Nonprofit Corporations
Florida's nonprofit corporation act overhauled: new derivative suit, conflict-of-interest, and dissolution rules
Florida Statutes affected
| s. 39.8298 | Guardian ad Litem direct-support organization. |
| s. 295.21 | Florida Is For Veterans, Inc. |
| s. 381.00316 | Discrimination by governmental and business entities based on health care choices; prohibition. |
| s. 409.987 | Lead agency procurement; boards; conflicts of interest. |
| s. 605.1025 | Articles of merger. |
| s. 617.01011 | Short title. |
| s. 617.0102 | Reservation of power to amend or repeal. |
| s. 617.01201 | Filing requirements. |
| s. 617.0121 | Forms. |
| s. 617.0122 | Fees for filing documents and issuing certificates. |
| s. 617.0123 | Effective date of document. |
| s. 617.0124 | Correcting filed document. |
| s. 617.0125 | Filing duties of Department of State. |
| s. 617.0126 | Appeal from Department of State’s refusal to file document. |
| s. 617.0127 | Evidentiary effect of copy of filed document. |
| s. 617.0128 | Certificate of status. |
| s. 617.01301 | Powers of Department of State. |
| s. 617.01401 | Definitions. |
| s. 617.0141 | Notice. |
| s. 617.0143 | |
| s. 617.02011 | Incorporators. |
| s. 617.0202 | Articles of incorporation; content. |
| s. 617.0203 | Incorporation. |
| s. 617.0204 | Liability for preincorporation transactions. |
| s. 617.0205 | Organizational meeting of directors. |
| s. 617.0206 | Bylaws. |
| s. 617.0301 | Purposes and application. |
| s. 617.0302 | Corporate powers. |
| s. 617.0304 | Ultra vires. |
| s. 617.0401 | Corporate name. |
| s. 617.0403 | Registered name; application; renewal; revocation. |
| s. 617.0501 | Registered office and registered agent. |
| s. 617.0502 | Change of registered office or registered agent; resignation of registered agent. |
| s. 617.05021 | |
| s. 617.05022 | |
| s. 617.0503 | Registered agent; duties; confidentiality of investigation records. |
| s. 617.0504 | Serving process, giving notice, or making a demand on a corporation. |
| s. 617.0505 | Distributions; exceptions. |
| s. 617.0601 | Members, generally. |
| s. 617.0603 | |
| s. 617.0604 | Liability of members. |
| s. 617.0605 | Transfer of membership interests. |
| s. 617.0606 | Resignation of members. |
| s. 617.0607 | Termination, expulsion, and suspension. |
| s. 617.0608 | Purchase of memberships. |
| s. 617.0701 | Meetings of members, generally; failure to hold annual meeting; special meeting; consent to corporate actions without meetings; waiver of notice of meetings. |
| s. 617.0721 | Voting by members. |
| s. 617.07401 | Members’ derivative actions. |
| s. 617.0741 | |
| s. 617.0742 | |
| s. 617.0743 | |
| s. 617.0744 | |
| s. 617.0745 | |
| s. 617.0746 | |
| s. 617.0747 | |
| s. 617.0803 | Number of directors. |
| s. 617.0804 | |
| s. 617.0805 | |
| s. 617.0806 | Staggered terms for directors. |
| s. 617.0808 | Removal of directors. |
| s. 617.0809 | Board vacancy. |
| s. 617.08091 | |
| s. 617.0820 | Meetings. |
| s. 617.0821 | Action by directors without a meeting. |
| s. 617.0822 | Notice of meetings. |
| s. 617.0823 | Waiver of notice. |
| s. 617.0824 | Quorum and voting. |
| s. 617.0825 | Board committees and advisory committees. |
| s. 617.0830 | General standards for directors. |
| s. 617.0831 | Indemnification and liability of officers, directors, employees, and agents. |
| s. 617.0832 | Director conflicts of interest. |
| s. 617.0834 | Officers and directors of certain corporations and associations not for profit; immunity from civil liability. |
| s. 617.0835 | Prohibited activities by private foundations. |
| s. 617.0844 | |
| s. 617.0901 | Reincorporation. |
| s. 617.1001 | Authority to amend the articles of incorporation. |
| s. 617.1002 | Procedure for amending articles of incorporation. |
| s. 617.1006 | Contents of articles of amendment. |
| s. 617.1007 | Restated articles of incorporation. |
| s. 617.1008 | Amendment pursuant to reorganization. |
| s. 617.1009 | Effect of amendment. |
| s. 617.1101 | Plan of merger. |
| s. 617.1102 | Limitation on merger. |
| s. 617.1103 | Approval of plan of merger; abandonment of plan thereafter. |
| s. 617.1104 | |
| s. 617.1105 | Articles of merger. |
| s. 617.1106 | Effect of merger. |
| s. 617.1107 | Merger of domestic and foreign corporations. |
| s. 617.1108 | Merger of domestic corporation and other eligible entities. |
| s. 617.1202 | Sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of corporate property and assets requiring member approval. |
| s. 617.1301 | Prohibited distributions. |
| s. 617.1302 | Authorized distributions. |
| s. 617.1401 | Voluntary dissolution of corporation prior to conducting its affairs. |
| s. 617.1402 | Dissolution of corporation. |
| s. 617.1403 | Articles of dissolution. |
| s. 617.1404 | Revocation of dissolution. |
| s. 617.1405 | Effect of dissolution. |
| s. 617.1406 | Plan of distribution of assets. |
