Articles of incorporation vs articles of organization

When a bank asks for "articles of incorporation," they usually mean your formation certificate — the state document that proves your company legally exists. For an LLC, that document is not called articles of incorporation.

LLCs use Articles of Organization / Certificate of Formation

LLCs are organized, not incorporated. The equivalent state filing is:

• Delaware / Wyoming — Certificate of Formation (sometimes called Articles of Organization)

Standalone / BYOE

Download your entity’s state-issued Certificate of Formation from the Files & Templates tab.

OtoCo Instant / protected series

Your series has no individual state-issued Certificate of Formation. For Mercury (and similar KYB), provide the Master Certificate of Formation. In DashPanel and at https://compliance.otoco.io it is still labeled Certificate of Formation.

If you purchase OtoCo’s $299 Mercury application service, these docs are automatically uploaded. Recommend going through OtoCo for that. Full guide: Mercury Bank Documents.

Corporations use Articles of Incorporation

Articles of Incorporation apply to corporations (C-Corps, S-Corps), not LLCs. OtoCo forms LLCs and associations — not C-Corps. If a bank form has a dropdown for entity type, select LLC.

What to upload when the bank says "articles of incorporation"

1. Standalone / BYOE: upload your state-issued Certificate of Formation. Instant / protected series: upload the Master Certificate of Formation (UI label: Certificate of Formation).
2. Add your Operating Agreement
3. Add your EIN letter if you have one
4. In the notes field, write one of:
   • Standalone: "LLC — Certificate of Formation attached (LLCs do not have articles of incorporation)."
   • Instant: "OtoCo Instant protected series — Master Certificate of Formation attached (no individual state-issued series Certificate of Formation; LLCs do not have articles of incorporation)."

Next: Bank formation documents · Mercury Bank Documents · Certificate of Formation