Filing fees will increase in the state of Washington, effective October 1, 2023. The change in fees will effect not only new entity formation fees, but also ongoing annual report filing fees. If you’re considering forming a new entity, please consider the approaching increase of fees and reach out to CORPSMART to get a quote today.
CORPSMART™ is a global corporate compliance and lien due diligence provider. For more information regarding this article, please reach out to support@corp-smart.com. If you would like to learn more about our services or discuss your unique needs, please reach out to the CORPSMART™ team at sales@corp-smart.com.
CORPSMART™ and government agencies have identified deceptive notices being sent to debtors, when a filing has been placed against their name. The notices are sent via mail and formatted to appear like an official government document, indicating the the debtor should reach out to the contact to obtain a copy of their UCC filing for $90. See an example of fraudulent notices below:
If you or your client are targeted in this scheme, please reach out to CORPSMART to confirm validity of any suspicious documents. Please note that CORPSMART will always provide a copy of filed UCCs and we would advise not to engage in this situation.
CORPSMART™ is a global corporate compliance and lien due diligence provider. For more information regarding this article, please reach out to support@corp-smart.com. If you would like to learn more about our services or discuss your unique needs, please reach out to the CORPSMART™ team at sales@corp-smart.com.
In June of 2022, with Senate Bill 154, California temporarily waived statutory fees for initial formation and qualification for LLCs, Corporations and Limited Partnerships. The break on fees was created to encourage job creation and enterprise within the state. Formation filing fees have returned in California as of June 30, 2023.
If you’re interested in starting a new business or expanding to do business in the state of California, we can help! Reach out to the CORPSMART team to discuss your needs and obtain a quote.
CORPSMART™ is a global corporate compliance and lien due diligence provider. For more information regarding this article, please reach out to support@corp-smart.com. If you would like to learn more about our services or discuss your unique needs, please reach out to the CORPSMART™ team at sales@corp-smart.com.
Governor John Carney signed Senate Bill 110 increasing Delaware corporate statutory filing fees on limited liability company (LLC) and corporate filings from $20 to $40, starting August 1st, 2023. Please click here to read the bill.
If you’re interested in starting a new business or restructuring your entity, you may want to consider Delaware as your home state for the various legal benefits. Reach out to the CORPSMART team to obtain a current quote for your entity formation or qualification needs.
CORPSMART™ is a global corporate compliance and lien due diligence provider. For more information regarding this article, please reach out to support@corp-smart.com. If you would like to learn more about our services or discuss your unique needs, please reach out to the CORPSMART™ team at sales@corp-smart.com.
Beginning July 2023, new UCC filing forms were released throughout the nation. While most states have adopted the new forms, this is not the case in all states. Utilizing our UCC filing technology, you will ensure that your filings are being formatted on the current required UCC forms.
While only minor changes were made to the UCC filing forms, the changes are impactful in providing greater guidance in properly formatting your UCC filing and streamlining components as to eliminate the need to supply duplicated information. Notable changes include, key information provided within the instructions page clarifying formatting requirements for debtor names, such as “Do not use Debtor’s trade name, DBA, AKA, FKA, division name, etc. in place of or combined with Debtor’s correct name; filer may add such other names as additional Debtors if desired (but this is neither required nor recommended)”.
To ensure that you are using the most current UCC filing form, we recommend drafting your filing on CORPSMART™’s UCC filing system, which is programmed to determine the proper form, per state, as the new forms are not being used in all states.
Click here to access the newest UCC filing forms or read up on filing instructions.
About the CORPSMART filing system:
CORPSMART™’s state-of-the-art UCC filing system allows users to draft UCC filings in all states and counties nationwide. With saved collateral, Secured Party and debtor books, you can save descriptions to streamline formatting documents and ensure information used is accurate. The UCC filing system also provides debtor monitoring solutions as well as FREE tracking of lapse dates with quick-file continuation functions.
