Glossary
Articles of organization
The document filed with a state to create an LLC.
Also called: Certificate of formation, Certificate of organization.
An LLC exists from the moment the state accepts this filing. It is usually short: the LLC’s name, its registered agent and address, and often who manages it and where its main office is.
Some states call it a certificate of formation or certificate of organization. The filing fee and the exact questions differ by state.
It is a public record. How the owners share profits and make decisions belongs in the operating agreement, which stays private.
Where you'll see it in a business search
In the filing history of an LLC’s record, usually as the first document listed.