Steps to Incorporate in Virginia
- 1). Pick a name for the Virginia corporation. The name selected must be distinguishable from other business entities that are registered with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Call the State Corporation Commission toll-free at 866-722-2551 or locally at 804-371-9733 to confirm name availability by telephone. Include terms like "incorporated," "company," "limited," "corporation," or the appropriate abbreviation in the legal name of the Virginia corporation.
- 2). Recruit directors to govern the corporation. There are no age or residency requirements imposed on the directors of a Virginia corporation, unless the company's bylaws or articles of incorporation indicate otherwise. Virginia requires incorporated businesses to select at least one person to serve on the company's board of directors.
- 3). Obtain and prepare the Virginia articles of incorporation. Print fill-in-the-blank articles of incorporation from the Virginia State Corporation Commission website. State the legal name of the corporation and the principal address of the business. Indicate the number of shares and the type of stock the company will have the ability to issue to potential investors. Provide a date when the corporation will dissolve, unless the Virginia corporation will have an unlimited life. List the name and address of each person or business that will accept legal documents served against the corporation.
- 4). Submit the completed articles of incorporation to the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Mail the articles of incorporation to Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218. File articles of incorporation in person at the Tyler Building, 1300 E. Main Street, Richmond, Virginia. As of 2010, it costs a total of $75 to file articles of incorporation in Virginia. The filing fee is $25, plus an additional $50 for each 25,000 shares of company stock the company will have the authority to issue, as of 2010.
- 5). Prepare bylaws to establish procedures and regulations for operating the company. A Virginia corporation may tailor its bylaws to meet the specific needs of the business, since Virginia does not impose specific guidelines for creating corporate bylaws. Indicate the date and time of the company's meetings, state the duties of the corporation's officers and provide procedures for selecting new directors. Maintain the company's bylaws at the Virginia corporation's main office location.
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