Title 10, Corporations

A foreign corporation may apply for a certificate of authority under any name that would be available to a domestic corporation, whether or not the name is the name under which it is authorized in its jurisdiction of incorporation. A trade name must be registered as provided in c…

A foreign corporation may not: 1. Transact business in this state or obtain any license or permit required by this state until it has procured a certificate of authority from the secretary of state. 2. Transact any business in this state prohibited to a domestic corporation incor…

1. An applicant for a certificate shall file with the secretary of state an application executed by an authorized person on forms prescribed by the secretary of state and setting forth: a. The name of the foreign corporation and, if different, the name under which it proposes to …

If the secretary of state finds an application for a certificate of authority conforms to law and all fees have been paid, the secretary shall: 1. Endorse on the application the word "filed" and the date of the filing; 2. File the application and the certificate of good standing …

If any statement in the application for a certificate of authority by a foreign corporation is false when made or the foreign corporation changes the foreign corporation's name or purposes sought in this state, the foreign corporation promptly shall file with the secretary of sta…

A foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state shall continuously maintain a registered agent in this state as provided in chapter 10-01.1 and, if a noncommercial registered agent, the address of such noncommercial registered agent in this state.

If a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state is a party to a statutory merger permitted by the laws of the jurisdiction under which the foreign corporation is incorporated, and the foreign corporation is not the surviving organization, the surviving orga…

If a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state converts to another organization permitted by its governing statute, within thirty days after the conversion becomes effective, the newly created organization resulting from the conversion shall file with the …

1. The exclusive right to the use of a corporate name otherwise permitted by section 10-19.1-13 may be reserved by any person. 2. The reservation must be made by filing with the secretary of state a request that the name be reserved, together with the fees provided in section 10-…

1. A foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state may withdraw from this state upon procuring from the secretary of state a certificate of withdrawal. In order to procure the certificate, the foreign corporation shall file with the secretary of state an appli…

1. A foreign corporation transacting business in this state may not maintain any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state until it possesses a certificate of authority. 2. The failure of a foreign corporation to obtain a certificate of authority does not impa…

1. The following activities of a foreign corporation, among others, do not constitute transacting business within the meaning of this chapter: a. Maintaining, defending, or settling any proceeding; b. Holding meetings of its shareholders or carrying on any other activities concer…

The attorney general may bring an action to restrain a foreign corporation from transacting business in this state in violation of this chapter.

Service of process on a foreign corporation must be as provided in section 10-01.1-13.

1. Each corporation and each foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state shall file, within the time provided in subsection 3, an annual report setting forth: a. The name of the corporation or foreign corporation and the state or country under the laws of wh…

1. With respect to involuntary dissolution of a corporation by the secretary of state: a. A corporation may be involuntarily dissolved by the secretary of state if: (1) The corporation has failed to appoint and maintain a registered agent and registered office as provided in sect…

The secretary of state shall charge and collect for: 1. Filing articles of incorporation and issuing a certificate of incorporation, one hundred dollars. 2. Filing articles of amendment, twenty dollars. 3. Filing a statement of correction, twenty dollars. 4. Filing restated artic…

1. The secretary of state has the power and authority reasonably necessary to efficiently administer this chapter and to perform the duties imposed thereby. 2. The secretary of state may propound to any corporation or foreign corporation that is subject to this chapter and to any…

1. A record authorized or required to be delivered to the secretary of state for filing under this chapter must be captioned to describe the purpose of the record, be in a medium permitted by the secretary of state, and be delivered to the secretary of state. If the secretary of …

With respect to correction of a filed record: 1. Whenever a record authorized by this chapter to be filed with the secretary of state has been filed and inaccurately records the action referred to in the record, contains an inaccurate or erroneous statement, or was defectively or…

1. All certificates issued by the secretary of state and all copies of records filed in accordance with this chapter, when certified by the secretary of state, may be taken and received in all courts, public offices, and official bodies as evidence of the facts stated. 2. A certi…

Any social security number or federal tax identification number disclosed or contained in any record filed with the secretary of state under this chapter is confidential. The secretary of state shall delete or obscure any social security number or federal tax identification numbe…

A corporation shall continuously maintain a registered agent in this state as provided by chapter 10-01.1, and if a noncommercial registered agent, then the address of that noncommercial registered agent in this state.

