How to Form an Idaho Corporation

A corporate business structure may provide tax benefits, limitations on personal liability and various other legal benefits. Individuals may create a business or nonprofit Idaho corporation with the Secretary of State. The Secretary's office provides sample incorporation forms for filing in Idaho. Groups seeking to form a charity or for-profit business can obtain forms online and then submit them with a corporate filing fee to create a corporation in Idaho.

Step 1

Click on "Business Entity Search" on the Secretary of State's home page to run an Idaho business search for your desired corporate name (see Sources). You should ensure that the business name you would like to register is actually available for use in Idaho. If another business has registered the same or a confusingly similar corporate name, then choose another name to avoid potential legal problems in the future.

Step 2

Visit the home page of the Office of the Secretary of State of Idaho (see Sources). On that page, click on the "Business Entities" link to get the page for Idaho business forms. You can then find links for filing an Idaho corporation by clicking on the "Corporation Forms" link.

The resulting page has links to three different "Articles of Incorporation" forms for filing a new business: domestic profit, domestic nonprofit and domestic professional service corporations. Choose the "profit" link to open a business corporation unless you are a licensed professional and intend to open a corporate practice. In that case, you can file a professional service corporation. Of course, charitable organizations would choose to use the "nonprofit" corporate forms.

If you are starting a charity or other nonprofit, you will have to include certain articles in your "Articles of Incorporation" form to obtain federal tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Go to the IRS.gov website and study Publication 557 to get more details on how to follow federal procedures for charities.

Step 3

Fill out the "Articles of Incorporation" for the Idaho corporation you wish to create. Note that only the minimum articles necessary to create your business are included in the forms. You should consult an Idaho business attorney if you are not familiar with Idaho corporate law and filing procedures.

Step 4

Prepare the filing fee. As of 2010, the fee to file a business corporation (including professional services) is $100 if the form is typed and $120 if not typed. The fee for all nonprofits is $30. Both types of corporate filings may be expedited for $20. Call for additional information on expedited services or payment methods.

Step 5

Send the form and fee to the following address:

Office of the Secretary of State
450 N. 4th Street
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0080
208-334-2301

Sources:

Idaho Secretary of State Home Page