Title 23B — Title 23B WASHINGTON BUSINESS CORPORATION ACT

(1) A foreign corporation registered to transact business in this state may change its registered agent by delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of change in accordance with RCW 23.95.430.(2) A registered agent of a foreign corporation may change its informa…

The registered agent of a foreign corporation may resign as agent by executing and delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of resignation in accordance with RCW 23.95.445.[ 2020 c 57 s 72; 2015 c 176 s 2138; 1989 c 165 s 177.]Notes:Effective date—Contingent ef…

Service of any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the foreign corporation may be made in accordance with RCW 23.95.450.[ 2015 c 176 s 2139; 1989 c 165 s 178.]Notes:Effective date—Contingent effective date—2015 c 176: See note following RCW 2…

A foreign corporation registered to transact business in this state may not withdraw from this state until it delivers a statement of withdrawal to the secretary of state for filing in accordance with RCW 23.95.530.[ 2015 c 176 s 2140; 1989 c 165 s 179.]Notes:Effective date—Conti…

The secretary of state may terminate the registration of a registered foreign corporation under the circumstances and procedures specified in RCW 23.95.550.[ 2015 c 176 s 2141; 1991 c 72 s 39; 1990 c 178 s 9; 1989 c 165 s 180.]Notes:Effective date—Contingent effective date—2015 c…

(1) A corporation shall keep as permanent records minutes of all meetings of its shareholders and board of directors, a record of all corporate actions approved by the shareholders or board of directors by executed consent without a meeting, and a record of all corporate actions …

(1) A shareholder of a corporation is entitled to inspect and copy, during regular business hours at the corporation's principal office, any of the records of the corporation described in RCW 23B.16.010(5) if the shareholder gives the corporation an executed written notice of the…

(1) A shareholder's agent or attorney has the same inspection and copying rights as the shareholder.(2) The corporation may, if reasonable, satisfy the right to copy records under *RCW 23B.16.020 by furnishing copies by photocopy or other means chosen by the corporation, includin…

(1) If a corporation does not allow a shareholder who complies with RCW 23B.16.020(1) to inspect and copy any records required by that subsection to be available for inspection, the superior court of the county where the corporation's principal office, or, if none in this state, …

(1) Not later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, and in any event prior to the annual meeting of shareholders, each corporation shall prepare (a) a balance sheet showing in reasonable detail the financial condition of the corporation as of the close of its fisc…

Each domestic corporation, and each foreign corporation registered to transact business in this state, shall deliver to the secretary of state for filing initial and annual reports in accordance with RCW 23.95.255.[ 2015 c 176 s 2143; 2001 c 307 s 1; 1993 c 290 s 5; 1991 c 72 s 4…

(1) Unless otherwise provided, this title applies to all domestic corporations in existence on July 1, 1990, that were incorporated under any general statute of this state providing for incorporation of corporations for profit.(2) Unless otherwise provided, a foreign corporation …

(1) A corporation that meets the following requirements is subject to the alternative quorum and voting requirements set forth in subsection (2) of this section:(a) As of the record date of the annual or special meeting of shareholders:(i) The corporation is a public company;(ii)…

The provisions of RCW 23B.08.320 and 23B.08.500 through 23B.08.600 shall apply to any corporation, other than a municipal corporation, incorporated under the laws of the state of Washington.[ 1989 c 165 s 190.]

Any corporation, bank, trust company, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association, national banking association, or other corporation or association organized and existing under the laws of the United States or under the laws of any state or territory of the United States o…

Such nonadmitted organizations shall have the right to foreclose such mortgages under the laws of this state or to receive voluntary conveyance in lieu of foreclosure, and in the course of such foreclosure or of such receipt of conveyance in lieu of foreclosure, to acquire the mo…

The activities authorized by RCW 23B.18.010 and 23B.18.020 by such nonadmitted organizations shall not constitute "transacting business" within the meaning of chapter 23B.15 RCW or Article 5 of chapter 23.95 RCW.[ 2015 c 176 s 2145; 1989 c 165 s 193.]Notes:Effective date—Continge…

In any action in law or equity commenced by the obligor or obligors, it, his, her, or their assignee or assignees against the said nonadmitted organizations on the said notes secured by said real estate mortgages purchased by said nonadmitted organizations, service of all legal p…

Suit upon causes of action arising against the said nonadmitted organizations shall be brought in the county where the property is situated which is the subject of the mortgage purchased by the said nonadmitted organizations. If the property covered by the said mortgage is situat…

The legislature finds that:(1) Corporations that offer employment and health, retirement, and other benefits to citizens of the state of Washington are vital to the economy of this state and the well-being of all of its citizens;(2) The welfare of the employees of these corporati…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Acquiring person" means a person or group of persons, other than the target corporation or a subsidiary of the target corporation, who is the beneficial owner of votin…

This chapter does not apply to a significant business transaction of a target corporation with an acquiring person of the target corporation which became an acquiring person inadvertently, if the acquiring person (1) as soon as practicable, divests itself of a sufficient amount o…

(1)(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this title, a target corporation shall not for a period of five years following the acquiring person's share acquisition time engage in a significant business transaction unless:(i) It is exempted by RCW 23B.19.030;(ii)…

The requirements imposed by this chapter are to be in addition to, and not in lieu of, requirements imposed on a transaction by any provision in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws of the target corporation, or otherwise.[ 1989 c 165 s 201.]

