How Bylaws Differ from the Articles of Incorporation
As already mentioned, the bylaws are the "meat and potatoes" of a corporation. The bylaws set how the corporation runs on a day-to-day basis.
Here is a simple way to remember the differences between the bylaws and the
articles of incorporation. If you think of a corporation as a picture, with a frame, the frame represents the articles of incorporation and the actual picture represents the bylaws. So, the articles of incorporation set the framework for the corporation, while the bylaws are the actual picture of what really happens.
Bylaws are also private documents that are not filed with any government agency, while the articles of incorporation are public documents that must be filed with the state agency where the corporation becomes incorporated (e.g. with the state’s secretary of state). As such, articles of incorporation actually cost money to file with the state, while the bylaws are free to create (assuming you do not pay a lawyer to create them for you).
Next, we’ll go over what you’ll likely find in the bylaws.