California Non-Profit Formation

Steps To Take To Form a Non-Profit Corporation in California

California non-profit corporation formation is a process overseen by the California Secretary of State.

The basic steps for forming a corporation in California are:

1. You must first choose a name for your California Non-Profit Corporation. There are certain restrictions as to the name you can choose for your business, and you should educate yourself on the California state laws detailing these restrictions. Your company name is required to be distinct from other corporations already in existence; you are encouraged to conduct a California corporate name search prior to sending in your articles.  Click&Inc.com can perform a name search for you to minimize the possibility of rejection due to an indistinct name. In general, California does not require your company to have a corporate ending such as Incorporated or Company, but there are exceptions to this.

2. There are three types of California non-profit corporations: Religious, Public Benefit, and Mutual Benefit. Your non-profit, depending on the type, will fall under the relevant section of a California Revenue and Taxation Code and/or an Internal Revenue Code.

3. California non-profit corporations are required to provide a two-part purpose statement. The first part of this is a specific purpose statement detailing exactly what your non-profit corporation will be doing. The second part corresponds to the IRS or State Code mentioned in Step 2; you will cite the code under which you are forming the business. (If, for instance, you are applying for a 501c3 corporation, you will need standard 501c3 language in your Purpose section of your Non-Profit Articles of Incorporation; this language will be required by the IRS when you apply for 501c3 status, after you have been filed with the California Secretary of State. ClickandInc.com ensures that the language is present from the very start, eliminating the need for you to amend you state articles and saving you time.)

4. California corporations are required to have a registered agent who is able to accept legal process on behalf of the corporation.  For more information, check out ClickandInc.com's California Registered Agent page.

5. California corporation formation requires the filing of Non-Profit Articles of Incorporation. Once the articles of incorporation and all accompanying fees are received and recorded by the California Secretary of State, your corporation is considered active and legal.

For more information on how to form a California Non-Profit Corporation, visit California’s Secretary of State’s website. Or, learn how ClickandInc.com can file California articles of incorporation for you. 

If you have questions, feel free to email us at customerservice@clickandinc.com or call toll-free 1-866-992-5425.