Amendment to Articles of Organization in Michigan
Things change. If your business is growing, you can expect things to keep changing. Luckily, the process to make changes to your business’s name, purpose, and management structure are some of the easiest things to do here in the Great Lakes State. You’ll simply need to file a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Organization with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The use of the state-provided form is optional, which means you can draft your own amendments, provided you know how to do it correctly. We recommend using the form provided by the state.
Download the Amendment to Articles of Organization form
What Is the Amendment Process?
Amending the Articles of Organization is an easy three-page form. (The third page is just informational!) Completing the form should only take a few minutes. Still, you want to make sure you did everything correctly, which is why we’ve created this page.
Fill out the Certificate of Amendment
The state-provided form is five steps. Instructions are provided on the second page of the form, but you’ll need to include the following information.
- The current name of your LLC. If you are updating the name of your LLC, you will note this later.
- The six-digit ID number LARA assigned your LLC. That number can be found on your returned paperwork from LARA, or you can find it by searching the Michigan Business Database.
- The filing date for the LLC’s original Articles of Organization
- Amendment(s) you are making to your initial formation documents
- Member approval. Indicate whether the amendment(s) was approved by most or all members/managers.
And, of course, a member, manager, or authorized agent will need to sign and date the form.
Submit certificate for filing
You have three options for turning in your Certificate of Amendment.
If you file your amendment by mail, make sure you include the current LLC name and ID number on your check or money order. Send your amendment to:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations
Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau Corporations Division
P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909
In-person
If you submit your amendment in person, you’ll need to visit the LARA office during normal business hours.
2407 N Grand River Ave Lansing, MI 48906.
In addition to accepting checks and money orders, in-person filings can be paid using most credit cards.
Online
LARA Corporations Online Filing System
Fees can only be paid via credit card.
Wait for the Amended Articles to process
The standard processing time for a Certificate of Amendment is 3-5 business days. If you’re in a hurry, LARA does offer expedited services for an additional fee.
Same-day service (documents must be submitted by 1 p.m. EST): $200
Two-hour service (documents must be submitted by 3 p.m. EST): $500
One-hour service (documents must be submitted by 1 p.m. EST): $1,000
Once the Certificate of Amendment is accepted by LARA, the original will be sent to your registered agent, unless you note otherwise on the form.
What Can I Change with a Certificate of Amendment?
A good way to think of what can and can’t be changed with an Amendment is to look at your Articles of Organization. If a provision is listed in the Articles, then you can likely update or change the provision by filing an amendment.
Some of the most common changes for which people file a Certificate of Amendment are:
- A change with the business name (not to be confused with a DBA)
- A change in the purpose of the company
- To set a different duration for the company than what was entered on the Articles of Organization
What Can I Not Change with a Certificate of Amendment?
Unfortunately, there are some things you won’t be able to update or change by filing an amendment. For example, you cannot change your registered agent or the registered office address. To make these changes, you’ll need to file a Certificate of Change of Registered Office/Agent or, if the timing works out, you can note the change on your Annual Statement.
In addition, you cannot change the members or managers of your LLC using a Certificate of Amendment. Membership is outlined in your Operating Agreement, which is not filed with LARA.
Whether you are still exploring the possibility of forming your Michigan LLC or you are looking to make some changes, we are here to help. We are the Great Lakes State’s one-stop shop for all your business needs.
Learn more about how to Start your Michigan LLC today!