2012 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 33 - Corporations, Partnerships and Associations
Chapter 31 - SOUTH CAROLINA NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT

ARTICLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

• Section 33-31-101 - Short title.
• Section 33-31-102 - Reservation of power to amend or repeal.
• Section 33-31-120 - Filing requirements.
• Section 33-31-121 - Forms.
• 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 33-31-130 - Powers.
• Section 33-31-140 - Definitions.
• Section 33-31-141 - Notice.
• 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 33-31-155 - Authority to dispose of assets from a dissolved nonprofit corporation or eleemosynary organization.
• 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.

ARTICLE 2 INCORPORATION

• 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 33-31-206 - Bylaws.
• Section 33-31-207 - Emergency bylaws and powers.

ARTICLE 3 PURPOSES

• Section 33-31-301 - Purposes.
• 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.

ARTICLE 4 NAMES

• 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.

ARTICLE 5 OFFICE AND AGENTS

• 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.

ARTICLE 6 MEMBERS AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Section 33-31-601 - Admission.
• 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 33-31-611 - Transfers.
• 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 33-31-640 - Delegates.

ARTICLE 7 MEMBERS MEETINGS AND VOTING

• 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 33-31-724 - Proxies.
• 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.

ARTICLE 8 DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

• 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 33-31-857 - Insurance.
• Section 33-31-858 - Application of article.

ARTICLE 10 AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES

• 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.

ARTICLE 11 MERGER

• 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.

ARTICLE 12 SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS

• 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.

ARTICLE 13 PROHIBITED DISTRIBUTIONS

• Section 33-31-1301 - Prohibited distributions.
• Section 33-31-1302 - Authorized distributions.

ARTICLE 14 DISSOLUTION

• 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.

ARTICLE 15 FOREIGN CORPORATIONS

• 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 33-31-1530 - Grounds for revoking a foreign corporation's authority to transact business in this State.
• Section 33-31-1531 - Procedure and effect of revocation.
• Section 33-31-1532 - Appeal from revocation.

ARTICLE 16 RECORDS AND REPORTS

• 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.

ARTICLE 17 MISCELLANEOUS

• 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.
• Section 33-31-1707 - Existing domestic and foreign corporations required to file "Notification by Existing Corporation" form.
• Section 33-31-1708 - Provisions not applicable.