certificate of organization

Primary tabs

A certificate of organization, also known as articles of organization is a document that must be filed in order to establish a status of a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The certificate of organization must include information such as the name of the entity, the general purpose of the entity, its main place of business, the name and addresses of its agents. 

This document must be filed with the appropriate authority and once filed, a limited liability company will be deemed to be “organized”. 

In South Dakota no limited liability company may take part in any transaction or incur any indebtedness unless they have obtained from the secretary of state, a certificate of organization. This is subject to certain exceptions such as obtaining subscriptions or payments of contributions. Once the Secretary of State has issued the certificate or organization, the limited liability company will be deemed organized. 

Similarly, in Massachusetts, the state secretary will have to sign the certificate of organization which will be conclusive evidence of the existence of such a corporation. 

[Last updated in December of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]