(a) One or more persons may form a corporation under this part by executing and filing articles of incorporation.

(b) If initial directors are named in the articles, each director named in the articles shall sign and acknowledge the articles; if initial directors are not named in the articles, the articles shall be signed by one or more persons who thereupon are the incorporators of the corporation.

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Terms Used In California Corporations Code 5120

  • 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.
  • directors: means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. See California Corporations Code 5047
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Education Code 77

(c) The corporate existence begins upon the filing of the articles and continues perpetually, unless otherwise expressly provided by law or in the articles.

(d) At the time of filing pursuant to this section, the Secretary of State shall make available the filed articles of incorporation to the Attorney General.

(e) If the corporation was created by the elected legislative body in order to exercise authority that may lawfully be delegated by the elected governing body to a private corporation or other entity, the Secretary of State shall forward a copy of the filed articles of incorporation to the Controller.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 617, Sec. 45. (SB 1202) Effective January 1, 2023.)