AI-assisted research summary: A foreign corporation may register its name if it is distinguishable on the secretary of state’s records, and it must file an application and certificate. Registered names can be renewed and used exclusively while registration is effective.
1. A foreign corporation may register its corporate name, or its corporate name with any change required by section 504.1506, if the name is distinguishable upon the records of the secretary of state from both of the following: a. The corporate name of a nonprofit or business corporation incorporated or authorized to do business in this state. b. A name reserved, registered, or protected as follows: (1) For a limited liability partnership, section 486A.1001 or 486A.1002. (2) For a limited partnership, section 488.108, 488.109, or 488.810. (3) For a business corporation, section 490.401, 490.402, 490.403, or 490.1422. (4) For a limited liability company under chapter 489, section 489.112, 489.113, 489.114, or 489.710. (5) For a nonprofit corporation, this section or section 504.401, 504.402, or 504.1423. 2. A foreign corporation shall register its corporate name, or its corporate name with any change required by section 504.1506, by delivering to the secretary of state an application that does both of the following: a. Sets forth its corporate name, or its corporate name with any change required by section 504.1506, the state or country and date of its incorporation, and a brief description of the nature of the activities in which it is engaged. b. Is accompanied by a certificate of existence, or a document of similar import, from the state or country of incorporation. 3. The name is registered for the applicant’s exclusive use upon the effective date of the application. 4. A foreign corporation whose registration is effective may renew it for successive years by delivering to the secretary of state for filing a renewal application which complies with the requirements of subsection 2, between October 1 and December 31 of the preceding year. The renewal application renews the registration for the following calendar year. 5. A foreign corporation whose registration is effective may thereafter qualify as a foreign corporation under that name or consent in writing to the use of that name by a corporation thereafter incorporated under this chapter or by another foreign corporation thereafter authorized to transact business in this state. The registration terminates when the domestic corporation is incorporated or the foreign corporation qualifies or consents to the qualification of another foreign corporation under the registered name. 2004 Acts, ch 1049, §30, 192; 2004 Acts, ch 1049, §191; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §85; 2006 Acts, ch 1089, §47; 2008 Acts, ch 1162, §146, 154, 155; 2023 Acts, ch 152, §157, 161 Referred to in §488.108, 490.401, 504.401, 504.1506, 524.310 504.404 through 504.500Reserved. SUBCHAPTER V OFFICE AND AGENT