With a Certificate of Good Standing or Certified Copy of Articles of Incorporation / Organization From Your Entity's Home State
Ask the 5 questions below. If the answer is "Yes " to any of them, then you need to file a foreign qualification:
If the answer to any of the above is "Yes," don't try to manipulate the question and answer to "No." There is a high risk involved in doing so.
Many legal entities make the mistake of trying to find a way out of having to file to do business in states that have high taxes for the purpose of evading taxes. If you do this, you put your employees, business and reputation in that state at risk. You become a constant target for the state to make sure that the entity is always in compliance. The cost and headaches involved in dealing with the state are far less if the entity is honest and follows the correct steps to being in legal compliance than to have to do so because it was caught doing business without the legal authority.
When you foreign qualify to do business, you are applying to do business in a state that you are not domestic to. You will be filing a certificate of authority to do business as an entity qualified to do business in that jurisdiction. Foreign qualifying your company in the state where you intend to do business is a requirement of that state. Foreign qualification is the process of completing and filing the respective paperwork to register as a foreign Corporation or LLC to conduct business in another state.
When you form a legal business entity it is generally with the intention of separating yourself from the business of which you operate and/or have financial interest in. When you foreign qualify, you are asking a State for permission to conduct business within their borders, but more importantly you are requesting that that State recognize the legal business entity separate from the individuals who are operating and/or have financial interest in it.
When a business entity -- be it a Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Partnership or other entity type -- operates within a State that has not legally approved it to operate within their borders, then if for any reason legal matters should arise in that State, that State can make the decision to not recognize the legal entity and instead hold the operating person or persons along with the persons who hold financial interest personally liable for those legal proceedings as if it was a Sole Proprietorship.
Each state varies in its request of documents. Most commonly, states will have a specific form they will request be completed for whichever entity type is qualifying, and they will request a copy of the original formation paperwork along with a Certificate of Good Standing. Foreign qualifying can be time-consuming and a massive headache if you are not familiar with what each state's requirements are (and they are ALL different!). This is why InCorp has created a quick and easy solution, and that's to let us, the experts, do it for you.
EntityWatch® advises you of changes to help prevent corporate identity theft. Through EntityWatch®, the innovative and proprietary technology developed first by InCorp, our information system ties into most of the state databases to give you up-to-date information on the status of your entities including the filing status, the current registered agent, officers, and directors.
For multi-state companies, you will receive a consolidated bill for all your business entities in every state represented.
"I have used InCorp for approximately 5 years. I can always get to a live person and get my questions answered quickly when I call. They're billing methods are easy and automated."
Travis K.
For over 20 years we have provided top-tier service with one of the lowest prices in the industry and have only raised our prices one time (while many of our competitors raise their prices on their long-term clients yearly!) Our standard fee to Form your LLC is $99 and to serve as your registered agent is only $129 per state per year! And you can save even more when you choose multi-year registered agent service.
Over-the-counter expedited business document filing service are available for most states. Receive notification of all service of process in real-time and receive said service of process within 24-hours of receipt via Express Mail, facsimile, or email.
By selecting InCorp, you are given the option to file online using our safe and secure ordering system, or you can employ our professional business specialists' experience, knowledge, and dedication in meeting the needs of your incorporation process. Our selection of choices, expansive territory in which we provide service, innovative technology, and enthusiasm in generating high levels of customer satisfaction is what sets InCorp apart in making us the preferred choice across the nation in providing incorporation and registered agent services!
Limited-Liability Companies, corporations, and other business entities are generally required by law to have a registered agent in order to be in compliance. Take the initiative today to establish the legal protections the law allows for you and your business!