If you are ready to incorporate your business in Virginia, you will find the following on how to form a Virginia information helpful.

Naming Your Virginia Corporation

You want your corporation's name to stand-out and set your business apart from the crowd. But to pass muster with the state of Virginia, your name must also be unique—no Virginia corporation can have a name that is deceptively similar to another Virginia corporation. In addition, Virginia imposes several other very specific requirements:

• A corporation's name must include the word "Corporation," "Incorporated," "Company" or "Limited." These words can be abbreviated, but if they are a period must be used after the abbreviation. Also, you cannot use parentheses in your corporate name.
• The name cannot imply the corporation is organzied for any purpose other than that provided in the Articles of Incorporation. For example, "insurance" used by any type of business other than an insurance company.

Virginia's Requirements Related to Directors

Virginia requires that a corporation have at least one director, but there is no residence or age requirement for the corporation's directors. The names and addresses of the initial directors must be stated in the Articles of Incorporation. (The names and addresses of officers are not required to be stated in the Articles of Incorporation.)

Requirements for the Articles of Incorporation

Articles of Incorporation must be filed and accepted by the state in order to form a corporation in Virginia. The following information is required:

• Number of authorized shares and par value. Give some thought to the number of shares authorized as an increase in the number of shares or par value can affect initial filing fees.)
• Name and address of registered agent. Virginia requires that the registered agent have a physical address (no post office boxes) in Virginia. And, the registered agent must be available during normal business hours to accept important legal and tax documents for the business.

Professionals Can Incorporate in Virginia

Virginia allows professionals, such as accountants, attorneys and physicians, to form a professional corporation (PC).

Cost of Incorporating in Virginia

If you would like information on the fees Virginia charges to incorporate a business, CT would be happy to answer this and any other questions you have about becoming a Virginia corporation.