Articles of Organization, including all amendments.
To create a business as an LLC, the State business authority (often called the Department of State) usually requires certain paperwork to get legal recognition as a registered entity. Usually this is called the articles of organization or articles of formation, but some states may refer to the entire process as the "Certificate of Formation" or "Certificate of Organization" because of the approval document the state may issue once it approves of the LLC.
When the term "formation" is used, it refers to an LLC. The term "incorporation" refers to a corporation, regardless of whether the word "articles" or "certificate" is in front of it.
The articles of organization to are binding legal documents created and agreed upon by the LLC members. It proves the existence and registration of the LLC.
The document will typically contain some combination of the following information:
* Name of the LLC
* Type of legal structure (i.e., professional liability company, LLC, series LLC)
* Effective date of LLC formation
* Duration for which the LLC will be operational
* Statement of purpose
* Name and address of the registered agent
* Address of the LLC's principal place of business
* Management structure
* Roles of the members, officers, and managers of the LLC
* Names, titles, and signatures of the organizer(s)