If you are not completing this form online, please type or legibly print in black or blue ink. Complete the Articles
of Incorporation of a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation (Form ARTS-PB-501(c)(3) as follows:
Item Instruction Tips
1. Enter the name of the proposed
corporation exactly as it is to appear on
the records of the California Secretary
of State.
• There are legal limitations on what name can be used for the
corporation. For general corporation name requirements
and restrictions or for information on reserving a corporation
name prior to submitting Form ARTS-PB-501(c)(3), go to
www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/name-availability.
• A name reservation is not required to submit Form
ARTS-PB-501(c)(3).
• A preliminary search of corporation names already of record
can be made online through our Business Search at
BusinessSearch.sos.ca.gov. Please note: The Business
Search is only a preliminary search and is not intended to
serve as a formal name availability search. For information
on checking or reserving a name, go to
www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/name-availability.
2a. Enter the complete street address, city,
state and zip code of the corporation’s
initial address.
• The complete street address is required, including the
street name and number, city, state and zip code.
• Address must be a physical address.
• Do not enter a P.O. Box address, an “in care of” address, or
abbreviate the name of the city.
2b. If different from the address in Item 2a,
enter the corporation’s initial mailing
address.
• This address will be used for mailing purposes and may be a
P.O. Box address or “in care of” an individual or entity.
• Do not abbreviate the name of the city.
3. The corporation must have an Agent
for Service of Process.
There are two types of Agents that
can be named:
• an individual (e.g. o
fficer, director, or
any other individual) who resides in
California with a physical California
street address; OR
• a registered corporate agent qualified
with the California Secretary of State.
• An Agent for Service of Process is responsible for accepting
legal documents (e.g. service of process, lawsuits, other
types of legal notices, etc.) on behalf of the corporation.
• You must provide information for either an individual OR a
registered corporate agent, not both.
• If using a registered corporate agent, the corporation must
have a current agent registration certificate on file with the
California Secretary of State as required by Section 1505.
3a & b.
If Individual Agent:
• Enter the name of the initial agent
for service of process and the
agent’s complete California street
address, city and zip code.
• If an individual is designated as the
initial agent, complete Items 3a and
3b ONLY. Do not complete Item
3c.
• The complete street address is required, including the
street name and number, city and zip code.
• Do not enter a P.O. Box address, an “in care of” address, or
abbreviate the name of the city.
• Many times, a small corporation will designate an officer or
director as the agent for service of process.
• The individual agent should be aware that the name and the
physical street address of the agent for service of process is
a public record, open to all (as are all the addresses of the
corporation provided in filings made with the California
Secretary of State.)
ARTS-PB-501(c)(3) Instructions (REV 06/2019)
2019 California Secretary of State
bizfile.sos.ca.gov