How to Fill Out California Form COR-1 (w/Examples) + FAQs

California Form COR-1, the Articles of Incorporation – General Stock, is the founding legal document that every California for-profit stock corporation must file with the California Secretary of State to come into legal existence. Filing it correctly creates a separate legal entity, unlocks limited liability for shareholders, and lets the corporation open bank accounts, issue stock, sign contracts, and pay California’s minimum franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board.

If the form is rejected for a name conflict, a missing agent for service of process, or an incomplete share statement, your incorporation date slips, your bank opening stalls, and your first-year franchise tax clock can still start running. The California Secretary of State processes more than 400,000 new business entity filings per year, and rejection rates on do-it-yourself incorporation forms regularly run between 20% and 30% on first submission, almost all for fixable, line-level errors.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

• 📄 What Form COR-1 (Rev. 12/2023) is, who must file it, and the statutes that govern it
• 🧾 Every document, ID, and piece of information to gather before you open the form
• ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every field on Form COR-1 with sample entries
• 👥 Three full filled-out scenarios using named filers and real fact patterns
• ⚠️ The 10 most common mistakes, the field-level traps, and 12 FAQs that answer the questions filers actually ask

What Form COR-1 Is and Who Must File It

Form COR-1 is California’s official Articles of Incorporation for a General Stock Corporation, prescribed by the Secretary of State under the California Corporations Code §§ 200–202. The form has a revision date printed in the lower-left corner; the current version as of 2026 is Rev. 12/2023, and using an outdated version is a common reason for rejection.

The filer is the incorporator, defined in Corporations Code § 200(a) as any natural person, partnership, association, or corporation that executes and delivers articles to the Secretary of State. In practice, the incorporator is usually a founder, a startup attorney, or a registered agent service such as CT Corporation or CSC. Only one incorporator is required, but more are allowed.

You must file Form COR-1 if you are forming a California for-profit stock corporation, including a typical startup, a small family business taxed as a C-corp or S-corp, or a corporation that will later sell shares to investors. You should not use COR-1 if you are forming a nonprofit (use Form ARTS-PB-501(c)(3), ARTS-MU, or ARTS-RE), a close corporation under § 158 (use the close-corporation articles), a professional corporation (use Form ARTS-PC), or a benefit/social purpose corporation. The wrong form template means automatic rejection and a refiling fee.

The agency that receives the form is the Secretary of State’s Business Programs Division in Sacramento. The statute that requires it is Corporations Code § 200. There is no annual deadline to incorporate, but once filed, a Statement of Information (Form SI-550) is due within 90 days under Corporations Code § 1502, and the $800 minimum franchise tax is owed to the Franchise Tax Board starting in the second taxable year (first year is waived for corporations formed on or after January 1, 2026, only if the legislature extends the prior waiver).

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Form COR-1 is short, but the information you put on it must match other records exactly, or the filing will bounce. Open the official PDF of Form COR-1 and gather the items below before you type a single character.

• Proposed corporate name. The name must comply with Corporations Code § 201 and the Secretary of State’s Name Regulations. Run a free preliminary check using the bizfile Online search. A name conflict is the #1 reason COR-1 filings are rejected.
• Corporate designator decision. California does not require Inc., Corp., Corporation, or Incorporated in the name of a general stock corporation, but using one prevents confusion with LLCs and partnerships and is required for professional, close, and benefit corporations.
• Principal business street address. A physical California or out-of-state street address is required; a P.O. Box is not acceptable for the principal office line.
• Mailing address (if different). A P.O. Box is acceptable here, which matters for founders who run the business from a home address and want privacy.
• Agent for Service of Process. You need either the full legal name and California street address of an individual agent, or the exact name of a registered 1505 corporate agent on file with the Secretary of State.
• Total number of authorized shares. Most startups authorize 10,000,000 shares of common stock to leave room for option pools and investor rounds; a small family corporation may authorize as few as 1,000.
• Incorporator’s name and signature. Only one incorporator is required, and they must be a real person or entity willing to sign under penalty of perjury.
• Payment method. A $100 filing fee plus a $5 special handling fee for over-the-counter drop-off, or expedited service fees if you want 24-hour, same-day, or 4-hour processing.
• Email address for bizfile Online. If you file electronically, you need a valid email tied to your bizfile Online account.

If any one item is missing, the form is either rejected outright or accepted but with downstream problems — for example, a missing agent address means service of a lawsuit goes to the Secretary of State by default, and you may not learn about it until a default judgment lands.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The only authoritative source for Form COR-1 is the Secretary of State. Download the fillable PDF directly from the Articles of Incorporation – Stock page, or file electronically through bizfile Online, which auto-generates the equivalent of COR-1 from a guided web form.