All annual reports required by this chapter to be filed in the office of the secretary of state must be made on forms prescribed by the secretary of state. Forms for all other records to be filed in the office of the secretary of state may be furnished by the secretary of state u…

1. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: a. "Act of Congress" means the Act of Congress approved June 18, 1934, entitled an Act to provide for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of foreign trade zones and ports of entry of the United States, t…

Any corporation that produces agricultural ethyl alcohol or methanol within this state and which receives a production subsidy from the state, whether in the form of reduced taxes or otherwise, shall submit an annual audit report, prepared by a certified public accountant based o…

As provided in chapter 10-01.1: 1. A corporation may change its registered office, change its registered agent, or state a change in the name of its registered agent. 2. A registered agent of a corporation may resign.

The articles of a corporation may be amended at any time to include or modify any provision that is required or permitted to appear in the articles or to omit any provision not required to be included in the articles, except that when articles are amended to restate them, the nam…

Before the issuance of shares by a corporation, the articles also may be amended pursuant to section 10-19.1-30 by the incorporators or by the board. The articles may be amended by the board to change or cancel a statement pursuant to subsection 4 of section 10-19.1-61, establish…

1. Except as otherwise provided in section 10-19.1-18, after the issuance of shares by the corporation, the articles may be amended in the manner set forth in this section. 2. A resolution approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, or proposed by a s…

The holders of the outstanding shares of a class or series are entitled to vote as a class or series upon a proposed amendment, whether or not entitled to vote thereon by the provisions of the articles, if the amendment would: 1. Increase or decrease the par value of the shares o…

When an amendment has been adopted, articles of amendment must be prepared which contain: 1. The name of the corporation. 2. The amendment adopted. 3. The date of the adoption of the amendment by the shareholders or by the incorporators or the board when no shares have been issue…

1. An amendment does not affect an existing cause of action in favor of or against the corporation, nor a pending suit to which the corporation is a party, nor the existing rights of persons other than shareholders. 2. If the corporate name is changed by the amendment, a suit bro…

An original of the articles of amendment must be filed with the secretary of state. If the secretary of state finds that the articles of amendment conform to law and all fees have been paid as provided under section 10-19.1-147, the articles of amendment must be recorded in the o…

The articles of amendment are effective upon acceptance by the secretary of state or at another time within thirty days after acceptance if the articles of amendment so provide.

1. Whenever a plan of reorganization of a corporation has been confirmed by decree or order of a court of competent jurisdiction in proceedings for the reorganization of the corporation, pursuant to the provisions of any applicable statute of the United States relating to reorgan…

1. A corporation has the powers set forth in this section, subject to any limitations provided in any other statute of this state or in its articles. 2. A corporation has perpetual duration. 3. A corporation may sue and be sued, complain and defend and participate as a party or o…

A corporation may, but need not, have a corporate seal. The use or nonuse of a corporate seal does not affect the validity, recordability, or enforceability of a record or act. If a corporation has a corporate seal, the use of the seal by the corporation on a record is not necess…

No act of a corporation and no conveyance or transfer of real or personal property to or by a corporation is invalid by reason of the fact that the corporation was without capacity or power to do such act or to make or receive such conveyance or transfer but such lack of capacity…

All persons who assume to act as a corporation without authority are jointly and severally liable for all debts and liabilities incurred or arising as a result.

1. If the first board is not named in the articles, the incorporators may elect the first board or may act as directors with all of the powers, rights, duties, and liabilities of directors, until directors are elected or until shares are issued, whichever occurs first. 2. After t…

1. A corporation may, but need not, have bylaws. Bylaws may contain any provision relating to the management or the regulation of the affairs of the corporation not inconsistent with section 10-19.1-32 or any other provision of law or the articles, including: a. The number of dir…

1. The business and affairs of a corporation must be managed by or under the direction of a board, subject to subsection 2 and section 10-19.1-83. The members of the first board may be named in the articles or elected by the incorporators pursuant to section 10-19.1-30 or by the …

The board must consist of one or more directors. The number of directors must be fixed by or in the manner provided in the articles or bylaws. The number of directors may be increased or, subject to section 10-19.1-41, decreased at any time by amendment to or in the manner provid…

Directors must be individuals. The method of election and any additional qualifications for directors may be imposed by or in the manner provided in the articles or bylaws.

1. With respect to length of terms: a. Unless fixed terms are provided for in the articles or bylaws, a director serves for an indefinite term that expires at the next regular meeting of the shareholders. (1) A fixed term of a director, other than an ex officio director, may not …