articles of organizationn.
Reviewed by Owen Hathaway, AttorneyUpdated June 4, 2026The formation document filed with the state that legally creates an LLC. (Corporations and nonprofits file articles of incorporation instead.)
Articles of organization are the charter document filed with the state to create a limited liability company. Filing brings the LLC into legal existence and typically records its name, registered agent, principal address, and sometimes additional optional information.
The internal operating rules live in the operating agreement, not the articles. Note the terminology: LLCs file articles of organization, while corporations and nonprofit corporations file articles of incorporation.
In Colorado, articles of organization are filed electronically with the Secretary of State (C.R.S. Title 7, Article 80). In Wyoming, the LLC charter is filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State under the Wyoming LLC Act (Wyo. Stat. Title 17, Ch. 29). Both states require a registered agent.
Related terms
- limited liability companyA business structure that shields its owners' personal assets from the company's debts and lawsuits, while staying simpler and more flexible to run than a corporation.
- articles of incorporationThe document filed with the state that legally creates a corporation or nonprofit corporation. (LLCs file articles of organization instead.)