Avoid third-party “free template” sites. They often host outdated revisions, and the Secretary of State will reject a COR-1 that does not match the current Rev. 12/2023 layout, field order, or footer code. The PDF is free; the only money that changes hands is the statutory filing fee.

You can also pick up a paper copy in person at the Sacramento public counter at 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, open Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Walk-in filings get a date stamp the same day, but you pay an extra $15 special handling fee under Government Code § 12183 in addition to the $100 base fee.

If you want expedited review, the Secretary of State offers tiered preclearance and expedited filing services under Government Code § 12183.1: 24-hour ($350), same-day ($750), and 4-hour ($500) service for an additional fee on top of the base $100. Online filing through bizfile Online is generally processed within 8 business days at no extra charge as of mid-2026, which is faster than paper mail.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out California Form COR-1 Line by Line

Form COR-1 (Rev. 12/2023) is a one-page form with seven numbered articles plus a signature block. Work top to bottom, in the order printed on the form, and use ALL CAPS only where the form indicates. Below is a field-by-field walkthrough.

Article 1 – Corporate Name

What this field asks in plain English. Article 1 asks for the exact legal name the corporation will use, as it will appear in every contract, bank account, and lawsuit going forward.

How to answer it. Type the full corporate name on the single line provided. Use mixed case the way you want it to appear on the public record (the Secretary of State preserves capitalization). Do not include punctuation that the Name Regulations prohibit, such as the words Bank, Trust, Trustee, Insurance, or Insurer, unless you have a separate approval letter from the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation or the Department of Insurance.

Example entry. Maria Lopez, founding a Bay Area coffee roastery, writes Lopez Roasters, Inc. on the Article 1 line.

Nuance or edge case. What if the name is already in use? Check the bizfile name search first. If a deceptively similar name exists, the filing will be rejected. You may reserve a name for 60 days using the Name Reservation Request for $10, which freezes it while you prepare COR-1.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. The most common error is using a name that contains a restricted word without approval. The consequence is automatic rejection and loss of any expedited fee already paid, since expedited fees are non-refundable on rejection.

Misconception people hold about this field. Many founders think trademarking a brand name federally protects the corporate name in California. It does not — federal trademark and state corporate name availability are separate systems administered by different agencies.

Article 2 – Purpose Statement

What this field asks in plain English. Article 2 asks you to state the purpose for which the corporation is formed.

How to answer it. Use the exact statutory language preprinted on the form: The purpose of the corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of California other than the banking business, the trust company business, or the practice of a profession permitted to be incorporated by the California Corporations Code. Do not edit, shorten, or paraphrase it.

Example entry. Maria leaves the preprinted purpose statement untouched, because changing it would convert the filing into a special-purpose corporation requiring a different form.

Nuance or edge case. What if your business needs a regulator’s pre-approval, such as a cannabis or insurance license? The COR-1 purpose statement still works; the regulator will require a separate license, not a custom purpose clause.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers sometimes type a custom mission statement like “to make the world a better place through coffee.” The consequence is rejection because COR-1 only accepts the statutory language; mission statements belong in bylaws.

Misconception people hold about this field. Founders often believe California requires a narrow business purpose like older corporate statutes did. Since the 1977 revision of the General Corporation Law, California uses a single general-purpose clause for all stock corporations.

Article 3 – Agent for Service of Process

What this field asks in plain English. Article 3 asks who will accept legal papers, like lawsuits and subpoenas, on the corporation’s behalf in California.

How to answer it. Choose one of two options on the form. Option 3a is an individual agent: enter their full legal name and a California street address (no P.O. Box). Option 3b is a registered corporate agent: enter only the agent’s exact registered name (do not enter an address, because the agent has a § 1505 certificate on file).

Example entry. Maria lists herself as the individual agent and writes Maria Lopez, 482 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607.

Nuance or edge case. What if the individual agent moves? The corporation must file a Statement of Information to update the address, or process service may be sent to a stale address and a default judgment may be entered.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers list a P.O. Box for the individual agent. The form is rejected because Corporations Code § 1502(b) requires a physical street address.

Misconception people hold about this field. Many founders think they can serve as their own agent and stay anonymous. The agent’s name and street address become a permanent, searchable public record on the Secretary of State website.

Article 4 – Corporate Addresses

What this field asks in plain English. Article 4 asks for the principal office street address of the corporation and, separately, a mailing address if different.

