15 Pa.C.S. Ch. 53

15 Pa.C.S. Ch. 53
in effect

15 Pa.C.S. § 5301 Purposes.

(a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), corporations may be incorporated under this article for any lawful purpose or purposes, including, but not limited to, any one or more of the following or similar purposes: athletic; any lawful business purpose to be conducted on a not-for-profit basis; beneficial; benevolent; cemetery; charitable; civic; control of fire; cultural; educational; encouragement of agriculture or horticulture; fraternal; health; literary; missionary; musical; mutual improvement; patriotic; political; prevention of cruelty to persons or animals; professional, commercial, industrial, trade, service or business associations; promotion of the arts; protection of natural resources; religious; research; scientific and social. (b) Exception.--Except as otherwise provided by Title 40 (relating to insurance) or the act of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364), known as the Health Maintenance Organization Act, a corporation may not be incorporated under this article for the purpose of engaging in the business of writing insurance or reinsurance as principal. (Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.834, No.198, eff. imd.) 1990 Amendment. Act 198 reenacted and amended the entire section.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5302 Number and qualifications of incorporators.

One or more corporations for profit or not-for-profit or natural persons of full age may incorporate a nonprofit corporation under the provisions of this subpart. (July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days)

15 Pa.C.S. § 5303 Corporate name (Repealed).

2014 Repeal. Section 5303 was repealed October 22, 2014, P.L.2640, No.172, effective July 1, 2015.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5304 Required name changes by senior corporations (Repealed).

2014 Repeal. Section 5304 was repealed October 22, 2014, P.L.2640, No.172, effective July 1, 2015.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5305 Reservation of corporate name (Repealed).

2014 Repeal. Section 5305 was repealed October 22, 2014, P.L.2640, No.172, effective July 1, 2015.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5306 Articles of incorporation.

(a) General rule.--Articles of incorporation shall be signed by each of the incorporators and shall set forth in the English language: (1) The name of the corporation, unless the name is in a foreign language in which case it shall be set forth in Roman letters or characters or Arabic or Roman numerals. (2) Subject to section 109 (relating to name of commercial registered office provider in lieu of registered address), the address, including street and number, if any, of its initial registered office in this Commonwealth. (3) A brief statement of the purpose or purposes for which the corporation is incorporated. (4) A statement that the corporation is one which does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidental or otherwise. (5) A statement that the corporation is incorporated under the provisions of the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. (6) If the corporation is a membership corporation, a statement whether the corporation is to be organized upon a nonstock basis or a stock share basis, and, if it is to be organized on a stock share basis: (i) The aggregate number of shares that the corporation shall have authority to issue. It shall not be necessary to set forth in the articles the designations of the classes of shares of the corporation or the maximum number of shares of each class that may be issued. (ii) A statement of the voting rights, designations, preferences, limitations and special rights in respect of the shares of any class or any series of any class, to the extent that they have been determined. (iii) A statement of any authority vested in the board of directors or other body to divide by provision in the bylaws the authorized and unissued shares into classes or series, or both, and to determine for any class or series its voting rights, designations, preferences, limitations and special rights. (7) If the corporation is to have no members, a statement to that effect. (8) The name of each of the incorporators. (9) The term for which the corporation is to exist, if not perpetual. (10) If the articles are to be effective on a specified date, the hour, if any, and the month, day and year of the effective date. (11) Any other provisions that the incorporators may choose to insert if: (i) any provision of this subpart authorizes or requires provisions pertaining to the subject matter thereof to be set forth in the articles or bylaws of a nonprofit corporation or in an agreement or other instrument; or (ii) such provisions are not inconsistent with this subpart and relate to the purpose or purposes of the corporation, the management of its business or affairs or the rights, powers or duties of its members, security holders, directors, members of an other body or officers. (b) Par value.--The articles may, but need not, set forth a par value for any authorized shares or class or series of shares. (c) Written consent to naming directors.--The naming of directors in articles of incorporation shall constitute an affirmation that such directors have consented in writing to serve as such. (d) Reference to external facts.--Except for the provisions required by subsection (a)(1), (2), (4), (5), (6)(i) and (8), any provision of the articles of incorporation may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside of the articles if the manner in which the facts will operate upon the provision is set forth in the articles. The facts may include actions or events within the control of or determinations made by the corporation or a representative of the corporation. (Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.834, No.198, eff. imd.; July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days; Nov. 3, 2022, P.L.1791, No.122, eff. 60 days) 2022 Amendment. Act 122 amended subsec. (a)(8) and added subsec. (d). 2013 Amendment. Act 67 amended subsec. (a)(6) intro. par. and (11)(ii). 1990 Amendment. Act 198 reenacted and amended the entire section.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5307 Advertisement.

