(1) A foreign corporation may apply for a certificate of authority to conduct its affairs in this state by delivering an application to the Department of State for filing. Such application shall be made on forms prescribed and furnished by the Department of State and shall set forth:

(a) The name of the foreign corporation or, if its name is unavailable for use in this state, a corporate name that satisfies the requirements of s. 617.1506;

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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 617.1503

  • 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
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
(b) The jurisdiction under the law of which it is incorporated;
(c) Its date of incorporation and period of duration;
(d) The purpose or purposes which it intends to pursue in this state and a statement that it is authorized to pursue such purpose or purposes in the jurisdiction of its incorporation;
(e) The street address of its principal office;
(f) The address of its registered office in this state and the name of its registered agent at that office;
(g) The names and usual business addresses of its current directors and officers; and
(h) Such additional information as may be necessary or appropriate in order to enable the Department of State to determine whether such corporation is entitled to file an application for authority to conduct its affairs in this state and to determine and assess the fees and taxes payable as prescribed in this act.
(2) The foreign corporation shall deliver with the completed application a certificate of existence, or a document of similar import, duly authenticated, within 90 days prior to delivery of the application to the department, by the Secretary of State or other official having custody of corporate records in the jurisdiction under the law of which it is incorporated. A translation of the certificate, under oath of the translator, must be attached to a certificate that is in a language other than the English language.
(3) A foreign corporation may not be denied authority to conduct its affairs in this state by reason of the fact that the laws of the jurisdiction under which such corporation is organized governing its organization and internal affairs differ from the laws of this state.