The Foreign Registration Statement is the form the Idaho Secretary of State uses to register a business entity formed in another jurisdiction so it can operate in Idaho; it is filed under Title 30, Chapter 21, Idaho Code. Corporations, LLCs, partnerships, cooperative associations and statutory or business trusts formed outside Idaho are among the entity types it lists. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form and its instructions are published by the Idaho Secretary of State at the official link, and filing follows that office's channels.
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What is Foreign Registration Statement – Idaho?
The Foreign Registration Statement is the Idaho Secretary of State form that an entity formed outside Idaho files to register in the state. It names the entity, its home jurisdiction, its offices, its Idaho registered agent and its governors, and it is issued under Title 30, Chapter 21, Idaho Code.
The form has nine numbered items plus a signature block and a space for contact information. Item 1 is the entity's name as it reads on the certificate from its home state. Item 2 is an alternate name, used only when the entity must adopt one. Items 3 and 4 give the entity type and the jurisdiction of formation. Items 5 to 7 give addresses. Item 8 names the registered agent in Idaho, and item 9 lists at least one governor.
The Secretary of State's business forms page places this form among its foreign business entity filings, next to the Amendment of Foreign Registration Statement and the Withdrawal of Foreign Registration Statement. This form is the one that registers the entity; the others change or end an existing registration.
The instructions point to Idaho Code, 30-21-505, Activities Not Constituting Doing Business, to help an entity decide whether it is legally doing business in Idaho. The form is not a reservation of a corporate name: the agency lists a separate form for reserving an out-of-state corporate name.
Who needs to file Foreign Registration Statement – Idaho?
The main group is a business entity formed in another state or jurisdiction that needs to register in Idaho. Item 3 of the form lists the entity types it accepts:
- Business Corporation
- Nonprofit Corporation
- Limited Liability Partnership
- Limited Liability Company
- General Partnership
- General Cooperative Association
- Limited Partnership (including a limited liability limited partnership)
- Statutory Trust, Business Trust, or Common-law Business Trust
- Other, only if the foreign entity type is not listed; enter the domestic entity type in the space provided.
The form asks for the entity's governors: for a corporation an officer or director, for an LLC a member or manager, and for an LP or LLP a general partner or partner. The person who signs must state the capacity in which he or she signs, using the same categories.
An entity that is not legally doing business in Idaho may not need to register. The instructions send you to Idaho Code, 30-21-505, to help decide. An entity that wants only to hold its name in Idaho without doing business uses a different form, which the agency lists as the Application for Registration of Corporate Name or Renewal of Name Registration.
When to file Foreign Registration Statement – Idaho
File the Foreign Registration Statement when your out-of-state entity needs to be registered to do business in Idaho. The form prints no due date of its own; its timing rule concerns the supporting certificate. The Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Goodstanding from your home state must be dated within 90 days from the date of filing with the Secretary of State, so order it close to the time you file.
If you want faster handling, the instructions say expedited service or "same day" service can be requested for an added fee. The form gives no processing time. To decide whether your activities in Idaho require registration, the instructions refer to Idaho Code, 30-21-505, Activities Not Constituting Doing Business.
Documents you need
- Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Goodstanding from the entity's domestic state, dated within 90 days from the date of filing with the Secretary of State; a certified copy of the articles of incorporation or a certificate of tax status is not accepted.
- Payment by check made payable to Idaho Secretary of State, covering the filing fee and the manual processing fee for a paper filing, plus any expedited or same-day fee you request.
How to fill out Foreign Registration Statement – Idaho
Enter your contact information
Provide a phone number and email address where the Secretary of State can reach you, in the contact block of the instructions section.
Enter the entity name and Idaho name
Line 1: the entity name exactly as it reads on the certificate of existence from the domestic state. Line 2: an alternate name only if you must adopt one to avoid a conflict with an existing name, or to add a required word of incorporation.
Select the entity type
Line 3: check the type of entity you are registering. If it is not listed, check Other and enter the domestic entity type in the space provided.
Enter the jurisdiction of formation
Line 4: enter the domestic state or jurisdiction where the entity was formed.
Enter the principal office address
Line 5: the street address of the principal office, and the mailing address if it is different.
Enter the domestic principal office
Line 6: the street and mailing addresses of the domestic principal office, only if the laws of the jurisdiction of formation require it.
