A. Any foreign corporation not authorized to transact business in this state may register its corporate name under the Business Corporation Act if its corporate name is not the same as, or confusingly similar to, the name of any domestic corporation existing under the laws of this state, or the name of any foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state, or any corporate name reserved or registered under the Business Corporation Act.

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B. Registration shall be made by:

(1)     filing with the commission [secretary of state]:

(a) an application for registration executed by the corporation by an officer thereof, setting forth the name of the corporation, the state or territory under the laws of which it is incorporated, the date of its incorporation, a statement that it is carrying on or doing business, and a brief statement of the business in which it is engaged; and

(b) a certificate setting forth that the corporation is in good standing under the laws of the state or territory in which it is organized, executed by the secretary of state of the state or territory or by the official who may have custody of the records pertaining to corporations; and

(2)     paying to the commission [secretary of state] a registration fee in the amount of one dollar ($1.00) for each month, or fraction thereof, between the date of filing the application and December 31 of the calendar year in which the application is filed.

C. Registration shall be effective until the close of the calendar year in which the application for registration is filed.