How to answer it. Enter the principal business street address in Item 4a — this must be a physical location, not a P.O. Box. Enter a mailing address in Item 4b only if it differs from 4a; a P.O. Box is fine here.

Example entry. Maria writes 482 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607 in 4a and P.O. Box 1212, Oakland, CA 94604 in 4b.

Nuance or edge case. What if the principal office is outside California? That is allowed — many Delaware-style holding companies headquartered out of state still register a California corporation. Just use the actual out-of-state street address.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers leave 4b blank when their mailing address truly differs from the street address. The consequence is missed statutory notices, because the Secretary of State and Franchise Tax Board mail to 4b first when populated.

Misconception people hold about this field. Filers often believe the principal office must be inside California. It does not; only the agent for service of process must be located in California.

Article 5 – Authorized Shares

What this field asks in plain English. Article 5 asks how many shares of stock the corporation is allowed to issue.

How to answer it. Write a single whole number on the line. The form authorizes a single class of common stock by default. If you need preferred stock or multiple share classes, you must add an attachment that complies with Corporations Code § 202(e).

Example entry. Maria writes 10,000,000 because she plans to grant employee options and may take seed investment.

Nuance or edge case. What if you want par value? California does not require par value, and most modern incorporators leave it out entirely. If you do want par value (often $0.00001 for venture-backed startups), you must add it via attachment and reference the attachment in Article 5.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers leave Article 5 blank or write N/A. The consequence is rejection — Corporations Code § 202(d) requires a definite share count, and a blank or “as needed” entry is fatal to the filing.

Misconception people hold about this field. Founders sometimes think authorizing more shares costs more in filing fees. It does not — California’s $100 fee is flat regardless of whether you authorize 1,000 shares or 100,000,000.

Article 6 – Optional Provisions (Attachment Reference)

What this field asks in plain English. Article 6 (on some revisions printed as a continuation note) lets you reference any attachments containing optional provisions allowed by Corporations Code § 204, such as director indemnification, cumulative voting waivers, or multiple share classes.

How to answer it. If you have no optional provisions, leave this article blank or write None. If you do, attach a separate page labeled Attachment to Article 6 and write See Attachment on the form.

Example entry. Maria writes None because her corporation uses default California rules.

Nuance or edge case. Venture-backed startups almost always attach indemnification and director-liability-limit language under § 204(a)(10) and (a)(11). Omitting it means directors are personally exposed for ordinary negligence and can demand it be added by amendment later — at $30 per amendment plus drafting time.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers paste in long-form Delaware-style indemnification language without citing the California code section. The consequence is that the clause may be unenforceable, because California requires the provision to be tied to § 204(a)(10) or (a)(11).

Misconception people hold about this field. Filers often think they can add board-composition or shareholder-voting rules here. Those typically belong in the bylaws or a shareholder agreement, not the articles.

Article 7 – Incorporator Signature

What this field asks in plain English. Article 7 is the signature block where the incorporator certifies under penalty of perjury that the information is true.

How to answer it. Print the incorporator’s name on the printed-name line and sign on the signature line. Only the incorporator signs; directors and officers do not sign COR-1.

Example entry. Maria signs Maria Lopez and prints Maria Lopez, Incorporator below.

Nuance or edge case. What if the incorporator is an entity, like a law firm? An authorized representative signs and adds their title and the firm’s name, e.g., Jane Patel, Partner, Patel & Co., LLP, Incorporator.

Common mistake on this field and its direct consequence. Filers type the signature in the PDF and submit by email without ink or a verifiable e-signature. The consequence is rejection — paper filings need a wet-ink signature, and bizfile Online uses its own e-signature flow.

Misconception people hold about this field. Founders often think every shareholder or director must sign. Only the incorporator does, and the incorporator’s role generally ends once the first board is elected.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Scenario 1 – Maria Lopez, Solo Coffee-Roastery Founder

Maria is forming a single-founder startup in Oakland with no outside investors yet but plans to grant employee equity.

Form Section	What Maria Enters
Article 1 – Name	Lopez Roasters, Inc.
Article 2 – Purpose	Preprinted statutory language, unchanged
Article 3 – Agent	Maria Lopez, 482 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607 (Option 3a)
Article 4a – Principal Office	482 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Article 4b – Mailing Address	P.O. Box 1212, Oakland, CA 94604
Article 5 – Authorized Shares	10,000,000 common shares
Article 6 – Optional Provisions	None
Article 7 – Incorporator	Maria Lopez, signed and printed
Filing Channel	bizfile Online, $100 fee, ~8 business days

Scenario 2 – Carlos Nguyen, Venture-Backed SaaS Startup

Carlos is forming a Series-Seed-ready SaaS company in San Francisco and is using a startup law firm as incorporator.

