Sun Document Filings makes it easy to file a nonprofit Articles of Incorporation for a California nonprofit Corporation. First we check name availability with the California Secretary of State to make sure the California nonprofit Corporation name is available. Second, you will draft the California Corporation Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit. Third, you sign and fax the California Corporation Articles of Incorporation to us. Fourth, we will file the California Corporation Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit in Sacramento at the Secretary of State California Corporation counter. We will obtain a California Corporation file number from the Secretary of State for your California nonprofit Corporation. We will obtain two certified copies of the Articles of Incorporation for all California Nonprofit Corporation filings at no extra charge. Incorporate a nonprofit corporation in California fast with Sun Document Filings.

If you are interested in filing a California for profit Corporation/General Stock Corporation/S Corporation, click here.

If you are interested in qualifying a foreign (existing corporation in another state or country) corporation in the State of California, click here.

Step 1: Check name availability: Skip this step if you have already checked name availability. First, determine your primary name and back up name choices for your California Nonprofit Corporation. Please download our name availability order form in PDF format.

Step 2: Prepare the form: Prepare the California Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation. The filing packet prepared by the California Secretary of State is provided in PDF format. Please note that only basic requirements are shown. You may add additional language customized to meet your client's needs. Please make sure that any additional language complies with the California Corporation's Code. If the California Secretary of State determines that the language contained in the document does not comply, they will reject the document. A rejected document will require additional state and service fees upon resubmittal. Visit our FAQ section that contains helpful tips for filling out the Articles of Incorporation. We cannot legally review the document or approve or deny it.

Please note that we provide registered agent services for $159.00 a year. Please contact us if you are interested and we will assist you in designating the registered agent correctly on the Articles of Incorporation. For more information about California registered agent services, click here.

Download filing packet - Articles of Incorporation for a California Nonprofit Corporation for a Public Benefit, Mutual Benefit or Religious corporation 

Download filing packet - Articles of Incorporation for a California Nonprofit Corporation for a Common Interest Development corporation

Step 3: Fax the document to us: Print out the California Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation, have them signed, and fax them with a cover letter containing your contact information including mailing address or completed order form to 800-498-3611; Attn: Corporate filing unit. If you prefer, you may e-mail your contact information and the form to order@sundocumentfilings.com. We will contact you upon receipt. If you do not hear from us after an hour has past, please contact us at 800-498-2822.

Step 4: Document is Filed: If we receive your California Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation by 2:00pm M-F, your Corporation will be filed and active by 5:00PM! This means your company will be given the file date your document was submitted on. Please note that even though we deliver your document in person to the California Corporation counter, as a service company, we are not allowed to "stand and wait" for your document to be filed. No service company is allowed to stand and wait for your document and nobody can file your document faster. RUSH OPTIONS AVAILABLE, SEE FEES. Once the document is submitted to the Secretary of State, the State will take approximately 7 business days to process your document. 7 business days maybe longer then desired, but keep in mind that if you mail the document to the state for processing, you will have to wait 7-9 weeks!

Step 5: Document is complete: When the state is finished with your document, they will issue a state Nonprofit Corporate number and two certified copies. We will immediately fax a copy of the filed document to you. We will return the two certified copies via regular mail. FedEx is available for an additional $25.00 fee or if you have your own FedEx account number, there is no extra charge.

That is it. So fast and easy!

Step 6: Employer Identification Number: If you would like, we can obtain your client's EIN for their new California Corporation. Simply download and fill out our EIN application in PDF format and we will prepare the form and e-mail it to you for your client's signature. Once we receive your client's signature, we will obtain the EIN within 24-48 hours. Add $45.00 for this service.

Step 7: Corporate Kit: We offer a variety of Corporate kits for non-profit corporations that include a custom binder, seal embosser, Bylaws and meeting minutes, 20 membership certificates (instead of stock certificates), and more. You can order the kit at the time of filing or if you prefer, you can place the order on-line using your credit card. Standard Corporate kit including 2nd day shipping is $75.00. To view all of our Corporate kits, please click here.

Service and State Fees for California Non Profit Corporations

Name availability check: $30.00 for one first choice plus 2 back up name choices for no extra charge plus a state fee of $4.00 per each name checked.

California Registered Agent services for one year: $159.00. Annual fee due at time of filing.

File Articles of Incorporation

Routine fax/e-mail: 7 business days: Our service fee is $70.00 plus the California Secretary of State fee of $45.00 ($30.00 filing fee + $15.00 counter fee) for a total of $115.00. Fax or e-mail the document to our office. Credit card required. This option shaves a day of the filing time, eliminates preparation time on you end, and saves you a FedEx fee to our office.

Budget Mail in: 7 business days: Our service fee is $50.00 plus the California Secretary of State fee of $30.00 filing fee + $15.00 counter fee. To qualify for the reduced service fee, you must send the following: 1 originally signed document and 3 photocopies. Two separate checks both made payable to the Secretary of State; one for $30.00 and one for $15.00. A third check for our fee made payable to Sun Document Filings for $50.00. Add $3.00 if you would like a fax return copy. Add $25.00 if you would like FedEx overnight. See Contacts for mailing address.

RUSH OPTIONS: If you need to form a non profit corporation on a rush basis, there are rush options available.
24 Rush: $350.00 Secretary of State rush fee + $30.00 filing fee + $30.00 rush service fee + $70.00 service filing fee. Total: $480.00

Routine filings: Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing at the time of filing: Our service fee is $35.00 plus $5.00 state fee per certificate.

24 hour rush: Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing at the time of filing: Our service fee is $150.00 plus $5.00 state fee per certificate.

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Why choose Sun Document Filings?

We have filed thousands of California Corporation's with the California Secretary of State over the years. Unlike other online service companies, we are in Sacramento...the only place California Corporation Articles of Incorporation can be filed on an expedited basis. We personally visit the California Secretary of State's California Corporation counter 3 times a day to drop off and pick up documents. We are very experienced in handling California Corporation formations.

Please read what your peers have to say about our services but viewing our testimonials.

We have made forming a California Corporation fast, easy, & very user friendly. Helpful links below. Trust Sun Document Filings, LLC for all of your California Corporation needs.

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NOTE: We hope you find our non profit incorporation steps useful and easy to follow. Nothing contained in our steps should be construed as giving legal or financial advice. Our intended audience is attorneys and accountants. Therefore, if you are not an attorney or accountant, you should contact an attorney or accountant for specific legal or tax questions regarding your corporation. Please be aware that the Franchise Tax Board and Secretary of State are government agencies and can change their fees/procedures/forms/turnaround times without notification. Although we do our best to update our steps and stay current, we shall not be held liable for any omissions or errors contained. We do not profess to be giving legal or financial advice to the general public as we are a typing and filing agency.

We form California nonprofit corporations fast! Form a California nonprofit corporation in Sacramento. Incorporate nonprofit corporation in California using our easy steps. File nonprofit Articles of Incorporation for your client.