Florida Statutes 617.1501 – Authority of foreign corporation to conduct affairs required
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
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(1) A foreign corporation may not conduct its affairs in this state until it obtains a certificate of authority from the Department of State.
(2) The following activities, among others, do not constitute conducting affairs within the meaning of subsection (1):
(a) Maintaining, defending, or settling any proceeding.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 617.1501
- Board of directors: means the group of persons vested with the management of the affairs of the corporation irrespective of the name by which such group is designated, including, but not limited to, managers or trustees. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Department: means the Department of State. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Foreign corporation: means a corporation not for profit organized under laws other than the laws of this state. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Mail: means the United States mail, facsimile transmissions, and private mail carriers handling nationwide mail services. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
(b) Holding meetings of the board of directors or members or carrying on other activities concerning internal corporate affairs.
(c) Maintaining bank accounts.
(d) Selling through independent contractors.
(e) Soliciting or obtaining orders, whether by mail or through employees, agents, or otherwise, if the orders require acceptance outside this state before they become contracts.
(f) Creating or acquiring indebtedness, mortgages, and security interests in real or personal property.
(g) Securing or collecting debts or enforcing mortgages and security interests in property securing the debts.
(h) Conducting its affairs in interstate commerce.
(i) Conducting an isolated transaction that is completed within 30 days and that is not one in the course of repeated transactions of a like nature.
(j) Owning and controlling a subsidiary corporation incorporated in or transacting business within this state or voting the stock of any corporation which it has lawfully acquired.
(k) Owning a limited partnership interest in a limited partnership that is doing business within this state, unless such limited partner manages or controls the partnership or exercises the powers and duties of a general partner.
(l) Owning, without more, real or personal property.
(3) The list of activities in subsection (2) is not exhaustive.
(4) This section has no application to the question of whether any foreign corporation is subject to service of process and suit in this state under any law of this state.