§ 12:203 — Articles of incorporation

§203. Articles of incorporation
A. The articles shall be written in the English language, and shall be signed by each
incorporator, or by an agent of each incorporator duly authorized by a document attached to
the articles. The articles shall be acknowledged by one of the persons who signed the
articles, or may instead be executed by authentic act.
B. The articles shall set forth:
(1) The name of the corporation.
(2) In general terms, the purpose or purposes for which the corporation is to be
formed, or that its purpose is to engage in any lawful activity for which corporations may be
formed under this Chapter.
(3) The duration of the corporation, if other than perpetual.
(4) That it is a nonprofit corporation.
(5) The location and address of its registered office, not a post office box only.
(6) The full name and address of each registered agent, not a post office box only.
(7) The full name and address of each incorporator.
(8) The names, addresses, and terms of office of the initial directors, not a post office
box only.
(9) Whether the corporation is to be organized on a stock basis or a non-stock basis,
or both.
(10) If organized in whole or in part on a stock basis.
(a) The aggregate number of shares which the corporation shall have authority to
issue.
(b) If the shares are to consist of one class only, the par value of each share, or a
statement that all of the shares are without par value.
(c) If the shares are to be divided into classes or series, the number of shares of each
class or series; the par value of the shares of each class or series, or a statement that such
shares are without par value; the designation of each class or series; and a statement of the
preferences, limitations and relative rights of the shares of each class, and of the variations
therein as between series.
(11) If organized in whole or in part on a non-stock basis:
(a) The qualifications of its members.
(b) The different classes of membership, if any.
(c) The designations, voting powers, and other rights or privileges, restrictions or
limitations, granted to or imposed upon the members of each class.
(12) The taxpayer identification number of the corporation. The failure to include
the taxpayer identification number of the corporation shall not invalidate nor cause the
secretary of state to reject the articles.
C. The articles may also contain any of the following:
(1) Provisions dealing generally with the authorized number and qualifications of the
shareholders and members, the property rights, basis of voting and other rights and privileges
of the shareholders and members, the liability of the shareholders and members for dues or
assessments and the methods of collection thereof, and any other lawful provision desired
for the regulation of the affairs of the corporation.
(2) A provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director or officer
to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as
a director or officer, provided that such provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of
a director or officer for any of the following:
(a) Any breach of the director's or officer's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
shareholders.
(b) Acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or
a knowing violation of law.
(c) Liability pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 12:226(D).
(d) Any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal
benefit.
(3) Provisions regarding any of the following:
(a) Managing the business and regulating the affairs of the corporation.
(b) Defining, limiting, and regulating the powers of the corporation, its board of
directors, and shareholders.
(4) Any provision for which this Chapter requires or permits to be set forth in the
bylaws.
(5)(a) A provision that cash, property or share dividends, shares issuable to
shareholders in connection with a reclassification of stock, and the redemption price of
redeemed shares that are not claimed by the entitled shareholders within a reasonable time
after the dividend or redemption price became payable or the shares became issuable, despite
reasonable efforts by the corporation to pay the dividend or redemption price, or provide
delivery of the certificates for the shares to such shareholders, shall revert in full ownership
to the corporation, and the corporation's obligation to pay such dividend or redemption price
or issue such shares, as the case may be, shall therefor cease, provided that the board of
directors may, at any time, for any reason satisfactory to it, but need not, authorize either of
the following:
(i) Payment of the amount of any cash or property dividend or redemption price.
(ii) Issuance of any shares, ownership of which has reverted to the corporation
pursuant to a provision of the articles authorized by this Section, to the person that would be
entitled had such reversion not occurred.
(b) The "reasonable time" as stated in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph means a
period of time not less than one year.
D. The articles of every corporation heretofore formed, unless they contain a
provision enlarging, limiting or denying the preemptive right of shareholders, shall be
deemed to provide that "Shareholders shall have preemptive rights".

Legislative History

Acts 1968, No. 105, §1; Acts 1970, No. 50, §14, emerg. eff. June 18, 1970, at 5:05 P.M.; Acts 1990, No. 745, §2; Acts 1997, No. 291, §1; Acts 2018, No. 560, §2, eff. May 28, 2018.