” “Incorporated,” or “Limited” or its respective abbreviation.” Consult the Secretary of State’s website to understand the appropriate designator for your business.
- Your name cannot be misleading. You can’t use words like “law” or “legal” unless you’re opening a law firm. Nor can you use words like “bank,” “investment,” or “trust if you’re not chartering a financial institution.
Fill Out Your Business Address
Your business’s address must be a physical street address within the state of Oregon. You cannot designate a P.O. Box or virtual address. In most cases, your storefront or office building should go here.
Name a Registered Agent
A registered agent is someone empowered to accept official documents from the state’s business formation agency and legal documents on behalf of your business. As with your business address, your registered agent must have a physical address in Oregon. Some first-time business owners partner with commercial registered agents. These are companies experienced with the duties and obligations expected of a registered agent. ZenBusiness can connect you with a registered agent service providing this service in Oregon. Many first-time business owners appreciate how partnering with a commercial agent reduces stress.
Indicate business officials
You must provide the name of the business’s incorporators, as well as its initial officers and directors.
Optional and Supplemental Questions
Though you must provide a physical address for your business and its registered agent, you can also designate a separate mailing address. It’s fine for this address to be a P.O. Box. If you’re forming a business in a field that requires practitioners to hold state licenses, you can form a professional corporation. Nursing homes, veterinarian clinics, and law firms are examples of professional corporations.
File Your Articles of Incorporation
You’re ready to file! The quickest way to file online, but the state also accepts AOIs through the mail. Oregon requires a fee to file your Articles of Incorporation, as well as for many other filings. For the most current fees and methods of payment available, check with the Oregon Secretary of State website.
Now that you’ve filed, you’ll need to make sure your annual reports are filed, permits and licenses are renewed each year, and a host of other things. Take a look at our Worry-Free Compliance service and our business license report and let us take care of the worrying for you.
Conclusion
Forming your own business is an exciting new step. Though it can sometimes be intimidating, ZenBusiness is here to help. You can get assistance filing your Articles of Incorporation with a business formation plan from ZenBusiness.
Oregon Articles of Incorporation FAQs
- What does it cost to incorporate in Oregon?
For the most current fees and methods of payment available, check with the Oregon Secretary of State website.
- How long does the incorporation process take in Oregon?
Preparing your documents should take a few weeks. Once you file, your documents should be processed within a few weeks, sooner if filing online.
- Who processes Articles of Incorporation?
The Secretary of State processes all Oregon Articles of Incorporation.
- What Oregon statute governs the Articles of Incorporation?
Title 60 governs Articles of Incorporation.
- Do I need an attorney to file Articles of Incorporation?
No. An attorney isnโt legally required.
File Your Articles of Incorporation
Learn How to File Articles of Incorporation in the Following States
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California Articles of Incorporation
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Texas Certificate of Formation, For-Profit Corporation
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Florida Articles of Incorporation
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New York Certificate of Incorporation
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Michigan Articles of Incorporation
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Ohio Articles of Incorporation
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Colorado Articles of Incorporation
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North Carolina Articles of Incorporation
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Nevada Articles of Incorporation
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Delaware Certificate of Incorporation
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Illinois Articles of Incorporation
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Alabama Certificate of Incorporation
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Arizona Articles of Incorporation
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Alaska Articles of Incorporation
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Arkansas Articles of Incorporation
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Connecticut Certificate of Incorporation
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Georgia Certificate of Existence
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Hawaii Articles of Incorporation
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Idaho Articles of Incorporation
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Indiana Articles of Incorporation
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Iowa Articles of Incorporation
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Kansas Articles of Incorporation
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Kentucky Articles of Incorporation
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Louisiana Articles of Incorporation
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Maine Articles of Incorporation
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Maryland Articles of Incorporation
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Massachusetts Articles of Organization
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Minnesota Articles of Incorporation
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Mississippi Articles of Incorporation
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Missouri Articles of Incorporation
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Montana Articles of Incorporation
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Nebraska Articles of Incorporation
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New Hampshire Articles of Incorporation
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New Jersey Certificate of Incorporation
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New Mexico Articles of Incorporation
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North Dakota Articles of Incorporation
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Oklahoma Certificate of Incorporation
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Pennsylvania Articles of Incorporation
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Rhode Island Articles of Incorporation
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South Carolina Articles of Incorporation
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South Dakota Articles of Incorporation
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Tennessee Charter For-Profit Corporation
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Utah Articles of Incorporation
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Vermont Articles of Incorporation
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Virginia Articles of Incorporation
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Washington Articles of Incorporation
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West Virginia Articles of Incorporation
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Wisconsin Articles of Incorporation
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Wyoming Articles of Incorporation
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District of Columbia Articles of Incorporation