Incorporating a Corporation in Alabama

If you want to incorporate a corporation, Company Express will research the availability of chosen company name, prepare for you and file with the Secretary of State office all required corporate paperwork and obtain certified copy of filed documents, if it will be requested by the client.  We also will appoint registered agent for your corporation, as required by the state law, and will help with many of your follow-up corporate needs such as amendment filings, written consents, and annual report preparation and filing. You can find below some of the State incorporation requirements:

Corporate Name Requirements

Name of Alabama corporation must not be the same as or deceptively similar to a name of any existing, reserved or registered corporate names. Company Express will research your company name to make sure it meets Alabama’s standards.

Permitted designations: Alabama corporate names must contain one of the following words at the end of the name:

• Corp.
• Corporation
• Inc.

• Incorporated

Restricted designations: The use of the following words in corporation’s name will require approval by the state:

• Bank
• Banking
• Electric
• Engineering
• Insurance
• Trust

Filing

Requirements

Please note, that we, at Company Express, will handle all required incorporation filing for you. The following information is presented for your information only

Required documents: Articles of Incorporation as well as a Certificate of Name Reservation, if not previously filed.

Turnaround Time: About  6-8 weeks.

Follow-up Filings: Required. Newly formed corporations must file initial corporate shares and business privilege tax returns within 2  months of organization.

Officers/Directors Information

Minimum number: At least one director is required.

Director qualifications: Directors must be at least 19 years old.

Appearance in articles: Director names and addresses are required to be listed in the Articles of Incorporation.

Principal Office Location / Registered Agent:

Corporation’s principal office may be located outside of the state, but local registered agent is required in Alabama.

Annual Reports

Time to file: Alabama requires the Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report and Schedule AL-CAR to be filed with the Department of Revenue no later than two and one-half months after the beginning of the taxable year.

Signatures: Only company officers are authorized to sign annual reports. Emailed or faxed signatures are not accepted.

Filing extensions: Permitted. Filing extensions are good for six months. Businesses must apply for extensions prior to the annual report due date.