Michigan Articles of Incorporation For Use By Ecclesiastical Corporations | Form CSCL/CD-503
	PDF APP

The Michigan Articles of Incorporation For Use By Ecclesiastical Corporations | Form CSCL/CD-503 organizes the basic information required by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau for the formation of this entity type. There will be other interested governing bodies that shall have a criteria which must be satisfied as well. For instance, merely filing these articles does not automatically give this corporation tax-exempt status. In order to attain 501(c)(3) status, the Internal Revenue Service’s application process must be successfully completed as well. Incorporators wishing to form a Tax-Exempt Ecclesiastical Corporation must make themselves as familiar with this process as possible before attempting to fill out this form.

In order to successfully file the creation of your ecclesiastical corporation, you must send one original of the Michigan Articles of Incorporation For Use By Ecclesiastical Corporations, all supporting paperwork or documentation, and full payment for the Filing Fee ($20.00) to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau. Options for remitting payment depend upon how you will submit the articles. If you are bringing the articles in, you may pay by check, money order, or credit card (MasterCard or Visa) if you are submitting in person to 2501 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, MI 48864. You may only pay by check or money order if you submit via via mail to Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division, P.O. Box 30054, Lansing, MI 48909. If you have a MICH-ELF account, you must make sure your account is up to date with its payment information and fax to (517) 636-6437.

You may choose to request expedited processing. If so, you will need to include an additional form (Expedited Service Request Form), and specify the requested service. You will also need to include an additional payment for this service depending upon the level expedition you wish. If you wish to expedite this filing to one hour, you must include an additional payment of $1,000.00. If you wish to have this service expedited to 2 hours, you must include a payment for $500.00. If you wish to expedite this service to Same Day Service, you must include a payment of $100.00. Finally, if you wish 24 hour service, you must include a payment for $50.00.

How To File

• Download Form
• Expedited Service Request Form

Step 1 – You must obtain a blank copy of the Michigan Articles of Incorporation For Use By Ecclesiastical Corporations. This may be done by simply clicking this link: Form CSCL/CD-503

Step 2 – Next, in the heavy bordered box below the Date Received boxes (Do NOT fill in the area marked Date Received or the empty box below it), enter the Full Name and Mailing Address where the Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs may return these documents.

Step 3 – In the First section, input the Full Name of the religious corporation being formed including all necessary suffixes.

Step 4 – In Second section, you must report the City where the church/society is located on the first blank space in Item 1. Then on the second blank space report the County where this church or society is located. In Item 2, report the Name of the Resident Agent for this corporation on the blank line provided. Next, in Item 3, enter the Street Address of the Registered Office where this entity may be found. This may not be a P.O. Box Number and must be composed of the actual Building Number, Street, Site Number, City, State, and Zip Code of the Registered Office. If the Resident Agent does have a separate Mailing Address ( for instance, a P.O. Box) this may be reported on the blank line in Item 4.

Step 5 – In the Third section, indicate if the lifespan of this corporation is perpetual or not. If it is perpetual and thus, shall operate without any real termination date to its activities or existence then leave this section blank. If there is a predetermined day where the corporation being formed shall cease its activities, then input the number of years until the Termination Date occurs.

Step 6 –In the Fourth section report the Name of the church that determines the rules and discipline of this corporation on the first blank line. If this entity is part of a larger ecclesiastical body enter the larger body that may hold this corporation’s church/society to its jurisdiction) on the second blank line. If there is no such entity and this operates as an independent church you should write in the word “None.”

Step 7 – In the Fifth section shall give an opportunity for the Incorporators to add any additional provisions that should be included to regulate the formation, operation, and/or dissolution of this ecclesiastical corporation. If there is not enough room, you may continue the provisions on a clearly labeled document. Make sure to specifically name such an attachment here.

Step 8 – The final part of this form will require several pieces of information regarding the Incorporator Signatures that attest to the formation of the ecclesiastical corporation being created. There must be at least three Incorporator Signatures and they must be notarized. First, enter the City where these articles are being Signed then Submitted on the first blank line. On the next blank line, enter the County where this document is being signed. The third blank line will be comprised of three spaces. This is where you must enter the Date of these Signatures. Do this by entering the Calendar Date on the first blank space, the Month on the second blank space, then the year on the third blank space.

Step 9 – In the area below the line “This document requires at least three notarized signatures,” each Incorporator must Sign his or her Name then enter his/her Residential or Business Address. This may be done by entering the Building Number under the heading “(No.)”, the Street under the heading “(Street),” the City under the heading “(City),” the State under the heading “(State)” and the Zip Code under the heading “(Zip Code)” of the address they wish to use for these purposes. This concludes the information on this page that an Incorporator must fill in, everything below (and including) the line beginning with “State of” must be filled in by a Notary. Proceed to the next page.

Step 10 – On the next page, in the top left corner, enter your Name. This is where the person who has filled out this form must report his/her identity. Enter your Full Name then provide your Business Telephone Number below this.

Step 11 – You may submit submittal package by mail, in-person, or you may use an active MICH-ELF to fax to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. This package should consist of one completed Michigan Articles of Incorporation For Use By Ecclesiastical Corporations (the original), any additional provisions and required paperwork, and full payment of the $20.00 Filing Fee. All checks and money orders must be made payable to “Secretary of State.” If dropping off in person, you have the option of paying by credit card (MasterCard or VISA), by check, or by money order. You may use your MICH-ELF account to pay if faxing these documents.

To Fax, Send To:

(517) 636-6437

To Mail, Send To:

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
Corporations Division
P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909

To Submit In Person, Bring To:

2501 Woodlake Circle
Okemos, MI 48864