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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66733</law_id><section_number>13.1-619</section_number><catch_line>Articles of incorporation</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-316</reference><reference>13.1-603</reference><reference>13.1-604</reference><reference>13.1-604.1</reference><reference>13.1-673</reference><reference>13.1-722.10</reference><reference>13.1-722.2</reference><reference>13.1-785</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="13.1">Corporations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Virginia Stock Corporation Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Formation of Corporations</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> shall set forth: <a id="paragraph-242007" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A corporate name for the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> that satisfies the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Corporate name" href="/13.1-630/">13.1-630</a>; <a id="paragraph-242008" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The number of <span class="dictionary">shares</span> the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> is authorized to <span class="dictionary">issue</span>; <a id="paragraph-242009" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If more than one class or series of shares is authorized, the number of <span class="dictionary">authorized shares</span> of each class or series and a distinguishing designation for each class or series; and <a id="paragraph-242010" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The address of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s initial registered office (including both (i) the post-office address with street and number, if any, and (ii) the name of the city or county in which it is located), and the name of its initial registered agent at that office, and that the agent is either (i) an <span class="dictionary">individual</span> who is a resident of Virginia and either a director of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> or a member of the Virginia <span class="dictionary">State</span> Bar or (ii) a <span class="dictionary">domestic</span> or foreign stock or nonstock <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, limited liability company, or <span class="dictionary">registered limited liability partnership</span> authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-242011" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> may set forth: <a id="paragraph-242012" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The names and addresses of the <span class="dictionary">individuals</span> who are to serve as the initial directors; <a id="paragraph-242013" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any provision defining or denying the preemptive right of <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> to acquire unissued shares of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>; <a id="paragraph-242014" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Provisions not inconsistent with <span class="dictionary">law</span> regarding:
				a. The purpose or purposes for which the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> is organized;
				b. The management of the business and regulation of the affairs of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>;
				c. Defining, limiting, and regulating the powers of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, its board of directors, and <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span>;
				d. A par value for <span class="dictionary">authorized shares</span> or classes or series of shares; or
				e. Imposing <span class="dictionary">interest holder</span> liability on <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span>; <a id="paragraph-242015" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Any provision that under this chapter is required or permitted to be set forth in the bylaws; and <a id="paragraph-242016" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> A provision limiting or eliminating any duty of a director or any other <span class="dictionary">person</span> to offer the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> the right to have or participate in any, or one or more classes or categories of, business opportunities, before the pursuit or taking of the opportunity by the director or other <span class="dictionary">person</span>, provided that any application of such a provision to an officer or a related <span class="dictionary">person</span> of that officer (i) also requires approval of that application by the board of directors, subsequent to the effective date of the provision, by action of disinterested directors taken in compliance with the same procedures as are set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Director conflict of interests" href="/13.1-691/">13.1-691</a>, and (ii) may be limited by the approving action of the board of directors. <a id="paragraph-242017" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> need not set forth any of the corporate powers enumerated in this chapter. <a id="paragraph-242018" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Provisions of the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> may be made dependent upon <span class="dictionary">facts</span> objectively ascertainable outside the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> in accordance with subsection L of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Filing requirements" href="/13.1-604/">13.1-604</a>. <a id="paragraph-242019" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-619/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 13.1-49; 1956, c. 428; 1958, c. 564; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 1986, c. 622; 1993, c. 113; 2000, c. 162; 2001, cc. 517, 541; 2005, c. 765; 2019, c. 734.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
