A. A foreign corporation may register its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by § 13.1-762, if the name is distinguishable upon the records of the Commission.
B. A foreign corporation registers its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by § 13.1-762, by filing with the Commission (i) an application setting forth its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by § 13.1-762, the state or country and date of its incorporation, and a brief description of the nature of the business in which it is engaged; and (ii) a certificate setting forth that such corporation is in good standing, or a document of similar import, from the state or country of incorporation, executed by the official who has custody of the records pertaining to corporations.
C. Except as provided in subsection F, registration is effective for one year after the date an application is filed.
D. If the Commission finds that the corporate name applied for is available, it shall register the name for the applicant's exclusive use.
E. A foreign corporation whose registration is effective may renew it for the succeeding year by filing with the Commission, during the 60-day period preceding the date of expiration of the registration, a renewal application that complies with the requirements of subsection B. The renewal application is effective when filed in accordance with this section and, except as provided in subsection F, renews the registration for one year after the date the registration would have expired if such subsequent renewal of the registration had not occurred.
F. A foreign corporation whose registration is effective may thereafter obtain a certificate of authority to transact business in the Commonwealth under the registered name or consent in writing to the use of that name by a corporation thereafter incorporated under this chapter or by another foreign corporation thereafter authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth. The registration terminates when the domestic corporation is incorporated or the foreign corporation obtains a certificate of authority to transact business in the Commonwealth or consents to the authorization of another foreign corporation to transact business in the Commonwealth under the registered name.
G. A foreign corporation that has in effect a registration of its corporate name may release such name by filing a notice of release of a registered name with the Commission.
Code 1950, § 13.1-8; 1956, c. 428; 1981, c. 522; 1984, c. 771; 1985, c. 522; 1995, c. 114; 2005, c. 765; 2019, c. 734.