Am I Required to Keep Meeting Minutes?

Corporations and organizations use meeting minutes to document the actions taken during an official meeting. Meeting minutes are most commonly used during the board meeting to record decisions that will ultimately affect the entire company. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia require corporations to keep minutes during the annual board meeting.

Five states do NOT require a corporation to keep meeting minutes: Delaware, Kansas, Nevada, North Dakota, & Oklahoma. Regardless of individual state requirements, keeping a record of the events that transpired during an official meeting is always a good idea.

Why Should My Company Keep Meeting Minutes Even If They Are Not Required by Law?

Board members make decisions that affect the entire company. As such, it is necessary that the outcome of these meeting is inscribed in black and white. Failing to record a written copy of the way board members voted and the outcome of such votes could result in conflict: a board member may change her or his mind, or an executive may choose to ignore a directive because it is not written in stone.

Meeting minutes can be later used in court or arbitration to compel other board member, executives, managers, and employees to comply with a decision.

When Do I Not Need to Keep Meeting Minutes?

In most circumstances, meeting minutes are not required for day-to-day departmental meetings. While it is essential to take notes, an official document is not necessary.

What Information Should I Record?

Meeting minutes should include the date, time, and location of the meeting. It should also include the type of meeting that is held (i.e., annual board meeting), the individuals that were present, and the meeting’s agenda. The resolutions section should include any decisions that were made during the meeting. Finally, it should be signed and dated by the director.

To accurately complete meeting minutes, use this fillable template at the start of every meeting.