CORPSMART™ is a global corporate compliance and lien due diligence provider. For more information regarding this article, please reach out to support@corp-smart.com. If you would like to learn more about our services or discuss your unique needs, please reach out to the CORPSMART™ team at sales@corp-smart.com.
Counter service is suspended and the Secretary of State is operating with limited staff.
A drop box is available, as well as online, email, mail, UPS and FedEx services.
Business Services Division is operating with limited staff.
Louisiana:
Counter service is suspended, but online, email, mail, UPS and FedEx services are available.
Minnesota:
Counter service is suspended and telephones reduced hours are 9 am – 1 pm.
Online, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Hennepin County Recorder’s office is open, but suspending paper document recording.
Electronic recording remains available.
Mississippi:
Counter service is suspended, but online, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Missouri:
Counter service is suspended, but online and email requests remain available.
Nebraska:
Counter service is suspended, but online, mail, email, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Emergency Apostille needs may be handled by appointment.
New Mexico:
Counter service and same day (waiting) is suspended – only Apostilles and limited election-related filing are accepted over the counter (appointment required).
All in-person transactions (without an appointment) are suspended.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
North Dakota:
Counter service is by appointment only.
Agent access, online services, drop box, mail, FedEx and UPS remain available.
Oklahoma:
Counter service is suspended, but a drop box, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
South Dakota:
Counter service is suspended until March 30th.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Texas:
Counter service is suspended and drop-off is available by appointment onlyfor service companies (limited to corporate documents only).
Apostille/Authentications are available by appointment onlyto service companies (same day processing).
Drop off is not available for UCC, but mail, fax, FedEx and UPS are available – expect processing delays.
Wisconsin:
Counter service is suspended.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services remain available.
DMV counter service is suspended – mail, FedEx and UPS remain available.
Wyoming:
Counter service is limited, but online services, telephone, mail, email, FedEx and UPS services are available.
CORPSMART™ offices remain open and unaffected at this time.
International
Belgium:
Government agencies are closed or on a limited schedule, everything is running much slower than usual. The Country is an unprecedented ‘lockdown’ until April 15.
British Virgin Islands:
Registry is open 9 am – 1 pm to the public.
It is available virtually from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm daily.
Canada (Ontario):
Toronto counter service remain available – all registrations and filings are being processed.
PPSA is still available for searching and filing.
Bankruptcy and Bank Act is open for searching.
El Salvador:
Closed until further notice.
France:
Closed through mid-April.
Further announcements will be made in mid-April.
Guam:
The Governor of Guam has issued a state of emergency effective March 15, 2020.
All non-essential government offices which includes the Department of Revenue & Taxation are to remain closed.
The state of emergency for all above is in effect until at least April 12, 2020.
With the President’s state of emergency extended to April 30, 2020 – there may be an extension to this date.
India:
All of India is under ‘lockdown’ for 21 days.
Registries are currently closed and are working remotely.
Italy:
The country is under ‘lockdown’ and the corporate registry is closed until further notice.
Some online services are available.
Kuwait:
Registry is closed until March 29th, at minimum.
Mexico:
Mostly all registries are closed until mid-April.
Further announcements will be made in mid-April.
Online services are available.
Panama:
The Government of Panama has issued Executive Decree No. 500 of March 19th, instructing all businesses (with a few strategic exceptions) to close as of midnight March 20th for 30 days in an effort to reduce, mitigate and control the virus.
Philippines:
Placed on state of calamity (mandatory quarantine at home) until further notice.
Courts and Registries are closed.
An announcement will be made when these re-open.
Puerto Rico:
The Department of State will be closed until April 11th.
All Walk In Services are cancelled.
Online Filings are still being accepted.
The Department of State has extended the annual report due date to May 15th.
For any immediate requests, please contact a CORPSMART™ representative by calling (800) 737-8012 or emailing orders@corp-smart.com.
CORPSMART™ offices remain open and unaffected at this time.