Add a correspondence address
Line 7: the address where you want future reports mailed, if it differs from the address or addresses in line 5.
Name the Idaho registered agent
Line 8: the name and street address of the registered agent, who receives service of process and must be located in Idaho at a physical street address.
List the governors
Line 9: the name, capacity and mailing address of at least one governor. Use officer or director for a corporation, member or manager for an LLC, and general partner or partner for an LP or LLP.
Type the signer's details
In the signature block, type the signer's name and the capacity in which he or she signs, then sign the application.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every line against the certificate of existence, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble the package with the certificate and the check, and submit it through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Foreign Registration Statement – Idaho
You can file by mail or deliver the paper form to the Idaho Secretary of State; the agency's business forms page also says most business filings can be completed online at sosbiz.idaho.gov.
- Mail or hand delivery: Office of the Secretary of State, 450 N 4th Street, PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0080.
- Online: the agency says online filing is the fastest option and avoids the manual processing fee that applies to paper filings. The portal is sosbiz.idaho.gov.
- Phone: for questions or help, call the Secretary of State's Office at (208) 334-2301.
Enclose the Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Goodstanding from your domestic state, dated within 90 days of filing. A certified copy of the articles of incorporation or a certificate of tax status is not accepted. A filing fee applies, and paper filings carry an additional manual processing fee; the form says it must be typed. Make checks payable to Idaho Secretary of State. Expedited and "same day" service each add a fee. The amounts are on the instructions page of the form and on the agency's business forms page, or you can ask the office. The agency says forms submitted without the fee are rejected, and under Idaho Code § 67-910(6) it may delete a filing from the database if payment is not completed. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Enclosing a certified copy of the articles of incorporation or a certificate of tax status instead of a Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Goodstanding, which the instructions say will not be accepted.
- Sending a certificate dated more than 90 days before the date of filing with the Secretary of State.
- Entering the corporation's name on lines 1 and 2 differently from how it reads on the certificate of existence from the domestic state.
- Completing item 2 when no alternate name is required; it is only for a name conflict or a missing word of incorporation.
- Listing a registered agent without a physical street address in Idaho; the agent must be located in Idaho at a physical street address.
- Leaving out the capacity of a governor or of the signer, such as officer, director, member, manager, general partner or partner.
- Submitting a handwritten paper form; the form says it must be typed.
- Mailing the form without the fee or with the check payable to someone other than Idaho Secretary of State.
Frequently asked questions
What is a foreign registration statement in Idaho?
The Foreign Registration Statement is the Idaho Secretary of State form that registers a business entity formed outside Idaho. It lists the entity's name, type, jurisdiction of formation, addresses, Idaho registered agent and governors, and is filed under Title 30, Chapter 21, Idaho Code.
What do I need to attach to the Foreign Registration Statement?
Attach a Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Goodstanding from your domestic state, dated within 90 days from the date of filing. A certified copy of the articles of incorporation or a certificate of tax status will not be accepted. Also enclose the fee.
Where do I send the Foreign Registration Statement?
Mail or deliver it to the Office of the Secretary of State, 450 N 4th Street, PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0080. The agency also says most business filings can be completed online at sosbiz.idaho.gov. For help, call (208) 334-2301.
Is there a fee to file the Foreign Registration Statement?
Yes. A filing fee applies, and paper filings add a manual processing fee. Expedited or same-day service adds a further fee. Make checks payable to Idaho Secretary of State and confirm current amounts in the form's instructions or with the office at (208) 334-2301.
Can I fill out the Foreign Registration Statement online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the Idaho Secretary of State and does not file the form; you submit it by mail, in person or through the agency's own channels.
When do I use item 2, the name used in Idaho?
Complete item 2 only if you must adopt an alternate name to avoid a conflict with a name already on the Secretary of State's records, or if a corporation's true name lacks a required word of incorporation and you add it. Otherwise leave it blank.
Who can be the registered agent on this form?
The registered agent is the person designated to receive service of process in litigation. The instructions require this person to be located in Idaho at a physical street address, and item 8 asks for the agent's name and street address.
Does the form need to be typed?
Yes. The form states that it must be typed, and paper filings carry a manual processing fee. The agency says filing online avoids that fee. The signer types his or her name and the capacity in which he or she signs.
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