| s. 617.1407 | Unknown claims against dissolved corporation. |
| s. 617.1408 | Known claims against dissolved corporation. |
| s. 617.1409 | |
| s. 617.14091 | |
| s. 617.1420 | Grounds for administrative dissolution. |
| s. 617.1421 | Procedure for and effect of administrative dissolution. |
| s. 617.1422 | Reinstatement following administrative dissolution. |
| s. 617.1423 | Appeal from denial of reinstatement. |
| s. 617.1430 | Grounds for judicial dissolution. |
| s. 617.1431 | Procedure for judicial dissolution. |
| s. 617.1432 | Receivership or custodianship. |
| s. 617.1433 | Judgment of dissolution. |
| s. 617.1434 | |
| s. 617.1435 | |
| s. 617.1440 | Deposit with Department of Financial Services. |
| s. 617.1501 | Authority of foreign corporation to conduct affairs required. |
| s. 617.15015 | |
| s. 617.1502 | Consequences of conducting affairs without authority. |
| s. 617.1503 | Application for certificate of authority. |
| s. 617.1504 | Amended certificate of authority. |
| s. 617.1505 | Effect of certificate of authority. |
| s. 617.1506 | Corporate name of foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.1507 | Registered office and registered agent of foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.1508 | Change of registered office and registered agent of foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.1509 | Resignation of registered agent of foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.15091 | |
| s. 617.1510 | Serving process, giving notice, or making a demand on a foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.1520 | Withdrawal of foreign corporation. |
| s. 617.1521 | |
| s. 617.1522 | |
| s. 617.1523 | |
| s. 617.1530 | Grounds for revocation of authority to conduct affairs. |
| s. 617.1531 | Procedure for and effect of revocation. |
| s. 617.15315 | |
| s. 617.1532 | Appeal from revocation. |
| s. 617.1533 | Reinstatement following revocation. |
| s. 617.1601 | Corporate records. |
| s. 617.1602 | Inspection of records by members. |
| s. 617.1603 | Scope of inspection right. |
| s. 617.1604 | Court-ordered inspection. |
| s. 617.1605 | Financial reports for members. |
| s. 617.16051 | |
| s. 617.1606 | Access to records. |
| s. 617.1622 | Annual report for Department of State. |
| s. 617.1623 | Corporate information available to the public; application to corporations incorporated by circuit courts and by special act of the Legislature. |
| s. 617.1701 | Application to existing domestic corporation. |
| s. 617.1702 | Application to qualified foreign corporations. |
| s. 617.1703 | Application of chapter. |
| s. 617.1711 | Application to foreign and interstate commerce. |
| s. 617.1803 | Domestication of foreign not-for-profit corporations. |
| s. 617.180301 | |
| s. 617.18031 | |
| s. 617.18032 | |
| s. 617.18033 | |
| s. 617.18034 | |
| s. 617.1804 | |
| s. 617.18041 | |
| s. 617.18042 | |
| s. 617.18043 | |
| s. 617.18044 | |
| s. 617.18045 | |
| s. 617.18046 | |
| s. 617.1805 | Corporations for profit; when may become corporations not for profit. |
| s. 617.1806 | Conversion to corporation not for profit; petition and contents. |
| s. 617.1807 | Conversion to corporation not for profit; authority of circuit judge. |
| s. 617.1808 | Application of act to corporation converted to corporation not for profit. |
| s. 617.1809 | Limited agricultural association; conversion to a domestic corporation not for profit. |
| s. 617.1904 | Estoppel. |
| s. 617.1907 | Effect of repeal or amendment of prior acts. |
| s. 617.1908 | Applicability of Florida Business Corporation Act. |
| s. 617.2001 | Corporations which may be incorporated hereunder; incorporation of certain medical services corporations. |
| s. 617.2002 | Corporation not for profit organized pursuant to s. 2, ch. 87-296; requirements. |
| s. 617.2003 | Proceedings to revoke articles of incorporation or charter or prevent its use. |
| s. 617.2005 | Extinct churches and religious societies; dissolution. |
| s. 617.2006 | Incorporation of labor unions or bodies. |
| s. 617.2007 | Sponge packing and marketing corporations. |
| s. 617.2101 | Corporation authorized to act as trustee. |
| s. 617.2102 | Fines and penalties against members. |
| s. 617.221 | Membership associations. |
| s. 620.2108 | Filings required for merger; effective date. |
| s. 620.8918 | Filings required for merger; effective date. |
| s. 628.910 | Incorporation options and requirements. |
| s. 718.111 | The association. |
| s. 718.1265 | Association emergency powers. |
| s. 718.3027 | Conflicts of interest. |
| s. 719.128 | Association emergency powers. |
| s. 720.3033 | Officers and directors. |
| s. 720.316 | Association emergency powers. |
| s. 721.13 | Management. |
| s. 768.38 | Liability protections for COVID-19-related claims. |
| s. 893.055 | Prescription drug monitoring program. |
Side-by-side: current law vs. the bill
s. 617.01011, F.S.
