Secretary of State (SOS)

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Description

The Secretary of State's office is comprised of nearly 500 people who are dedicated to making government more transparent and accessible in the areas of elections, business, political campaigning, legislative advocacy, and historical treasures.

Services

Form a Business

Form/Register a business entity in California. Depending on the business, there can be multiple steps and required forms. The Secretary of State website can help.

Launch service: Form a Business

Get Copies of Business Entity Documents

Request copies of filed business entity documents, or a Certificate of Status or a Certificate of Filing.

Launch service: Get Copies of Business Entity Documents

Look Up My Representatives

Use this online service to find your State Senate, State Assembly or United States Congressional Representative, as well as information on how you can contact them.

Launch service: Look Up My Representatives

Register to Vote

The deadline to register or re-register to vote for any election is 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 15th calendar day before that election. If you submit an application after this time, your application will still be processed for future elections. Please do NOT use the online form to register or re-register to vote if you are enrolled in a confidential address program such as Safe at Home. If sharing your address could put you in life-threatening danger, you may be eligible to register to vote confidentially.

Launch service: Register to Vote

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check or reserve a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership name, and can this be done over the phone or online?

Please refer to our Name Availability webpage for complete information and request forms.

  • A request to check for the availability of a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership name can be submitted by mail to the Secretary of State's Sacramento office. Corporation, limited liability company and limited partnership names can be checked by phone upon establishing a prepaid account with the Secretary of State.
  • A request to reserve a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership name can be submitted by mail or dropped off at the counter at the Secretary of State's Sacramento office. A request to reserve a corporation name can also be submitted in person to the Secretary of State's Los Angeles regional office. Corporation and limited liability company names can be reserved by phone upon establishing a prepaid account with the Secretary of State.

Online requests to check or reserve a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership name are not available at this time.
How do I form a business entity in California?

A business entity can be formed in California by filing the applicable document or form (as described below) with the Secretary of State. The document samples and forms described below are available on our Forms, Samples and Fees webpage. Please refer to the applicable document sample or form for complete filing instructions, fees, any additional requirements and relevant statutory filing provisions:

  • Corporation: File Articles of Incorporation. The following Articles of Incorporation forms for the most common types of corporations are provided. The forms have been drafted to meet the minimum statutory requirements. You can either use the form or compose your own statutorily compliant document:

    • Articles of Incorporation of a General Stock Corporation (Form ARTS-GS)
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Close Corporation (Form ARTS-CL)
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Professional Corporation (Form ARTS-PC)
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation (Form ARTS-MU)
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation (Form ARTS-PB-501(c)(3))
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Nonprofit Religious Corporation (Form ARTS-RE)
    • Articles of Incorporation of a Common Interest Development Association (Form ARTS-CID)
  • Limited Liability Company: File Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1).
  • Limited Partnership: File a Certificate of Limited Partnership (Form LP-1).
  • General Partnership: File a Statement of Partnership Authority (Form GP-1). Filing Form GP-1 is permissive. Note: A general partnership may record its partnership agreement at the county recorder's office in the county where the general partnership is located.
  • Limited Liability Partnership: Once a general partnership, file an Application to Register a Limited Liability Partnership (Form LLP-1).

To ensure that all issues are considered and addressed appropriately, you should consult with private legal counsel prior to submitting formation documents to the Secretary of State.

Note: Many corporation, limited liability company and limited partnership documents are returned for correction without being filed because of name issues, errors, omissions or misstatements contained in the proposed filings submitted to this office. Filing tips have been drafted to assist with meeting the minimum filing requirements of the California Corporations Code.
How do I obtain a license or permit for my business entity?

Once the business entity is formed or registered with the California Secretary of State it must obtain the necessary licenses and/or permits.

The Secretary of State does not issue licenses or permits for business entities. Please refer to the CalGold (California Government: On-Line to Desktops) website for information about business license/permit requirements. CalGold's online database provides links and contact information to agencies that administer and issue business licenses, permits and registration requirements from all levels of government.
Where can I find more FAQs regarding Forming a Business?

Visit the Full FAQ
Are some types of business information not available?

Information on some exclusions can be found at The Secretary of State's Information Requests page
Can I request a Certificate of Status over the phone or online?

Certificates of Status can be obtained by submitting a request to the California Secretary of State's Sacramento office either in person (drop off) or by mail. Please refer to the Information Requests webpage for detailed information about certificate requests.

Phone or online requests for a Certificates of Status are not available at this time.
How do I request copies of filed business entity documents, or a Certificate of Status or a Certificate of Filing?

Copies and certificates can be obtained by submitting a request to the California Secretary of State's Sacramento office either in person (drop off) or by mail. Please refer to the Information Requests webpage for detailed information about copy and certificate requests.

Phone or online requests for copies and certificates are not available at this time.
Where can I find more FAQs regarding Business Entity Documents?

Visit the Full FAQ
Can I look up State as well as Federal representatives?

Yes, you will find links to the U.S. Congress, Senate, and other representatives.
Where can I find district maps?

Visit the California Citizens Redistricting Commission site
Will I be able to contact the representatives?

Yes, their contact information is listed.
Can I vote online? Is online voter registration related to online voting?

No. For security reasons, California law prohibits casting a ballot over the Internet. This also means that county elections officials cannot accept marked ballots sent via email from military and overseas voters. If you are a voter as defined by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, you may return your voted ballot to your county elections office only by mail or fax.
How do I register to vote?

To register to vote you must complete a brief voter registration application on paper or online. When you register online, the system will search the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) database for your California driver license or identification card number, date of birth, and last four digits of your social security number. If your information is found and you authorize elections officials' use of your DMV signature, an electronic image of your DMV signature will be added to your voter registration application after you click "submit" at the end of the online application. If there is no signature on file with DMV, all of your information will be transmitted to your county elections office; you will just need to click "print," sign the paper application, and mail it. Your county elections official will contact you when your voter registration application is approved or when more information is needed to confirm your eligibility.
Where can I find more FAQs regarding Voting?

Visit the full FAQ
Where can I register to vote?

You may submit your voter registration application through the Secretary of State's website. You can also pick up an application at your county elections office, any Department of Motor Vehicles office, and many post offices, public libraries, and government offices. To have a paper application mailed to you call your county elections office or the Secretary of State's toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE.