Incorporating in Alabama is relatively easy.  This article will provide you with resources to understand how the incorporation process works in Alabama as well as with the legal forms from the Alabama Secretary of State that you will need to incorporate in Alabama.

Your first step is to search the name of your business on the Alabama Secretary of State Corporations Search website to ensure that the name has not been taken. If the name is already in use, you cannot register the business under that name. Once you select an available business name, you must also must include either the word “Corporation" or “Incorporated,” or an abbreviation thereof.

Once you determine that the name is available, contact the Corporations Call Center at (334) 242-5324 to reserve your desired corporate name. You will be asked to provide simple information such as your name, address, the county where you plan to file, and the nature of your business.  In many states, you are not required to reserve your name in advance, but in Alabama, you must make a name reservation.

Next, you will print and fill out the Articles of Incorporation form as well as the Name Reservation form, which are located at the Corporations Division Form download page. File the original and two copies of these forms in the county where the corporation’s registered office is located. The fees include a $40 Secretary of State filing fee and a $35 Probate Judge fee, both of which can be paid at the courthouse.

Your certified documents from the Secretary of State should arrive within 30 days after the local court certifies your paperwork.

Each year every domestic corporation must file an annual report with the Secretary of State between January 1 and March 15 along with a $10 fee to the Secretary of State.

Alabama does not offer an online filing service. Therefore, your forms must be mailed or submitted in person. There are many companies that offer the service of filing these articles on your behalf, such as FileOnline  or LegalZoom.