East Coast States
Alabama:
State remains open with limited staff and resources; expect delays.
Connecticut:
Counter service is suspended, but online and email requests are available.
Expedite services are available, but will be mailed out (no pick-ups).
Delaware:
Counter service is by appointment only.
Drop-off and pick-up bins are located on the first floor and electronic services remain available.
Florida:
Counter service is limited to one drop off and one pick up each day.
Online services, as well as email, mail, FedEx and UPS services remain available.
Expedite services are available, but expect delays.
Annual Report deadline extended to June 30, 2020.
Georgia:
Counter service is suspended, but online and email services are available.
Expedite services are available, but expect delays.
Annual Registration deadline extended to May 1, 2020.
Indiana:
Counter service is suspended and online services are preferred.
Online, mail, UPS and FedEx services are available – expect delays.
Email is available for business entity filings that cannot be completed online.
Email is not available for UCC filings – must be submitted online.
Kentucky:
Counter service is suspended.
Online and email service remains available.
Maine:
Counter service is suspended and expedite services are modified.
A drop box is available, as well as online services and requests sent by email, mail, FedEx and UPS.
Maryland:
Counter service is suspended (no appointments permitted).
Limited hours of operation are 9 am – 1 pm.
Online, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Expedite service fees are being waived for online filings.
Annual Report/Personal Property Return filing date extended from April 15 to July 15 for all entities.
All expiration and renewal dates extended to 30th day after date on which state of emergency is terminated.
Additional information to follow related to the delay of due dates for trade name renewal/expiration’s, penalty due dates and any other related items.
Massachusetts:
The Secretary of State is open, with limited staffing and resources – expect delays.
Trial courts and superior courts are closed to the public April 6th.
Any Registry of Deeds located within a court house will also be closed.
The MA US District Court is open with some access limitations.
Electronic services remain available.
Michigan:
Counter service is suspended.
Online service remains available.
New Hampshire:
Counter service is by appointment only.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
The Corporations Division is waiving the late filing penalty for Annual and Five Year Reports untilMay 1, 2020. The late filing penalty will not apply to Reports filed after April 1, 2020 but before May 2, 2020. Reports filed on or after May 2, 2020 will incur the penalty.
New Jersey:
Counter service is suspended, but online, mail, email, FedEx and UPS services remain available.
Emergency Apostille needs may be handled by appointment.
New York:
The Division of Corporations counter service and fax requests are suspended.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Two-hour and same day filings are being processed with evidence the next day and next day filings will take three to four days.
Several County Clerks have suspended counter service or closed entirely.
New York County Clerk is not accepting Business Certificates.
County UCC/Lien filings, notary certifications, search and retrieval services remain available in most counties.
In New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx and Richmond County – Lower Civil Court, Landlord & Tenant Court, Small Claims Court, US District Court and Criminal Courts are closed.
In Kings County – Surrogates/Probate Court is closed.
The Secretary of State in New York City for Apostilles is closed.
North Carolina:
Counter service is suspended and appointments are required for drop-off and pick-up.
Online services are available.
Ohio:
Counter service is suspended, but a drop box, online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Pennsylvania:
Counter service is suspended and expedite services are not available.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Rhode Island:
Limited counter service is available by appointment only.
Mail-ins submissions are being processed and online services are encouraged, as well as mail, FedEx and UPS services.
South Carolina:
Counter service is suspended.
Online, email, mail, FedEx and UPS services are available.
Tennessee:
Counter service is suspended.
A drop box is available, as well as online services, mail, UPS and FedEx submissions.
Vermont:
Counter service is suspended.
Online services are available, as are mail, UPS and FedEx submissions.
Virginia:
Counter service is suspended, but online services are available, as are drop box, mail, FedEx and UPS submissions.
State remains open with limited staff and resources – expect delays.
West Virginia:
Counter service is suspended.
Online services and requests sent by email, mail, UPS or FedEx remain available.