Form Section	What Carlos’s Firm Enters
Article 1 – Name	Brightwave AI, Inc.
Article 2 – Purpose	Preprinted statutory language, unchanged
Article 3 – Agent	CT Corporation System (Option 3b – registered 1505 agent)
Article 4a – Principal Office	535 Mission Street, 14th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105
Article 4b – Mailing Address	Left blank (same as 4a)
Article 5 – Authorized Shares	10,000,000 common, with attachment authorizing preferred
Article 6 – Optional Provisions	See Attachment — § 204(a)(10) and (a)(11) indemnification, multi-class capitalization
Article 7 – Incorporator	Jane Patel, Partner, Patel & Co., LLP, Incorporator
Filing Channel	Paper drop-off in Sacramento, 24-hour expedite, $100 + $350 + $15 = $465

Scenario 3 – The Kim Family, Closely Held Restaurant Group

The Kim family is forming a small corporation to operate two restaurants in Los Angeles, with three sibling shareholders.

Form Section	What the Kim Family Enters
Article 1 – Name	Kim Sibling Hospitality Corporation
Article 2 – Purpose	Preprinted statutory language, unchanged
Article 3 – Agent	David Kim, 1290 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (Option 3a)
Article 4a – Principal Office	1290 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Article 4b – Mailing Address	Left blank
Article 5 – Authorized Shares	3,000 common shares (1,000 per sibling)
Article 6 – Optional Provisions	None
Article 7 – Incorporator	David Kim, Incorporator
Filing Channel	Paper mail to Sacramento, $100 fee, ~3–5 weeks

How to File the Completed Form COR-1

Form COR-1 can be filed through four channels, and each has a different fee, speed, and proof-of-filing.

Online via bizfile Online. Go to the bizfile Online portal, create an account, and complete the guided “Articles of Incorporation – General Stock” workflow. The fee is $100, paid by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. Processing time is generally 8 business days as of 2026. Your proof of filing is the endorsed-filed PDF emailed to you, plus a downloadable copy from your bizfile account.

By mail. Send the signed paper form and a check for $100 (payable to Secretary of State) to Secretary of State, Business Entities, P.O. Box 944260, Sacramento, CA 94244-2600. Processing currently runs 3–5 weeks under Secretary of State processing times. Your proof of filing is the file-stamped articles returned by mail.

In person. Drop off at 1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. weekdays. The fee is $100 plus a $15 special handling fee under Government Code § 12183. Same-day window pickup is available if you also pay the expedited fee. Your proof of filing is a hand-stamped copy returned over the counter or by mail.

Expedited service. Add $350 for 24-hour, $500 for 4-hour, or $750 for same-day service, payable by check, money order, or credit card with a Credit Card Authorization Form. These fees stack on top of the $100 base fee and the $15 in-person handling fee.

Fax filings are not accepted for COR-1 as of 2026; the Secretary of State retired fax intake for new entity formations. Email submission is also not accepted outside the bizfile portal.

What Happens After You File

Within the processing window, the Secretary of State either endorses-filed your articles, returning a file-stamped copy with a 7-digit Entity Number, or rejects them with a letter explaining the defect. Endorsed filings are searchable on the public bizfile records usually within 24 hours of endorsement.

Once you have an Entity Number, you must do four things quickly. File a Statement of Information (Form SI-550) within 90 days under Corporations Code § 1502 and pay the $25 fee. Obtain a federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS — free, immediate online. Open a corporate bank account using the endorsed articles, the EIN letter, and your bylaws. Register with the Franchise Tax Board and prepare to pay the $800 minimum franchise tax according to current law.

If your COR-1 is rejected, the Secretary of State returns the original document and the full filing fee is forfeited if you used expedited service; the base $100 is refunded only if you abandon the filing entirely. Most filers fix the defect and re-submit within a week.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out Form COR-1

