How to File the Articles of Incorporation for a Mississippi Nonprofit


Filing the Articles of Incorporation is a critical step in starting a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit in Mississippi. Whether you have been running a charity for a while or are just starting out, your nonprofit organization will need to fill out the Articles of Incorporation and file them with the State of Mississippi. This will allow you to file for 501(c)(3) status and reap the benefits of having an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Want to form a nonprofit elsewhere? Check out our other How to Start a Nonprofit guides.

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Starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Mississippi is easy, just follow these easy steps to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation:

If you are starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Mississippi, you have come to the right place. After reading the comprehensive guide for Mississippi nonprofit formation, follow this guide to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State.

What is covered in this guide:

  1. Information you will need to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation
  2. How to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation
  3. Mississippi Nonprofit Formation FAQ

Information you will need to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation

To become a nonprofit corporation in Mississippi you must file Articles of Incorporation with the Mississippi Secretary of State. In Mississippi, business filings can ONLY be completed online and you must register for an online account.

Here is the information you need to include with your Articles of Incorporation.

Section 1: Entity Type

Check the appropriate box to indicate if your corporation is a nonprofit. Enter the email address for your nonprofit.

Section 2: Entity Name

Enter the name you have selected.

For help with selecting a name for your nonprofit read our comprehensive guide on how to name a Mississippi nonprofit.

Section 3: Future Effective Date (if applicable)

If you leave this section blank, your effective date will be the date your articles of incorporation were processed. If you wish to choose a specific future effective date, enter that information here.

Section 4: Duration and Purpose

Most organizations are created with no specific end date in mind. If this is true for your organization select ‘Perpetual’.

If your organization was created with a specific end date in mind, enter the date on which your organization will cease to exist.

In addition, you need to describe the purpose and initial activity of your nonprofit organization.

In order to qualify for 501(c)(3) status, the organization’s purpose must explicitly be limited to one or more of the following:

  • Charitable
  • Religious
  • Scientific
  • Literary
  • Testing for public safety
  • Fostering national/international amateur sports competition
  • Preventing cruelty to animals/children

NOTE: You can read the IRS guidelines to learn more.

Section 5: For-Profits Only

Since you are filing as a nonprofit, you can skip this section.

Section 6: Registered Agent & Registered Office

The registered agent can be any entity registered to do business in Mississippi or any person who is a resident of the state. Your organization cannot act as its own registered agent.

Any person you designate as the registered agent must have already explicitly consented to act as the registered agent for your organization even though you do not need to include proof of consent within your articles.

Enter the information of the registered agent you have selected.

For more information read our guide: What is a registered agent?  And The Mississippi Registered Agent Guide.

Section 7: Incorporators

Incorporators are the people who complete, sign, and submit the certification of formation. These people do not need to be a part of your organization. They can be you or a lawyer helping you with the process of formation. Enter the name and mailing address of each incorporator.

Section 8: Supplemental Provisions/Information

Use this section of the articles of formation to formally state what the assets of the organization will be used for, and what will happen to the assets if the organization is dissolved.

To be eligible for 501(c)(3) status, you must convince the IRS that the organization’s assets will always only be used for the purposes approved under 501(c)(3) rules. To this end, you must include provisions ensuring that in the event your organization is dissolved, the assets of the organization will be used towards tax-exempt purposes.

Section 5 of this sample document provides an example of these provisions required for 501(c)(3) eligibility.

Signatures

When the incorporator signs and dates the form they are affirming everything written in the form. They are also affirming that the registered agent listed has already consented to be the registered agent for this nonprofit organization.

How to file the Mississippi Articles of Incorporation

Submit the Articles of Incorporation online to the Mississippi Secretary of State along with the $50 filing fee.

Mississippi Nonprofit Formation FAQ

How long does it take to process the Articles of Incorporation?

It typically takes about 2-3 business days.