North Carolina Business Corporation Articles of Incorporation
NORTH CAROLINA BUSINESS CORPORATION ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
Before you use this: This form authorizes one class of shares and names an individual North Carolina resident as registered agent. Confirm the proposed name, the agent's business office, and the filing method before delivering the signed articles to the Secretary of State. North Carolina's corporate forms statute does not require use of an agency form for articles of incorporation.
The undersigned incorporator forms a North Carolina business corporation and adopts these articles.
Article I. Corporate name
The corporation's name is [FULL LEGAL NAME INCLUDING CORPORATE WORD OR ABBREVIATION].
Article II. Authorized shares
The corporation is authorized to issue [NUMBER] shares of one class designated [CLASS NAME]. Every share in this class has unlimited voting rights and is entitled to receive the net assets of the corporation upon dissolution, subject to lawful claims and distributions.
Article III. Initial registered office and agent
The street address of the initial registered office is [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, NORTH CAROLINA ZIP], in [COUNTY] County.
The registered office's mailing address is ☐ the same address ☐ [MAILING ADDRESS, CITY, STATE ZIP].
The initial registered agent is [FULL LEGAL NAME], an individual who resides in North Carolina. The agent's business office is at the registered-office street address above.
Article IV. Principal office, if any
☐ The corporation has no principal office at formation.
☐ The corporation's principal office is at [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE ZIP], in [COUNTY] County. Its mailing address is ☐ the same address ☐ [MAILING ADDRESS, CITY, STATE ZIP].
Article V. Incorporator
The incorporator's name is [FULL LEGAL NAME], and the incorporator's address is [ADDRESS, CITY, STATE ZIP].
Incorporator execution
I sign and deliver these articles as incorporator.
Signature: ______________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Printed name: [________________________________] Capacity: Incorporator
Official sources
- N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 55-1-20–55-1-21 — execution and optional agency forms.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 55-2-01–55-2-02 — incorporator and required articles contents.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-6-01 — authorized shares and rights.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 55D-20–55D-21 — corporate name.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30 — registered office and agent.
About this template
- Last updated
- October 27, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 27, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- North Carolina
- Category
- Corporate & Business
Legal authority
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-1-20(a)-(b)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-1-21(b)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-2-01
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-2-02(a)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-6-01(a), (c)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-20(a)(1)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-21(b)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30(a)
Corporate documents govern how a company makes decisions, records them, and handles disputes between owners, directors, and officers. Proper corporate paperwork is what lets a business take advantage of limited liability, pass clean audits, and survive an acquisition or investor review. Skipping formalities like written resolutions and signed consents is one of the fastest ways for a business owner to lose personal asset protection.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 27, 2026.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-1-20(a)-(b) (checked October 27, 2026): "(a) A document required or permitted by this Chapter to be filed by the Secretary of State must be filed under Chapter 55D of the General Statutes. (b) A document submitted on behalf of a domestic or foreign corporation must be executed: (1) By the chair of its board of directors, by its president, or by another of its officers; (2) If directors have not been selected or the corporation has not been formed, by an incorporator; or (3) If the corporation is in the hands of a receiver, trustee, or other court‑appointed fiduciary, by that fiduciary."
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-1-21(b) (checked October 27, 2026): "(b) The Secretary of State may promulgate and furnish on request forms for other documents required or permitted to be filed by this Chapter but their use is not mandatory."
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-2-01 (checked October 27, 2026): "One or more persons may act as the incorporator or incorporators of a corporation by delivering articles of incorporation to the Secretary of State for filing."
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-2-02(a) (checked October 27, 2026): "(a) The articles of incorporation must set forth: (1) A corporate name for the corporation that satisfies the requirements of G.S. 55D‑20 and G.S. 55D‑21; (2) The number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue and any other information required by G.S. 55‑6‑01; (3) The street address, and the mailing address if different from the street address, of the corporation's initial registered office, the county in which the initial registered office is located, and the name of the corporation's initial registered agent at that address; (3a) The street address, and the mailing address if different from the street address, of the corporation's principal office, if any, and the county in which the principal office, if any, is located; and (4) The name and address of each incorporator."
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