617.01011 Short title.—This act may be cited as the "Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act."
617.01011 Short title.—This chapter may be cited as the "Florida Nonprofit Corporation Act."
s. 617.01201, F.S.
617.01201 Filing requirements.—
(1) A document must satisfy the requirements of this section and of any other section that adds to or varies these requirements to be entitled to filing by the department of State.
(2) This act must require or permit filing the document in the office of the department of State.
(3) The document must contain the information required by this act. It may contain other information as well.
(7) The person executing the document shall sign it and state beneath or opposite his or her signature his or her name and the capacity in which he or she signs. The document may, but need not, contain :
(a) The corporate seal,
(b) An attestation by the secretary or an assistant secretary,
(c) An acknowledgment, verification, or proof.
(8) If the department of State has prescribed a mandatory form for the document under s. 617.0121, the document must be in or on the prescribed form.
(9) The document must be delivered to the department for filing. Delivery may be made by electronic transmission if and to the extent allowed by the department. If the document is filed in typewritten or printed form and not transmitted electronically, the department may require that one exact or conformed copy be delivered with the document, except as provided in s. 617.1508. The document must be accompanied by the correct filing fee and any other tax or penalty required by law.
617.01201 Filing requirements.—
(1) A document must satisfy the requirements of this section and of any other section that adds to or varies these requirements to be entitled to filing by the department .
(2) This chapter must require or permit filing the document in the office of the department .
(3) The document must contain the information required by this chapter . It may contain other information as well.
(7) The person executing the document shall sign it and state beneath or opposite such person's signature such person's name and the capacity in which such person signs. The document may, but need not, contain the corporate seal, an attestation, an acknowledgment, or a verification
.
(8) If the department has prescribed a mandatory form for the document under s. 617.0121, the document must be in or on the prescribed form.
(9) The document must be delivered to the department for filing. Delivery may be made by electronic transmission if and to the extent allowed by the department. If the document is filed in typewritten or printed form and not transmitted electronically, the department may require that one exact or conformed copy be delivered with the document, except as provided in s. 617.1508. The document must be accompanied by the correct filing fee and any other tax or penalty required by law.
(10) Whenever this chapter allows any of the terms of a plan or a filed document to be dependent upon facts objectively ascertainable outside the plan or filed document, the following apply:
(a) The plan or filed document must set forth the manner in which the facts will operate upon the terms of the plan or filed document.
(b) The facts may include, but are not limited to:
1. Any of the following which are available in a nationally recognized news or information medium either in print or electronically:
a. Statistical or market indices;
b. Market prices of any security or group of securities;
c. Interest rates;
d. Currency exchange rates; and
e. Similar economic or financial data;
2. A determination or action by any person or body, including the corporation or any other party to a plan or filed document; or
3. The terms of, or actions taken under, an agreement to which the corporation is a party, or any other agreement or document.
(c) The following provisions of a plan or filed document may not be made dependent upon facts outside the plan or filed document:
1. The name and address of any person required in a filed document;
2. The registered office of any entity required in a filed document;
3. The registered agent of any entity required in a filed document;
4. The effective date of a filed document; and
5. Any required statement in a filed document of the date on which the underlying transaction was approved or the manner in which that approval was given.
(d) If a provision of a filed document is made dependent upon a fact ascertainable outside of the filed document, and that fact is not ascertainable by reference to a source described in subparagraph (b)1. or a document that is a matter of public record, and the affected members have not received notice of the fact from the corporation, the corporation must file with the department articles of amendment to the filed document setting forth the fact promptly after the time when the fact referred to is first ascertainable or thereafter changes. Articles of amendment under this section are deemed to be authorized by the authorization of the original filed document to which they relate and may be filed by the corporation without further action by the board of directors or the members.
(e) As used in this subsection, the term:
1. "Filed document" means a document filed with the department pursuant to this chapter, except for a document filed pursuant to ss. 617.1501–617.1532.
2. "Plan" means a plan of merger, a plan of conversion, or a plan of domestication.
Not ready to sign up? Get the free Friday digest — the week's key Florida decisions and law changes by email.
Florida Court Tracker provides summaries of publicly available court opinions for informational and research purposes only. This is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Always verify holdings against the official opinion.