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …

(1) Any corporation may elect to be governed as a social purpose corporation by one of the following means:(a) One or more persons may act as incorporator or incorporators of a social purpose corporation by delivering articles of incorporation that conform to the requirements of …

(1) Except as otherwise expressly stated in this chapter, the provisions of this title and all powers, rights, and obligations thereunder shall apply to social purpose corporations organized under this chapter, and references in this title to the term "corporation" shall be read …

Every corporation governed by this chapter must be organized to carry out its business purpose under RCW 23B.03.010 in a manner intended to promote positive short-term or long-term effects of, or minimize adverse short-term or long-term effects of, the corporation's activities up…

In addition to the general social purpose set forth in RCW 23B.25.020, every corporation governed by this chapter may have one or more specific social purposes for which the corporation is organized.[ 2012 c 215 s 4.]

(1) In addition to the matters required to be set forth in the articles of incorporation pursuant to *RCW 23B.02.020 (1) and (2), the articles of incorporation of a social purpose corporation must set forth:(a) A corporate name for the social purpose corporation that contains the…

(1) A director of a social purpose corporation shall discharge the duties of a director, including duties as a member of any committee of the board upon which the director may serve, in good faith, with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under…

(1) An officer of a social purpose corporation with discretionary authority shall discharge the officer's duties under that authority in good faith, with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances, and in a manner the offic…

(1) Shares issued by a social purpose corporation may but need not be represented by certificates.(2) If shares are represented by certificates, in addition to the information required on certificates by RCW 23B.06.250 (2) and (3), each share certificate must state on its face th…

(1) No proceeding may be instituted or maintained in the right of any social purpose corporation under this title by any party other than a shareholder of the social purpose corporation.(2) A person may not commence a proceeding in the right of a social purpose corporation unless…

If a proposed amendment to a social purpose corporation's articles of incorporation would materially change one or more of the social purposes of the corporation, in addition to approval in accordance with RCW 23B.10.030, the amendment to be adopted must be approved by two-thirds…

(1) In addition to approval in accordance with RCW 23B.11A.040, a plan of merger or share exchange pursuant to which a social purpose corporation would not be the surviving corporation must be approved by two-thirds of the voting group comprising all the votes of the corporation …

(1) In addition to approval in accordance with RCW 23B.12.020, a proposed transaction in which the social purpose corporation is to sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all, or substantially all, of its property, otherwise than in the usual and regular course of busines…

In addition to the corporate actions set forth in RCW 23B.13.020(1), a shareholder is entitled to dissent from, and obtain payment of the fair value of the shareholder's shares in the event of, any of the following corporate actions:(1) An election by a corporation to become a so…

(1) By complying with this chapter, any corporation that is not a social purpose corporation may become a social purpose corporation in accordance with a plan of election.(2) The plan of election must provide that each share of the same class or series of the electing corporation…

(1) Any social purpose corporation may elect to cease to be a social purpose corporation if, pursuant to the proposed election, each of the following conditions are met:(a) Each share of the same class or series of the electing social purpose corporation shall, unless all shareho…

(1) The board of directors of a social purpose corporation shall cause a social purpose report to be furnished to the shareholders by making such report publicly accessible, free of charge, at the corporation's principal internet website address, not later than four months after …

As used in this chapter:(1) "Date of the defective corporate action" means the date the defective corporate action was purported to have been taken, or, if the exact date is unknown, the approximate date thereof.(2) "Defective corporate action" means (a) any corporate action purp…

(1) A defective corporate action is not void or voidable solely as a result of a failure of authorization if ratified in accordance with RCW 23B.30.030 or validated in accordance with RCW 23B.30.080.(2) Ratification under RCW 23B.30.030 or validation under RCW 23B.30.080 is not t…

(1) Except as otherwise required by subsection (2) of this section, to ratify a defective corporate action under this chapter, the board of directors must adopt a resolution stating:(a) The defective corporate action to be ratified and, if the defective corporate action involved …

(1) The quorum and voting requirements applicable to the adoption by the board of directors of the resolution required by RCW 23B.30.030(1) are the quorum and voting requirements that would be applicable if the defective corporate action was being approved at the time the resolut…

(1) If the ratification of a defective corporate action does not require approval of the shareholders under RCW 23B.30.030(3):(a) The corporation shall notify, promptly after the adoption of the resolution described in RCW 23B.30.030 (1) or (2), each holder of valid shares and pu…

From and after the validation effective time:(1) Each defective corporate action ratified in accordance with RCW 23B.30.030 or validated in accordance with RCW 23B.30.080:(a) Is not void or voidable as a result of the failure of authorization identified (i) in the resolution adop…

(1) If a defective corporate action ratified or validated under this chapter would have required under any other section of this title a document to be filed with the secretary of state, then, whether or not a document was previously filed in respect of that defective corporate a…

(1) Upon application by the corporation, any successor entity to the corporation, a director of the corporation, or any shareholder of the corporation, including any person who was a shareholder of the corporation as of the date of a defective corporate action, the superior court…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the repeal of a statute by this title does not affect:(a) The operation of the statute or any action taken under it before its repeal;(b) Any ratification, right, remedy, privilege, obligation, or liability acquired, accru…