The incorporators or the corporation shall officially publish a notice of intention to file or of the filing of articles of incorporation. The notice may appear prior to or after the day the articles of incorporation are filed in the department and shall set forth briefly: (1) The name of the proposed corporation. (2) A statement that the corporation is to be or has been incorporated under the provisions of this subpart. (3) (Deleted by amendment). (4) (Deleted by amendment). (July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days)

15 Pa.C.S. § 5308 Filing of articles.

(a) General rule.--The articles of incorporation shall be delivered to the department for filing. (b) Cross references.--See sections 134 (relating to docketing statement) and 135 (relating to requirements to be met by filed documents). (Dec. 21, 1988, P.L.1444, No.177, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days)

15 Pa.C.S. § 5309 Effect of filing of articles of incorporation.

(a) Corporate existence.--Upon the filing of the articles of incorporation in the department or upon the effective date specified in the articles of incorporation, whichever is later, the corporate existence shall begin. (b) Evidence of incorporation.--Subject to the provisions of section 503 (relating to actions to revoke corporate franchises), the articles of incorporation filed in the department, or recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds under the former provisions of law, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact that the corporation has been incorporated. (Dec. 21, 1988, P.L.1444, No.177, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days)

15 Pa.C.S. § 5310 Organization meeting.

(a) General rule.--After the corporate existence begins, an organization meeting of the initial directors or, if directors are not named in the articles, of the incorporators shall be held, within or without this Commonwealth, for the purpose of adopting bylaws, which they shall have authority to do at the meeting; of electing directors, if directors are not named in the articles; and of transacting other business as may come before the meeting. A bylaw adopted at the organization meeting of directors or incorporators shall be deemed to be a bylaw adopted by the members for the purposes of this subpart and any other provision of law. (b) Call of and action at meeting.--The meeting may be held at the call of any director or, if directors are not named in the articles, of any incorporator who shall give at least five days' notice of the meeting to each other director or incorporator. The notice shall set forth the time and place of the meeting. For the purposes of this section, any director or incorporator may act in person, by consent or by proxy signed by him or his attorney-in-fact. (c) Death or incapacity of directors or incorporators.--If a designated director or an incorporator dies or is for any reason unable to act at the meeting, the other or others may act. If there is no other designated director or incorporator able to act, any person for whom a director or incorporator was acting as agent may act or appoint another to act in his stead. (July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days) Cross References. Section 5310 is referred to in section 5504 of this title.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5311 Filing of statement of summary of record by certain corporations.

