Section 402. Certificate of incorporation; contents  


Latest version.
  • (a)  A  certificate,  entitled "Certificate of incorporation of ......
      (name of corporation) under section  402  of  the  Business  Corporation
      Law",  shall  be  signed by each incorporator, with his name and address
      included in such certificate and delivered to the department  of  state.
      It shall set forth:
        (1) The name of the corporation.
        (2)  The  purpose  or  purposes  for  which  it  is  formed,  it being
      sufficient to state, either alone  or  with  other  purposes,  that  the
      purpose  of  the  corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity
      for which corporations may be organized  under  this  chapter,  provided
      that  it  also  state  that  it  is  not  formed to engage in any act or
      activity requiring the  consent  or  approval  of  any  state  official,
      department, board, agency or other body without such consent or approval
      first  being  obtained. By such statement all lawful acts and activities
      shall be within the purposes of  the  corporation,  except  for  express
      limitations therein or in this chapter, if any.
        (3)  The  county  within  this  state  in  which  the  office  of  the
      corporation is to be located.
        (4) The aggregate number of shares which the  corporation  shall  have
      the authority to issue; if such shares are to consist of one class only,
      the  par  value of the shares or a statement that the shares are without
      par value; or, if the shares are to be divided into classes, the  number
      of shares of each class and the par value of the shares having par value
      and a statement as to which shares, if any, are without par value.
        (5)  If  the shares are to be divided into classes, the designation of
      each class and a statement  of  the  relative  rights,  preferences  and
      limitations of the shares of each class.
        (6)  If  the shares of any preferred class are to be issued in series,
      the designation of each series and a statement of the variations in  the
      relative  rights,  preferences and limitations as between series insofar
      as the same are to be fixed  in  the  certificate  of  incorporation,  a
      statement  of  any  authority to be vested in the board to establish and
      designate series and to fix  the  variations  in  the  relative  rights,
      preferences  and  limitations  as  between series and a statement of any
      limit on the authority of the board of directors to change the number of
      shares of any series of preferred shares as provided in paragraph (e) of
      section 502 (Issue of any class of preferred shares in series).
        (7)  A  designation  of  the  secretary  of  state  as  agent  of  the
      corporation  upon  whom  process  against  it may be served and the post
      office address within or without this state to which  the  secretary  of
      state shall mail a copy of any process against it served upon him.
        (8)  If  the  corporation  is to have a registered agent, his name and
      address within this state and a statement that the registered  agent  is
      to  be  the agent of the corporation upon whom process against it may be
      served.
        (9) The duration of the corporation if other than perpetual.
        (b) The  certificate  of  incorporation  may  set  forth  a  provision
      eliminating  or  limiting  the  personal  liability  of directors to the
      corporation or its shareholders for damages for any breach  of  duty  in
      such capacity, provided that no such provision shall eliminate or limit:
        (1)  the  liability  of  any  director  if  a  judgment or other final
      adjudication adverse to him establishes that his acts or omissions  were
      in  bad  faith or involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation
      of law or that he personally gained in fact a financial profit or  other
      advantage to which he was not legally entitled or that his acts violated
      section 719, or
    
        (2) the liability of any director for any act or omission prior to the
      adoption of a provision authorized by this paragraph.
        (c)  The certificate of incorporation may set forth any provision, not
      inconsistent with this chapter or  any  other  statute  of  this  state,
      relating  to the business of the corporation, its affairs, its rights or
      powers, or the rights  or  powers  of  its  shareholders,  directors  or
      officers  including  any  provision relating to matters which under this
      chapter are required or permitted to be set forth in the by-laws. It  is
      not  necessary  to  set forth in the certificate of incorporation any of
      the powers enumerated in this chapter.