Also known as the articles of organization in certain states. A limited liability company (LLC) is formed by filing a certificate of formation in the jurisdiction where it desires to be domiciled. Some states only require that the certificate contains the name of the LLC, the name of its registered agent and the address of its registered office.

Specific filing requirements vary from state to state, so it is important to review the statutes governing business entities in the state where you choose to form the LLC.

For further information, see Forming an LLC Checklist. For a form of certificate of formation for Delaware, see Standard Document, Certificate of Formation (DE). For a form of articles of organization for New York, see Standard Document, Articles of Organization (NY).