State-Specific Bylaws & Operating Agreements: 50-State Guide
Your state filing creates the entity. Your internal documents explain how it runs. Start with the law of your formation state, then keep the adopted version with your business records.
Quick Answer
Corporations use bylaws; LLCs use operating agreements. The correct document depends on entity type and formation state, not simply the office address. A template is a starting point, not a substitute for checking mandatory state rules and your filed articles.
Statutory Snapshot
- Coverage
- 50 states plus DC
- Corporation
- Bylaws and adoption records
- LLC
- Operating agreement and member approvals
- Seal
- Generally optional for ordinary corporations
50-State Bylaws & Operating Agreement Statute Reference
| State | Corporation bylaws statute | LLC operating agreement statute | Corporate seal required? | State kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Ala. Code Title 10A, Ch. 2A | Ala. Code Title 10A, Ch. 5A | No, optional | Alabama kits |
| Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ch. 10.06 | Alaska Stat. Ch. 10.50 | No, optional | Alaska kits |
| Arizona | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Title 10 | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Title 29, Ch. 7 | No, optional | Arizona kits |
| Arkansas | Ark. Code Title 4, Ch. 27 | Ark. Code Title 4, Ch. 38 | No, optional | Arkansas kits |
| California | Cal. Corp. Code § 212 | Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.10 | No, optional | California kits |
| Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. Title 7, Arts. 101-117 | Colo. Rev. Stat. Title 7, Art. 80 | No, optional | Colorado kits |
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ch. 601 | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ch. 613a | No, optional | Connecticut kits |
| Delaware | 8 Del. C. § 109 | 6 Del. C. § 18-101(9); § 18-1101 | No, optional | Delaware kits |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code Title 29, Ch. 3 | D.C. Code Title 29, Ch. 8 | No, optional | District of Columbia kits |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. § 607.0206 | Fla. Stat. § 605.0105 | No, optional | Florida kits |
| Georgia | O.C.G.A. Title 14, Ch. 2 | O.C.G.A. Title 14, Ch. 11 | No, optional | Georgia kits |
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. Ch. 414 | Haw. Rev. Stat. Ch. 428 | No, optional | Hawaii kits |
| Idaho | Idaho Code Title 30, Ch. 29 | Idaho Code Title 30, Ch. 25 | No, optional | Idaho kits |
| Illinois | 805 ILCS 5 | 805 ILCS 180 | No, optional | Illinois kits |
| Indiana | Ind. Code Title 23, Art. 1 | Ind. Code Title 23, Art. 18 | No, optional | Indiana kits |
| Iowa | Iowa Code Ch. 490 | Iowa Code Ch. 489 | No, optional | Iowa kits |
| Kansas | Kan. Stat. Ch. 17, Arts. 60-74 | Kan. Stat. Ch. 17, Art. 76 | No, optional | Kansas kits |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ch. 271B | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ch. 275 | No, optional | Kentucky kits |
| Louisiana | La. R.S. Title 12, Ch. 1 | La. R.S. Title 12, Ch. 22 | No, optional | Louisiana kits |
| Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. Title 13-C | Me. Rev. Stat. Title 31, Ch. 21 | No, optional | Maine kits |
| Maryland | Md. Code, Corps. & Ass’ns, Title 2 | Md. Code, Corps. & Ass’ns, Title 4A | No, optional | Maryland kits |
| Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 156D | Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 156C | No, optional | Massachusetts kits |
| Michigan | Mich. Comp. Laws § 450.1101 et seq. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 450.4101 et seq. | No, optional | Michigan kits |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. Ch. 302A | Minn. Stat. Ch. 322C | No, optional | Minnesota kits |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code Title 79, Ch. 4 | Miss. Code Title 79, Ch. 29 | No, optional | Mississippi kits |
| Missouri | Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 351 | Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 347 | No, optional | Missouri kits |
| Montana | Mont. Code Title 35, Ch. 14 | Mont. Code Title 35, Ch. 8 | No, optional | Montana kits |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 21, Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act | Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 21, Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act | No, optional | Nebraska kits |
| Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ch. 78 | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ch. 86 | No, optional | Nevada kits |
| New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ch. 293-A | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ch. 304-C | No, optional | New Hampshire kits |
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat. Title 14A | N.J. Stat. Title 42, Ch. 2C | No, optional | New Jersey kits |
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat. Ch. 53, Arts. 11-18 | N.M. Stat. Ch. 53, Art. 19 | No, optional | New Mexico kits |
| New York | N.Y. Bus. Corp. Law § 601 | N.Y. Ltd. Liab. Co. Law § 417 | No, optional | New York kits |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 57D | No, optional | North Carolina kits |
