How to renew a Michigan Corporation:
FORM
Michigan allows both foreign and domestic corporations to renew their corporate existence or certificate of authority. In order to renew, the corporation must complete the Certificate of Renewal of Corporate Existence and submit the reports and fees for all the years for which they missed. There is also a penalty of $10 for every month each report is late. The penalty is capped at $50 for each delinquent annual report.
FILING INSTRUCTIONS
You are not required to use the forms provided by LARA. If you do draft your own make sure you include the required information. The Certificate of Renewal is available on the LARA website or in your online account immediately when you sign up for registered agent service with Northwest. The renewal form cannot be filed online. Submit one original and the annual reports to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). You will have to pay all the past due fees as well as the filing fee for the Certificate. If you file by mail, include a check or money order payable to the State of Michigan. Include the corporations name and identification number on the check or money order. If you file in person, you may also pay by VISA or MasterCard.
To file by mail:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Commercial Services
Corporation Division
P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909
To file in person:
2501 Woodlake Circle
Okemos, MI
(517) 241-6470
ANNUAL REPORTS
If you are not sure what you owe, you can view filed documents and reports using LARA’s online Business Entity Search. That way you can find out which reports you missed and calculate what fees you may owe before requesting renewal. It is also a good idea to check name availability to find out if your corporate name is still available.
If you need to file past due annual reports to renew your domestic or foreign corporation, you need to contact LARA:
Email corprenew@michigan.gov; or
Call LARA Business Services at (517) 241-6470
Include the corporate name, six-digit LARA ID number, and how you want your reports sent to you: email, fax, or mail
How much will it cost to renew a Michigan Corporation?
Renewal certificate: $10
Annual report filing fee: $25 each report
Annual penalty: up to $50 each year
Expedited processing is available for an additional fee:
- 24 hours - $100
- Same day - $200
- Two hour - $500
- One hour - $1000
How long does it take the state to process the filing?
The Certificate of Renewal is processed in 3 to 5 business days.
If you need your documents processed more quickly, fill out the Expedited Service Request form for each document.
- 24 hour review – is completed the following business day
- Same day review – if you submit by 1 pm, filing is completed that day
- Two hour review – if you submit by 3 pm, filing is completed within two hours
- One hour review – if you submit by 4 pm, filing is completed within one hour
How long does your Michigan Corporation have to be inactive with the state before you wouldn’t have any fees, and would just have to start over with a new Michigan Corporation?
This would not happen because a Michigan corporation may renew its corporate existence or certificate of authority at any time by filing the reports and paying the fees and penalties you owe. Once you file reports and pay the fees and penalties, the corporation is renewed and may go about its business.
If you wanted to start a new corporation in Michigan, you could file articles of incorporation for a $10 filing fee plus an additional share based fee.
Can you change your Michigan resident agent at the same time on the Michigan renewal?
The renewal form does not give you the option of changing your resident agent. You can easily change your Michigan resident agent by filing a change of agent form or by simply noting the change in your annual report.
Can you change your principal address at the same time on the Michigan renewal form?
The renewal form does not give you the option of changing your principal address when you renew your Michigan corporation.
Can you change your officers and directors at the same time on the Michigan renewal form?
The Certificate of Renewal does not give you the option of changing your officers or directors at the time of reinstatement. You can change your officers and directors in your annual report.
How many annual reports can you miss before you can’t renew your Michigan Corporation?
There is no limit on the renewal period for Michigan corporations. This means that you can renew at any time, even after you have missed several annual reports. But remember, there is a penalty for each year, so the longer you wait the more that adds up. Also, if a business is automatically dissolved by LARA, it loses its corporate name protection.
Michigan LARA Corporations Division:
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