Mark's Corpex sells printed LLC membership certificates, with your company details already on the face, and blank LLC membership certificates. For blank sets, order Corpex Blank Standard Certificates in the LLC style (20 by default). For a complete LLC record book, order a Corpex kit with the LLC option, which uses membership certificates and an operating agreement.
- Printed LLC certs
- Sold by Mark's Corpex, company details printed on the face
- Blank LLC sets
- Corpex Blank Standard, LLC style, 20 by default
- Styles available
- Corporate, LLC, NFP and LP
- Kit option
- Membership certificates and operating agreement
What an LLC membership certificate is
An LLC is owned by its members, and each member holds a membership interest. A membership certificate is a document the LLC issues to show that a named member holds a stated interest, expressed in units or as a percentage. It is signed by the people the operating agreement authorizes, usually managers or managing members, and it is numbered so it can be tracked in the company's membership register.
A certificate records an interest; it does not create it. The operating agreement and the company's records decide who owns what. That is why the certificate, the operating agreement and the membership listing must say the same thing.
Does an LLC need membership certificates?
Usually not. Most LLCs are not required to issue certificates, and many never do. Owners choose to issue them when they want a formal record for each member, when a bank, investor or lender asks for one, or when the operating agreement says interests will be certificated. Whether interests are certificated can affect how they are transferred or pledged, so if a loan or sale is involved, ask your attorney before you issue them.
What goes on an LLC membership certificate
Most LLC certificates include the following fields.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| LLC name | Legal name exactly as on the articles of organization, including LLC or L.L.C. |
| State | State of organization |
| Certificate number | Next number in the membership register |
| Member name | Member's full legal name, or entity name for a corporate member |
| Interest | Units or percentage, exactly as the operating agreement expresses it |
| Date | Date the interest is issued |
| Signatures | Persons authorized by the operating agreement |
| Legend | Restrictions on transfer, if your attorney recommends one |
Units or percentages?
Some operating agreements divide ownership into units, for example a fixed number of units split among members. Others state each member's percentage directly. Use whichever your operating agreement uses, and use it the same way everywhere. A certificate showing a percentage when the agreement uses units, or the reverse, creates exactly the kind of mismatch buyers and lenders notice.
Which Mark's Corpex products to order
For blank LLC certificates, the Corpex Blank Standard Certificates product is listed as available in corporate, LLC, NFP and LP styles, with 20 certificates in the default selection and more available on the product page. The blank certificates carry the same security features as the printed Corpex certificates, according to the live product page.
Mark's Corpex also sells printed LLC membership certificates, with your company details already on the face. For a complete LLC record book, order a Corpex Standard or Econoline kit and choose the LLC option, so the kit is built around membership certificates and an operating agreement. The LLC tab set has five tabs: Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Minutes, Certificates and Membership Listing. Call 800-221-8181 if you have questions about wording before you order.
Issuing membership certificates, step by step
- Confirm the operating agreement allows or calls for certificates and who signs them.
- Confirm each member's interest in units or percentage from the operating agreement.
- Complete each certificate and its stub with the same member name, interest and date.
- Have the authorized persons sign, and apply the company seal if the LLC has adopted one.
- Record each certificate in the membership register behind the Membership Listing tab.
- When an interest is transferred, cancel the old certificate, keep it with its stub, and issue new ones.
From Corpex Banknote stock to LLC certificates
Corpex built its name on banknote-style stock certificates for corporations long before LLCs were common. The same formal certificate tradition now carries over to LLC, nonprofit and limited partnership styles, so an LLC's record book can look as complete as any corporation's.
Frequently asked questions
What is an LLC membership certificate?
A numbered document an LLC issues to show that a named member holds a stated membership interest, in units or as a percentage.
Are LLC membership certificates required?
Usually not. Most LLCs are not required to issue them. The operating agreement and your attorney's advice decide whether yours should.
Who signs an LLC membership certificate?
The persons the operating agreement authorizes, often managers or managing members.
Do you sell blank LLC membership certificates?
Yes. Corpex Blank Standard Certificates are listed in corporate, LLC, NFP and LP styles, 20 by default.
Can I get printed LLC certificates?
Yes. Mark's Corpex sells printed LLC membership certificates with your company details already on the face. Call 800-221-8181 if you have questions about wording.
What is the difference between a stock certificate and a membership certificate?
Stock certificates show shares of a corporation. Membership certificates show an LLC member's interest in units or percentages.
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