How to Register a Foreign Corporation
If you own a business corporation that you registered in one state but wish to also operate it in another state, you must register it in that new state as well. Businesses that wish to operate in a state in which they are not incorporated are considered "foreign corporations" in the state and are required to file applications to conduct business. The forms required to register the business as a foreign corporation are often called a "Foreign Qualification," a "Certificate of Authority" or an "Authorization to Transact Business."
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Instructions
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Obtain the foreign corporation registration document. Contact the corporations division or corporations bureau of the state in which you wish to conduct business. The corporations division or bureau is usually located in the secretary of state's office, the department of state or the state revenue department. Request the documents required to register a foreign corporation in the state. You can make the request by telephone or by downloading the form from the website for the corporations division or bureau.
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Complete the foreign corporation registration form. Although the forms vary from state to state, they will generally all require you to provide information regarding the name of the corporation, the name the corporation will use in the new state, any fictitious or "doing business as" name that it will use in the state, the state of incorporation, the address of the business, the name and address of a registered agent in the new state, the names and addresses of the corporate officers and directors and the type of business the corporation conducts.
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Submit the foreign corporation registration form to the corporations division or bureau with the applicable filing fee. The filing fees for the registration form will vary from state to state, but will generally range from $70 to $250.
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Tips & Warnings
To aid you in preparing the documents, you may wish to consult a business attorney in the new state in which you are registering your corporation.
Carefully follow the instructions that accompany the foreign corporation registration documents.