1. Using an outdated form revision. The Secretary of State only accepts the current revision; an old PDF triggers rejection.
2. Choosing a confusingly similar name. A name too close to an existing corporation, LLC, or LP causes rejection under § 201(b).
3. Editing the Article 2 purpose statement. Any change to the statutory language is grounds for rejection.
4. Listing a P.O. Box in Article 3 or 4a. Both require a physical street address; P.O. Boxes here cause rejection.
5. Naming an individual agent who has not consented. § 1505 requires the agent’s consent, and lying exposes the incorporator to perjury liability.
6. Leaving Article 5 blank or writing “as needed.” A definite share count is mandatory.
7. Mixing Option 3a and 3b. Picking both an individual and a corporate agent creates ambiguity and triggers rejection.
8. Typing the signature instead of signing. Paper filings require ink; only bizfile Online accepts e-signature.
9. Forgetting to attach optional-provision language referenced in Article 6. A reference to a missing attachment is treated as a fatal defect.
10. Paying by personal check from outside California without a U.S. bank. Foreign checks are rejected at intake, delaying the filing weeks.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do confirm name availability on bizfile before drafting, because conflicts are the #1 cause of rejection.
• Do use the current Rev. 12/2023 PDF, because old layouts get bounced at intake.
• Do keep an electronic and a paper copy of the endorsed articles, because banks and the IRS will both demand it.
• Do file your Statement of Information within 90 days, because failure triggers a $250 penalty under § 2204.
• Do calendar the $800 minimum franchise tax due date, because the Franchise Tax Board will assess penalties and interest automatically.
• Do designate a real, reachable agent for service of process, because missed service leads to default judgments.

Don’ts

• Don’t rewrite the Article 2 purpose statement, because California only accepts the statutory text.
• Don’t put a P.O. Box where a street address is required, because the Secretary of State will reject the filing.
• Don’t sign as both incorporator and agent unless you genuinely consent, because you’re swearing under penalty of perjury.
• Don’t authorize only one share if you have multiple owners, because issuing fractions becomes impossible.
• Don’t pay expedited fees expecting a refund on rejection, because expedite fees are non-refundable.
• Don’t rely on a templated free PDF from a non-government site, because outdated revisions get rejected.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Pros of filing pro se

• Saves attorney fees, which range from $500 to $2,500 for a basic incorporation, because the form itself is short.
• Forces the founder to learn the basics of corporate governance, which pays off later in board work.
• Lets you control timing precisely without scheduling around a lawyer’s calendar.
• Online filing through bizfile is genuinely fast for simple capital structures.
• You keep direct ownership of the founding documents, with no third-party login dependency.

Cons of filing pro se

• You’re more likely to misuse Article 6 optional provisions, which can leave directors personally exposed.
• You may pick the wrong share authorization, requiring an amendment costing $30 plus drafting.
• You miss the 90-day Statement of Information deadline more often, triggering a $250 penalty.
• You may overlook securities-law issues on initial stock issuance under Corporations Code § 25102(f).
• Future investors may require post-hoc cleanup, costing more than the original attorney fee would have.

FAQs

Is Form COR-1 used for nonprofit corporations?

No. Nonprofits use Form ARTS-PB-501(c)(3), ARTS-MU, or ARTS-RE. Filing COR-1 for a nonprofit will be rejected because the purpose statement is hard-coded to the General Corporation Law.

Can I list myself as the agent for service of process?

Yes. You may serve as your own agent in Article 3a if you have a California street address and are at least 18, but your name and address will become public.

Do I have to include “Inc.” or “Corp.” in the name?

No. A general stock corporation in California is not required to include a corporate designator, though using Inc., Corp., or Incorporated is strongly recommended for clarity.

What goes in Article 5 if I haven’t decided on a share count?

Yes, you must pick a number. N/A, blank, or “to be determined” causes rejection; most startups put 10,000,000 and small family corporations put 1,000.

Can I file Form COR-1 by fax?

No. California retired fax filing for new entity formations; use bizfile Online, paper mail, or in-person drop-off.

Is there a way to keep my home address off the public record?

No, not in Article 4a, but yes in Article 4b — you may use a P.O. Box for the mailing address while still showing a street address for the principal office.

Does Box 3a require my signature as the agent?

No. The agent’s signature is not on COR-1 itself; consent is presumed by being named, but § 1505 requires actual consent.

What if I check both Option 3a and 3b?

No, you may not. Pick one. Checking both causes rejection because the Secretary of State cannot determine which agent is authorized.

Do I write the share number with or without commas in Article 5?

Yes, commas are accepted. Both 10,000,000 and 10000000 are read the same way, but the form’s printed sample uses commas.

Does Article 6 require a code citation if I add indemnification language?

Yes. Always cite Corporations Code § 204(a)(10) or (a)(11), because California enforces indemnification provisions only when tied to those subsections.

Can a minor sign Article 7 as incorporator?

No. The incorporator must be at least 18 to sign under penalty of perjury and to bind the corporation at formation.

How soon is the corporation legally formed after filing?

Yes, the corporation exists as of the endorsement date stamped by the Secretary of State, which is the date the filing is accepted — not the date you mailed or uploaded it.