COVID-19 Procedures: All business with the Commission should be through electronic filing systems, email, or by telephone. For public health safety, in-person visits to SCC offices are suspended. Filings or other deliveries are permitted by drop off at main entrance. On-site staff is minimal and processing of such deliveries may be delayed.
Foreign Business Entity Domestications
Domestication is the process by which a foreign corporation, limited liability company or business trust becomes a Virginia corporation, limited liability company or business trust. That is, the business entity ceases to be incorporated, organized or formed under the laws of the foreign jurisdiction and instead becomes incorporated, organized or formed under the laws of Virginia.
You can view additional information on the difference between registering and domesticating a foreign business entity in our frequently asked questions.
Creating Articles of Domestication
The articles must be in the English language, typewritten or legibly printed in black, using the following guidelines:
- use solid white paper
- size 8 1/2" x 11"
- one-sided
- no visible watermarks or background logos
- minimum 1.25" top margin and 0.75” all other sides
We have produced guides to help you prepare the articles of domestication. You must prepare your articles as a separate document, using the forms below as a guide only, inserting appropriate information and omitting all inapplicable text (like the header, seal of the Commission, and the italicized portions). NOTE: A marked-up version of this guide will not be accepted.
| DESCRIPTION | GUIDE FORM |
|---|---|
| Guide for Articles of Domestication (Foreign limited liability company intending to become a Virginia limited liability company) | LLC1077-DOC LLC1077-PDF |
| Guide for Articles of Domestication (Foreign nonstock corporation intending to become a Virginia nonstock corporation) | SCC898.4-DOC SCC898.4-PDF |
Articles of Organizations, Formation or Trust for the Virginia Entity
Articles of Organization, Incorporation, or Trust for the Virginia business entity must also be prepared as part of the domestication. The forms for these filings can be found below:
| FORM TITLE | SCC FORM #/FORMAT |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization of a Virginia Limited Liability Company | LLC1011-DOC LLC1011-PDF |
| Articles of Incorporation of a Virginia Stock Corporation | SCC619-DOC SCC619-PDF |
| Articles of Incorporation of a Virginia Nonstock Corporation | SCC819-DOC SCC819-PDF |
| Articles of Trust of a Domestic Business Trust | BTA1212-DOC BTA1212-PDF |
Filing your Domestication
Once you've prepared your Articles of Domestication and the Articles of Organization, Incorporation or Trust for the Virginia entity, it's time to file with the Clerk's Office.
Filing online is the most efficient way to do business with the Clerk's Office. Visit the Clerk's Information System (CIS) to file articles of entity conversion in real time. You can also view the CIS Help Page for how-to guides, answers to frequently asked questions, and helpful videos.