Doing Business Requirements in Missouri

The Doing Business Endorsement is available in Missouri. "Doing Business" is not defined by statute except with respect to selling insurance. The ownership of property located in Missouri by a foreign company does not, in itself, constitute doing business.

The general corporation statutes can be found at Chapter 351 Missouri Revised Statutes. Partnerships are governed by the Uniform Partnership Law found at Chapter 358. The Uniform Limited Partnership Law is found at Chapter 359 and the statutes governing Limited Liability Companies are found in Chapter 347. That chapter also provides the guidelines for various types of business entities to merge or consolidate. A Certificate of Merger can be obtained from the Office of the Secretary of State in Jefferson City, Missouri. Title to real estate which is held in the name of one business entity can be transferred to the surviving merged entity by recording a certified copy of the Certificate of Merger in the county in which the real estate is located. A copy of the legal description must be attached to the Certificate.

There is no statute governing the operation of Real Estate Investment Trusts or Land Trusts. However, a recent statute allows for title to real estate to be held in the name of trusts. Prior to the statute, it was thought that title needed to be held in the names of the trustees of the trust.