54-139. Foreign cooperative corporations; limitation on use of word "cooperative."
(a) A foreign corporation (with or without capital stock) that can qualify as an association, as defined in G.S. 54-130(2)b1 and 2, may be authorized to transact business in this State under the provisions of Chapter 55A of the General Statutes.
(b) No person other than an association organized under this Subchapter, or a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this State pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, or an electric or telephone membership corporation domesticated pursuant to G.S. 117-28, or an organization created under or governed by Subchapter IV of Chapter 54 of the General Statutes, shall be entitled to organize, domesticate, or transact business in this State if the corporate or other business name or title of such person contains the word "cooperative."