(a) General rule.--Where any of the charter documents of a nonprofit corporation are not on file in the Department of State or there is an error in any such document as transferred to the department pursuant to section 140 (relating to custody and management of orphan corporate and business records), and the corporation desires to file any document in the department under any other provision of this subpart or the corporation desires to secure from the department any certificate to the effect that the corporation is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under the laws of this Commonwealth or a certified copy of the articles of the corporation or the corporation desires to correct the text of its charter documents as on file in the department, the corporation shall file in the department a statement of summary of record which shall be executed by the corporation and shall set forth: (1) The name of the corporation and, subject to section 109 (relating to name of commercial registered office provider in lieu of registered address), the location, including street and number, if any, of its registered office. (2) The statute by or under which the corporation was incorporated. (3) The name under which, the manner in which and the date on which the corporation was originally incorporated, including the date when and the place where the original articles were recorded. (4) The place or places, including volume and page numbers or their equivalent, where the documents that are not on file in the department or that require correction in the records of the department were originally filed or recorded, the date or dates of each filing or recording and the correct text of the documents. The information specified in this paragraph may be omitted in a statement of summary of record that is delivered to the department contemporaneously with amended and restated articles of the corporation filed under this subpart. (5) (Deleted by amendment). (b) Validation of prior defects in incorporation.--Upon the filing of a statement by a corporation under this section or the transfer to the department of the records relating to a corporation pursuant to section 140, the corporation shall be deemed to be a validly subsisting corporation to the same extent as if it had been duly incorporated and was existing under this subpart and the department shall so certify regardless of any absence of or defect in the prior proceedings relating to incorporation. (c) Cross references.--See sections 134 (relating to docketing statement), 135 (relating to requirements to be met by filed documents) and 5106(b)(2) (relating to limited uniform application of subpart). (Dec. 21, 1988, P.L.1444, No.177, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.834, No.198, eff. imd.; June 22, 2001, P.L.418, No.34, eff. 60 days)

15 Pa.C.S. § 5331 Incorporation of unincorporated associations.

In the case of the incorporation as a nonprofit corporation under this subpart of an unincorporated association, the articles of incorporation shall contain, in addition to the provisions required in Subchapter A (relating to incorporation generally), a statement that the incorporators constitute a majority of the members of the committee authorized to incorporate the association by the requisite vote required by the organic law of the association for the amendment of the organic law. (July 9, 2013, P.L.476, No.67, eff. 60 days) Cross References. Section 5331 is referred to in section 9111 of this title.

15 Pa.C.S. § 5341 Statement of revival.

(a) General rule.--Any nonprofit corporation whose charter or articles have been forfeited by proclamation of the Governor pursuant to section 1704 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, or otherwise, or whose corporate existence has expired by reason of any limitation contained in its charter or articles and the failure to effect a timely renewal or extension of its corporate existence, may, at any time by delivering to the department for filing a statement of revival, procure a revival of its charter or articles, together with all the rights, franchises, privileges and immunities and subject to all of its duties, debts and liabilities that had been vested in and imposed upon the corporation by its charter or articles as last in effect. (b) Contents of statement.--The statement of revival shall be signed in the name of the forfeited or expired corporation and shall, subject to section 109 (relating to name of commercial registered office provider in lieu of registered address), set forth: (1) The name of the corporation at the time its charter or articles were forfeited or expired and the address, including street and number, if any, of its last registered office. (2) The statute by or under which the corporation was incorporated and the date of incorporation. (3) The name that the corporation adopts as its new name if the adoption of a new name is required by section 207 (relating to required name changes by senior associations). (4) The address, including street and number, if any, of its registered office in this Commonwealth. (5) A reference to the proclamation or other action by which its charter or articles were forfeited or a reference to the limitation contained in its expired charter or articles. (6) A statement that the corporate existence of the corporation shall be revived. (7) A statement that the filing of the statement of revival has been authorized by the corporation. Every forfeited or expired corporation may act by its last directors or may elect directors and officers in the manner provided by this subpart for the limited purpose of effecting a filing under this section. (c) Filing and effect.--The statement of revival and, in the case of a forfeited corporation, the clearance certificates required by section 139 (relating to tax clearance of certain fundamental transactions) shall be delivered to the department for filing. Upon the filing of the statement of revival, the corporation shall be revived with the same effect as if its charter or articles had not been forfeited or expired by limitation. The revival shall validate all contracts and other transactions made and effected within the scope of the articles of the corporation by its representatives during the time when its charter or articles were forfeited or expired to the same effect as if its charter or articles had not been forfeited or expired. (d) Cross references.--See sections 134 (relating to docketing statement) and 135 (relating to requirements to be met by filed documents). (Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.834, No.198, eff. imd.; Oct. 22, 2014, P.L.2640, No.172, eff. July 1, 2015)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=15Fetched: 10/16/2026