Keeping up with your state’s yearly, biannual, or decennial corporation registration requirements is an important aspect of being “legitimately” in business in the United States.
This is because failing to do so may result in your company:
Fines are possible.
Its “excellent standing” deteriorates
It disintegrates
This article explains all you need to know about your company’s annual report filing obligations and illustrates the fundamental criteria for each US state.
Annual Filing Requirements for Corporations
In order to be legal and keep their incorporated status, corporations must comply with specific yearly corporation filing requirements. This is likewise true for LLCs and NGOs.
Annual filing requirements vary greatly from state to state, however there are a few common guidelines that most businesses in the United States must follow.
Most states require companies to submit yearly reports with their Secretary of State. It should also be noted that the information sought is not always proportionate to the information given.
Despite the fact that most privately listed firms’ annual reports thoroughly explain financial information that shareholders will need to judge the company’s financial health, real state corporation filing requirements are sometimes far more limited.
They may, for example, require:
Changes to the registered agent
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All directors and officers’ names and addresses
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is increasing its inspection of publicly listed corporations, and they must comply with new filing-related laws.
Additional yearly or biannual reports that businesses may be required to produce include:
Excise tax returns are due.
Proof of insurance filing: This might include unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, or disability insurance.
Filings for intellectual property rights: These include copyright, trademarks, and patents, each with its own set of criteria.
Corporations may also be obliged to keep documents that verify the minutes of their meetings. Although most states require businesses to preserve records of these meetings, they are seldom required to file them.
This is vital because maintaining formal records of shareholder meetings allows you to quickly resolve any future internal disagreements and may also serve as evidence that they were conducted in accordance with state legislation in order to remain legally legitimate.
Business owners that operate in more than one state should be aware that they must meet the filing requirements of each state.
State Annual Report Filing Deadlines
Corporation filing dates might vary greatly from state to state. Keeping track of this might be tough for company owners that operate in more than one state.
The majority of states demand annual reports, but some need biannual or yearly reporting.
Below is a list of each state’s mandated reports and accompanying deadlines. Remember that these deadlines mostly apply to domestic firms.
Alabama
Report Type: Business Privilege Tax Form
The deadline is March 15th.
Alaska
Report Type: Biennial Report
The deadline is January 2nd.
Arizona
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the anniversary date of your corporation’s registration.
Arkansas
Annual Franchise Tax Report is the kind of report.
The deadline is May 1.
California
Report Type: Statement of Information
Due date: Before the final day of the month in which your corporation’s registration anniversary occurs.
Colorado
Report Type: Periodic Report
Due date: Annually, before the final day of the month in which your organisation celebrates its anniversary.
Connecticut
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the anniversary date of your corporation’s registration.
Delaware
Annual Franchise Tax Report is the kind of report.
The deadline is March 1st.
Florida
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is May 1.
Georgia
Report Type: Annual Registration
The deadline is April 1st.
Hawaii
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: During the quarter in which your corporation’s registration anniversary date falls.
Idaho
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the final day of the month in which your corporation’s registration anniversary occurs.
Illinois
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the first day of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
Indiana
Report Type: Business Entity Report
Due date: Before the conclusion of your corporation’s registration anniversary month every two years.
Iowa
Report Type: Biennial Report
In even-numbered years, the deadline is April 1.
Kansas
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the 15th day of the fourth month after the fiscal year end of your company.
Kentucky
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is June 30.
Louisiana
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the anniversary date of your corporation’s registration.
Maine
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is June 1st.
Maryland
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is April 15th.
Massachusetts
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Within two and a half months of your corporation’s fiscal year ending.
Michigan
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is May 15th.
Minnesota
Report Type: Annual Renewal
The deadline is December 31.
Mississippi
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is April 15th.
Missouri
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Within three months of the anniversary registration date of your company.
Montana
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is April 15th.
Nebraska
Report Type: Biennial Occupation Tax Report
In even-numbered years, the deadline is before March 1.
Nevada
Report Type: Annual List
Due date: Annually, before the end of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
State of New Hampshire
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is April 1st.
State of New Jersey
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the end of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
State of New Mexico
Report Type: Biennial Report
Before the 15th of the fourth month after the conclusion of your fiscal year.
New York City
Report Type: Biennial Statement
Due date: Before the end of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
North Carolina (NC)
Report Type: Annual Report
Before the 15th of the fourth month after the conclusion of your fiscal year.
North Dakota (ND)
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is August 1st.
Ohio
Domestic and foreign companies in Ohio are not required to submit annual reports.
N/A due date
Oklahoma
Domestic companies are not required to file annual reports. Foreign firms must submit Annual Certificates by the anniversary date of their registration.
N/A due date
Oregon
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the anniversary date of your corporation’s registration.
Pennsylvania
Report Type: Decennial Report
Due date: December 31 for years ending in “1” (e.g., 2031, 2041, etc.) IF the company has not submitted any new or modified filings during that 10-year period.
Providence, Rhode Island
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is March 1st.
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina has no annual report obligation for domestic or international firms.
N/A due date
Dakota State
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the first day of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
Tennessee
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the first day of the fourth month after the fiscal year’s conclusion.
Texas
Report Type: Public Information Report
The deadline is May 15th.
Utah
Report Type: Annual Renewal
Due date: Before the final day of the month in which your corporation’s registration anniversary occurs.
Vermont
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Within two and a half months of your corporation’s fiscal year ending.
Virginia
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the end of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
Washington
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the end of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
In Washington, D.C.
Report Type: Biennial Report
The deadline is April 1st.
West Virginia (WV)
Report Type: Annual Report
The deadline is July 1st.
Wisconsin
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the conclusion of the registration anniversary quarter of your company.
Wyoming
Report Type: Annual Report
Due date: Before the first day of the month of your corporation’s registration anniversary.
What Happens If I Don’t File My Reports Properly?
Failure to comply with your state’s corporation registration requirements may have serious ramifications for your firm, and if it continues for an extended length of time, it may result in your company being dissolved outright.
In general, both S and C companies must produce yearly reports; however, this is subject to the regulations of their respective states (some states do not require annual report filings).
The following are the implications of failing to meet your corporation’s yearly reporting requirements:
Having to pay a fine within a certain time frame. This is in addition to the costs you must pay when submitting your yearly report.
If you do not pay your fine, your company will lose its “good standing,” which means you will be unable to establish a commercial bank account, register as a foreign corporation, or initiate certain legal processes.
If a company that has lost its “good standing” continues to fail to submit the required reports, it will be dissolved. This might cause considerable issues in terms of company ownership and make it substantially more difficult to acquire clients since you will be unable to do business under your branded company name.