Discover why amending your Missouri Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation is vital for compliance and adaptability. Dive into our guide below for expert insights.
As a Missouri business owner, you want to make sure that your registered business information is always up to date. If your Missouri limited liability company (LLC) or corporation makes changes to certain public information, you’ll need to file an amendment to your formation documents. Let’s take a closer look at what changes must be updated with the state, why it’s important, and how we can help.
If you need to make changes to your Missouri LLC with the state, we’ll show you how in this section. If you need to make changes to a corporation instead, please keep scrolling to consult the section titled, “Amending a Missouri Corporation Articles of Incorporation.”
To form an LLC in Missouri, you have to file the Articles of Organization with the Missouri Secretary of State. These Missouri Articles include:
Filing the Articles of Organization entitles the business to the legal and state benefits of an LLC. This can help your organization obtain business licenses, sign contracts, and gain funding. If all goes well, your business will grow over time. This also likely means that some of its information will change. Should you need to change, update, or add any information relating to your original Articles, you’ll need to update the state by filing the Articles of Amendment.
You can file the Articles of Amendment directly with the Missouri Secretary of State. The amendment allows you to make any of the following changes:
If you don’t file a Missouri LLC amendment when your business information changes, you may not be able to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing. A Missouri Certificate of Good Standing shows that you’re “in good standing” with the Secretary of State. Sometimes, states call this a Certificate of Compliance or a Certificate of Existence. This certificate means that you’ve paid all state-required fees, completed all required filings, and are in compliance with state regulations pertaining to your business.
Inability to get a Certificate of Good Standing can have serious financial consequences for your registered business. These can include:
Filing a Missouri LLC amendment at the right time can help keep your business running at full speed. Our Worry-Free Compliance service, with up to two yearly amendments included, can help you stay compliant.
Once you’ve determined what you need to change, you’ll need to gather the information to put on the updated form. This could include the registered agent’s information, your new address, information about the new series LLC structure, and so on. This will be the information you file with the Secretary of State.
Missouri allows you to file the Amendment of Articles of Organization online or by mail (you can download the form directly from their website). No matter how you file, you’ll need to provide some information, including:
Before you submit this filing, be sure that all of the information is correct; filings can be rejected if there are discrepancies or omitted sections. Careful completion can save you the time, money, and hassle that comes with rejected forms.
If you need to make changes to a corporation’s information, the process looks a little bit different. We’ll cover those steps here.
Businesses regularly grow and expand. Corporations are no different. You may find that your original Articles of Incorporation served as a good initial baseline for the business you were trying to create, but some things have changed. New ideas from directors, shareholders, or business advisors may change some of your initial decisions. Your amendment to a corporation in Missouri, known as the Amendment of Articles of Incorporation, accounts for these changes.
The Articles of Incorporation is the guiding document upon which your Missouri corporation is founded. If the information on the Articles of Incorporation differs from the information you’re using to conduct the business, this could cause meaningful inconsistencies. Shareholders are entitled to know the information stated in your formation documents. If this information changes, there is a legal obligation to amend the document. Inconsistencies may also prevent your business from being able to acquire a Certificate of Good Standing. This document certifies that you have met all state requirements to conduct business as a Missouri corporation.
You’ll need to file an amendment form if any of the following business information has changed:
Like LLCs, corporations won’t be able to get a Certificate of Good Standing if they don’t keep this information up-to-date. Losing good standing can make it difficult to conduct certain business tasks, so it’s essential to file this amendment promptly if you need to.
When you submit your amendment, you’ll be asked for a lot of information, so you’ll want to have all the information on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:
Once you have all this information in hand, you’ll be ready to file your amendment.
Missouri allows you to file the Amendment of Articles of Incorporation form online or by mail; both versions of the form are available on the Secretary of State’s website. This form costs $10 to submit unless your amendment changed the stock structure of your corporation. If that’s the case, you’ll pay more based on the numbers of shares again.
On the form, you’ll need to fill out the information you gathered in Step 3, plus provide an effective date for the form (if different from the filing date) and a signature of an authorized person for the corporation.
If you accidentally made an error on your formation documents (or any other document), you can file a Statement of Correction instead of a full amendment. This process works for both LLCs and corporations, but be aware that these entities have different versions of the form. At the time of this writing, the filing fee is $10.
A Statement of Correction can only be used to fix errors; it cannot be used to change the company’s information.
If you only need to change your registered agent or office, some states offer a different form for this process. Missouri is one such state. The Change of Registered Agent form specifies the most current fees and filing instructions. It’s usually easier to file this form than filing a full amendment.
Need a new registered agent? We are here to help with your Missouri registered agent needs. Our Missouri registered agent service can give you peace of mind that your registered agent information is up to date.
Missouri also offers business owners the option to file Restated Articles of Organization or the Restated Articles of Incorporation. These documents consolidate information in the original Articles with any subsequent amendments into a single document.
Creating a restated formation document can be a complicated process, so it’s highly recommended to consult with a business attorney if you decide to go this route.
Let us be your partner in getting your Missouri business started. Our Worry-Free Compliance, formation, registered agent, and amendment services have you covered for your Missouri business compliance needs.
Typically people don’t use attorneys to amend their Articles of Organization or Incorporation, but an attorney can be helpful if you have specific legal questions regarding your business.
You can report management changes, name changes, addition and deletion of articles, and any other information relevant to your business.
No. These are two different types of filings. Limited liability companies aren’t required to file annual reports in Missouri, but corporations are.
It can take a few days to a few weeks to process your Missouri LLC or corporation Articles of Amendment. You may want to check processing times when you file, as they’re subject to change.
You will receive a confirmation of the filing from the Secretary of State’s office, and your amendment will appear on the Secretary of State’s website.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Missouri Business Resources
