Corporate bylaws are a company's foundational governing document. They lay out how things should run day-to-day and the processes for making important decisions. They serve as a legal contract between the corporation and its shareholders, directors, and officers and set the protocol for how the organization operates.
You'll need to register with the California Employment Development Department Opens in a new window (EDD). Choose a name for your business. Designate a Registered Agent in California. File Your Articles of Incorporation in California. Create your Corporate Bylaws. Appoint your Corporate Directors.
There's also the fact that if you don't list the number of directors in your Articles of Incorporation, you're legally required to list that information in your bylaws (see California Corp Code § 212). The bottom line: corporate bylaws are not legally required, but they're pretty much essential for your corporation.
Overall, a corporation has more structure and requires you to follow more formalities than with an LLC. See our article on how to form a California Corporation. A California LLC is formed by filing articles of organization with the state of California.
The purpose of the California Corporation Tax Return Form 100 is to enable corporations to report their annual income to the California Franchise Tax Board. This ensures that corporations meet their tax obligations and adhere to state regulations.
To form a California LLP, partners are required to file an Application to Register a Limited Liability Partnership with the Secretary of State (SOS).
How to Form a Professional Corporation in California Step 1: File the Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State (required) ... Step 2: Register with the Appropriate Government Agency (required) ... Step 3: Prepare Corporate Bylaws. Step 4: Appoint the Professional Corporation's Directors (required)
Does California Require Corporate Bylaws? No. The California Corporations Code does not explicitly state that corporations must have corporate bylaws.