| North Dakota | N.D. Cent. Code Ch. 10-19.1 | N.D. Cent. Code Ch. 10-32.1 | No, optional | North Dakota kits |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code Ch. 1701 | Ohio Rev. Code Ch. 1706 | No, optional | Ohio kits |
| Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. Title 18, Oklahoma General Corporation Act | Okla. Stat. Title 18, Oklahoma Limited Liability Company Act | No, optional | Oklahoma kits |
| Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. Ch. 60 | Or. Rev. Stat. Ch. 63 | No, optional | Oregon kits |
| Pennsylvania | 15 Pa.C.S. Chs. 15-19 | 15 Pa.C.S. Ch. 88 | No, optional | Pennsylvania kits |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws Ch. 7-1.2 | R.I. Gen. Laws Ch. 7-16 | No, optional | Rhode Island kits |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code Title 33, Chs. 1-20 | S.C. Code Title 33, Ch. 44 | No, optional | South Carolina kits |
| South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws Title 47, Chs. 1A-1 through 1A-17 | S.D. Codified Laws Ch. 47-34A | No, optional | South Dakota kits |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Title 48, Chs. 11-27 | Tenn. Code Title 48, Ch. 249 | No, optional | Tennessee kits |
| Texas | Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code Ch. 21 | Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code Ch. 101 | No, optional | Texas kits |
| Utah | Utah Code Title 16, Ch. 10a | Utah Code Title 48, Ch. 3a | No, optional | Utah kits |
| Vermont | 11A V.S.A. | 11 V.S.A. Ch. 25 | No, optional | Vermont kits |
| Virginia | Va. Code Title 13.1, Ch. 9 | Va. Code Title 13.1, Ch. 12 | No, optional | Virginia kits |
| Washington | RCW Title 23B | RCW Ch. 25.15 | No, optional | Washington kits |
| West Virginia | W. Va. Code Ch. 31D | W. Va. Code Ch. 31B | No, optional | West Virginia kits |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. Ch. 180 | Wis. Stat. Ch. 183 | No, optional | Wisconsin kits |
| Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Title 17, Ch. 16 | Wyo. Stat. Title 17, Ch. 29 | No, optional | Wyoming kits |
General statutory starting points for ordinary business entities, not exhaustive section-level requirements. Broader acts include governance and default rules. Special entities and transactions may differ; confirm current provisions before relying on them. A recipient may request a seal even when state law does not generally require one.
Use the law of your formation state
An entity formed in Delaware and operating in another state generally looks to Delaware for its internal governance. Foreign registration, licensing and local compliance are separate questions. Nonprofit, professional and regulated entities may need different provisions.
Bylaws and operating agreements solve different problems
Bylaws typically address directors, officers, meetings, voting and internal procedures. An operating agreement typically addresses members, management, contributions, distributions, transfers and exits. Neither document should conflict with mandatory law or the filed articles.
Written records reduce uncertainty
Some states recognize unwritten LLC agreements, but a written agreement makes ownership and decision rules easier to establish. New York expressly requires a written operating agreement under LLC Law § 417. Check your state for adoption deadlines and other mandatory provisions.
From state reference to adopted document
- Confirm your entity type and state of formation from the approved filing.
- Review the applicable statute, articles and any existing shareholder or member agreements.
- Customize names, management, voting, transfer rules and other relevant provisions with counsel.
- Obtain the approvals required by law and your governing documents; record the date and action.
- Keep the adopted version, signatures or approvals, and later amendments in your record book or secure digital archive.
Statutory Traps to Avoid
Keep your approved governance documents together
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state law should my document follow?
Begin with the law of the state where the entity was formed. Foreign registration and local operating rules may create separate obligations.
Do corporations and LLCs use the same document?
No. Corporations use bylaws and related corporate approvals; LLCs use operating agreements and member or manager approvals.
Must every LLC have a written operating agreement?
Requirements vary. New York LLC Law § 417 requires a written agreement. Other states may recognize oral or implied terms, but a written record is usually clearer.
Do I file bylaws with the state?
Bylaws and operating agreements are generally internal records, unlike articles filed to form an entity. Check special filing or disclosure requirements for your entity.
Is a corporate seal required?
For ordinary business corporations, a seal is generally optional under state corporation laws. A lender, foreign recipient or particular transaction may request one.
Does this table replace legal advice?
No. These citations are general starting points, not legal advice or a guarantee that a template meets current law. Ask an attorney to review your entity-specific terms.
Statutory references are informational, not legal advice. Corp USA is a private records supplier, not a law firm or state agency; confirm current requirements with your attorney or the responsible state office.