(a) If the corporate name of a foreign corporation does not satisfy the requirements of Section 33-31-401, the foreign corporation, to obtain or maintain a certificate of authority to transact business in this State, may use a fictitious name to transact business in this State if its real name is unavailable and it delivers to the Secretary of State for filing a copy of the resolution of its board of directors, certified by its secretary, adopting the fictitious name.
(b) Except as authorized by subsections (c) and (d), the corporate name, including a fictitious name, of a foreign corporation must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State from the name appearing upon the records of the Secretary of State of any other nonprofit corporation, business corporation, professional corporation, or limited partnership incorporated in, formed in, or authorized to do business in this State, or a name reserved, registered, or otherwise filed upon the records of the Secretary of State.
(c) A foreign corporation may apply to the Secretary of State for authorization to use in this State the name of another corporation, incorporated or authorized to transact business in this State, that is not distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State from the name applied for. The Secretary of State shall authorize use of the name applied for if:
(1) the other corporation consents to the use in writing and submits an undertaking in form satisfactory to the Secretary of State to change its name to a name that is distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State from the name of the applying corporation; or
(2) the applicant delivers to the Secretary of State a certified copy of a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the applicant's right to use the name applied for in this State.
(d) A foreign corporation may use in this State the name, including the fictitious name, of another domestic or foreign business or nonprofit corporation that is used in this State if the other corporation is incorporated or authorized to transact business in this State and the foreign corporation:
(1) has merged with the other corporation;
(2) has been formed by reorganization of the other corporation; or
(3) has acquired all or substantially all of the assets, including the corporate name, of the other corporation.
(e) If a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this State changes its corporate name to one that does not satisfy the requirements of Section 33-31-401, it may not transact business in this State under the changed name until it adopts a name satisfying the requirements of Section 33-31-401 and obtains an amended certificate of authority under Section 33-31-1504.
HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 384, Section 1.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 33 - Corporations, Partnerships and Associations
Chapter 31 - South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act
Section 33-31-101. Short title.
Section 33-31-102. Reservation of power to amend or repeal.
Section 33-31-120. Filing requirements.
Section 33-31-122. Filing, service, and copying fees.
Section 33-31-123. Effective date of document.
Section 33-31-124. Correcting filed document.
Section 33-31-125. Filing duty of the Secretary of State.
Section 33-31-126. Appeal from Secretary of State's refusal to file document.
Section 33-31-127. Evidentiary effect of copy of filed document.
Section 33-31-128. Certificate of existence.
Section 33-31-129. Penalty for signing false document.
Section 33-31-140. Definitions.
Section 33-31-150. Private foundations.
Section 33-31-151. Express amendment excluding application of Section 33-31-150.
Section 33-31-152. Rights of State are not impaired.
Section 33-31-160. Judicial relief.
Section 33-31-170. Attorney General.
Section 33-31-171. Investigation by Attorney General authorized.
Section 33-31-172. Requesting permission to make examinations.
Section 33-31-173. Use of information is restricted.
Section 33-31-174. Forfeiture of right to operate for refusing examination.
Section 33-31-175. Provisions are cumulative.
Section 33-31-180. Religious corporations; Constitutional protections.
Section 33-31-201. Incorporators.
Section 33-31-202. Articles of incorporation.
Section 33-31-203. Incorporation.
Section 33-31-204. Liability for preincorporation transactions.
Section 33-31-205. Organization of corporation.
Section 33-31-207. Emergency bylaws and powers.
Section 33-31-302. General powers.
Section 33-31-303. Emergency powers.
Section 33-31-304. Ultra vires.
Section 33-31-305. Powers of corporations created by legislative authority before 1900.
Section 33-31-401. Corporate name.
Section 33-31-402. Reserved name.
Section 33-31-403. Registered name of a foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-404. Name change filing requirement when real property owned.
Section 33-31-501. Registered office and registered agent.
Section 33-31-502. Change of registered office or registered agent.
Section 33-31-503. Resignation of registered agent.
Section 33-31-504. Service on corporation.
Section 33-31-505. Notice of Change of Principal Office.
Section 33-31-602. Consideration.
Section 33-31-603. No requirement of members.
Section 33-31-610. Differences in rights and obligations of members.
Section 33-31-612. Member's liability to third parties.
Section 33-31-620. Resignation.
Section 33-31-621. Termination, expulsion, and suspension.
Section 33-31-622. Purchase of memberships.
Section 33-31-630. Derivative suits.
Section 33-31-701. Annual and regular meetings.
Section 33-31-702. Special meetings.
Section 33-31-703. Court-ordered meeting.
Section 33-31-704. Action by written consent.
Section 33-31-705. Notice of meeting.
Section 33-31-706. Waiver of notice.
Section 33-31-707. Record date; determining members entitled to notice and vote.
Section 33-31-708. Action by written or electronic ballot.
Section 33-31-720. Members' list for voting.
Section 33-31-721. Voting entitlement generally.
Section 33-31-722. Quorum requirements.
Section 33-31-723. Voting requirements.
Section 33-31-725. Cumulative voting for directors.
Section 33-31-726. Other methods of electing directors.
Section 33-31-727. Corporation's acceptance of votes.
Section 33-31-730. Voting agreements.
Section 33-31-801. Requirement for and duties of board.
Section 33-31-802. Qualifications of directors.
Section 33-31-803. Number of directors.
Section 33-31-804. Election, designation, and appointment of directors.
Section 33-31-805. Terms of directors generally.
Section 33-31-806. Staggered terms for directors.
