Corporation
Definition: A legal entity owned by shareholders, managed by a board, and formed by filing articles of incorporation.
A corporation is a business entity owned by shareholders and managed by a board of directors and officers. It is formed by filing articles of incorporation (some states say certificate of incorporation) with the state, and it keeps existing regardless of changes in ownership.
C corporation and S corporation are tax labels
A state search will not tell you whether a corporation is a C corporation or an S corporation. That is a federal tax election made with the IRS on Form 2553. An LLC can also elect S corporation tax treatment, so the entity type in the search and the tax status are two different things.
What a corporation record usually shows
- Name, entity number and date of incorporation
- Status, such as active, delinquent or dissolved
- Registered agent
- Officers and directors in states that collect them on the annual report
Corporations formed for charitable or mutual-benefit purposes are a separate category; see nonprofit corporation.
Related: business entity types, articles of incorporation.
Corporation questions
How do I look up a corporation?
Search its name or number in the business register of the state where it was incorporated. The record shows status, registered agent and usually officers.
Are corporation officers public?
In most states, yes. Officers or directors appear on the annual report. Shareholders of private corporations are not filed with the state.
Sources
Data Updated Recently