Section 33-31-807. Resignation of directors.
Section 33-31-808. Removal of directors elected by members or directors.
Section 33-31-809. Removal of designated or appointed directors.
Section 33-31-810. Removal of directors by judicial proceeding.
Section 33-31-811. Vacancy on board.
Section 33-31-812. Compensation of directors.
Section 33-31-820. Regular and special meetings.
Section 33-31-821. Action without meeting.
Section 33-31-822. Call and notice of meetings.
Section 33-31-823. Waiver of notice.
Section 33-31-824. Quorum and voting.
Section 33-31-825. Committees.
Section 33-31-830. General standards for directors.
Section 33-31-831. Director conflict of interest.
Section 33-31-832. Loans or guarantees for directors and officers.
Section 33-31-833. Liability for unlawful distributions.
Section 33-31-834. Immunity from suit.
Section 33-31-840. Required officers.
Section 33-31-841. Duties and authority of officers.
Section 33-31-842. Standards of conduct for officers.
Section 33-31-843. Resignation and removal of officers.
Section 33-31-844. Contract rights of officers.
Section 33-31-850. Definitions.
Section 33-31-851. Authority to indemnify.
Section 33-31-852. Mandatory indemnification.
Section 33-31-853. Advances for expenses.
Section 33-31-854. Court-ordered indemnification.
Section 33-31-855. Determination and authorization of indemnification.
Section 33-31-856. Indemnification of officers, employees, and agents.
Section 33-31-858. Application of article.
Section 33-31-1001. Authority to amend articles of incorporation.
Section 33-31-1002. Amendment of articles by directors.
Section 33-31-1003. Amendment of articles by directors and members.
Section 33-31-1004. Class voting by members on amendments.
Section 33-31-1005. Articles of amendment.
Section 33-31-1006. Restated articles of incorporation.
Section 33-31-1007. Amendment pursuant to judicial reorganization.
Section 33-31-1008. Effect of amendment and restatement.
Section 33-31-1020. Amendment of bylaws by directors.
Section 33-31-1021. Amendment of the bylaws by directors and members.
Section 33-31-1022. Class voting on bylaw amendment by members.
Section 33-31-1023. Bylaw increasing quorum or voting requirement for members.
Section 33-31-1024. Bylaw increasing quorum or voting requirement for directors.
Section 33-31-1030. Approval of the articles of incorporation and bylaws by third persons.
Section 33-31-1031. Amendment terminating members or redeeming or canceling memberships.
Section 33-31-1101. Approval of plan of merger.
Section 33-31-1102. Limitations on mergers by public benefit or religious corporations.
Section 33-31-1103. Action on plan by board, members, and third persons.
Section 33-31-1104. Articles of merger.
Section 33-31-1105. Effect of merger.
Section 33-31-1106. Merger with foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1107. Bequests, devises, and gifts not affected by merger.
Section 33-31-1201. Sale of assets in regular course of activities and mortgage of assets.
Section 33-31-1202. Sale of assets other than in regular course of activities.
Section 33-31-1301. Prohibited distributions.
Section 33-31-1302. Authorized distributions.
Section 33-31-1401. Dissolution by incorporators.
Section 33-31-1402. Dissolution by directors, members, and third persons.
Section 33-31-1403. Notices to the Attorney General.
Section 33-31-1404. Articles of dissolution.
Section 33-31-1405. Revocation of dissolution.
Section 33-31-1406. Effect of dissolution.
Section 33-31-1407. Known claims against dissolved corporation.
Section 33-31-1408. Unknown claims against dissolved corporation.
Section 33-31-1420. Grounds for administrative dissolution.
Section 33-31-1421. Procedure for and effect of administrative dissolution.
Section 33-31-1422. Reinstatement following administrative dissolution.
Section 33-31-1423. Appeal from denial of reinstatement.
Section 33-31-1430. Grounds for judicial dissolution.
Section 33-31-1431. Procedure for judicial dissolution.
Section 33-31-1432. Receivership or custodianship.
Section 33-31-1433. Decree of dissolution.
Section 33-31-1440. Deposit with Department of Revenue and Taxation.
Section 33-31-1501. Authority to transact business required.
Section 33-31-1502. Consequences of transacting business without authority.
Section 33-31-1503. Application for certificate of authority.
Section 33-31-1504. Amended certificate of authority.
Section 33-31-1505. Effect of certificate of authority.
Section 33-31-1506. Corporate name of foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1507. Registered office and registered agent of foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1508. Change of registered office or registered agent of foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1509. Resignation of registered agent of foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1510. Service on foreign corporations.
Section 33-31-1515. Notice of change of principal office.
Section 33-31-1520. Withdrawal of foreign corporation.
Section 33-31-1531. Procedure and effect of revocation.
Section 33-31-1532. Appeal from revocation.
Section 33-31-1601. Corporate records.
Section 33-31-1602. Inspection of records by members.
Section 33-31-1603. Scope of inspection rights.
Section 33-31-1604. Court-ordered inspection.
Section 33-31-1605. Limitations on use of membership list.
Section 33-31-1620. Financial statements for members.
Section 33-31-1621. Report of indemnification to members.
Section 33-31-1701. Application to Existing Domestic Corporations.
Section 33-31-1702. Application to Qualified Foreign Corporations.
Section 33-31-1703. Saving Provisions.
Section 33-31-1704. Severability.
Section 33-31-1705. Effective Date.
Section 33-31-1706. Public Benefit, Mutual Benefit, and Religious Corporations.